As everyone in Canadian space knows these days, sovereign launch is having a moment. Just a few weeks ago, the Canadian government announced it would commit on the order of $300 million for sovereign launch, including a 10-year, $200-million pledge for Maritime Launch Services launch pad access and money for the Launch the North effort for homegrown rockets.
The three companies selected for the first stage of Launch the North were NordSpace, Reaction Dynamics and Canada Rocket Company, each receiving $8.3 million for early-stage funding.
The three companies came together on stage on Tuesday (May 5) at NordSpace’s Canadian Space Launch Conference, held at the Canada Aviation and Space Museum in Ottawa, to provide an update on how things are going so far.
They also pointed to a few gaps that they would love to see the federal government fill: more access to venture capital (which is more limited in Canada than the U.S.), more clarity on launch regulations (which may come through the new Bill C-28, the Canadian Space Launch Act), and some help on having the companies develop medium-lift opportunities to expand their customer base.
NordSpace CEO Rahul Goel
- NordSpace plans to do another launch attempt from its facility in Newfoundland and Labrador in the coming months, but the company did not share a timeline.
- The company’s focus is on its Tundra launch vehicle, although it has larger vehicles in development as part of later phases in the next decade.
- The company will receive $18 million in investment ($10 million for the Atlantic Spaceport Complex, and $8 million for advanced manufacturing) in contracts to be announced in a few weeks.
- NordSpace is working through propulsion development and primary structures, saying that testing infrastructure is one of the primary focuses at the moment – such as engine platforms, hardware interstages and tanks.
- Looking at the industry, the company estimates it takes about eight years to get a medium-lift* rocket ready for launch and then an additional two years, at the least, to reach a commercial cadence.
Reaction Dynamics CEO Bachar Elzein
- The company plans to use the new funding for development of both its storable-propulsion systems and modular launch architecture. It has been framing this as a boon as it reduces the need to be attached to a single, fixed launch infrastructure and allows for distributed opportunities for launch.
- The company wants to ensure that every customer is happy. If that happens, “it’s easy to bring the investors. It’s easier to convince government for funding. It’s easier to hire, because you have a business case that we need folks.”
- The business has been a fun challenge: “I learned a lot about making mistakes,” he said, as the company looks to answer “challenging questions” for its rocket development.
- Reaction Dynamics is grateful for the support of the federal government, including a recently announced strategic partnership with Defence Research and Development Canada, which is rare for a young company. It shows “Ottawa’s openness to taking risks,” but there will be a lot of regulatory approvals to come.
Canada Rocket Company CEO Hugh Kolias
- The company is focused on medium-lift capabilities, sending 12,000 kg to sun-synchronous orbit.
- They want to “make the right architectural decisions that allow you to be very hardware-rich, and provide high levels of test cadence. You’re not shy about having to blow up, and have different test articles to an extent, of course.”
- The team has raised $23 million from investors in Canada and the U.S., and includes high-level expertise from former employees at SpaceX, Arianespace, Rocket Lab and others. The company says it’s proud to bring back employees who left Canada for opportunities in the U.S. and overseas. “Now they have the opportunity to come back and leverage that experience.”
- It would be helpful to have a larger discussion about International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), as it would be easier if they didn’t have to “ask permission from somebody” for certain design changes.
- An announcement is expected to come soon regarding their test facility and manufacturing.
* Editor’s note: We updated this bullet point to clarify that this is for a medium-lift rocket.