Becoming a launching state and what that means

Illustration of rocket launching. Credit: Shutterstock/SpaceQ.

In this episode of the Space Economy podcast we discuss countries that want to become a launching state and what that means. Our guest is Kenneth Hodgkins. This is the fifth of ten episodes in our special series Doing Business in the Solar System hosted by Elizabeth Howell.

For many years, Canadian orbital dreams were restricted to launching things in other countries. But a Maritime Launch Services proposed launching facility in Nova Scotia secured nearly $11 million in Canadian investment dollars this spring. Its location takes advantage of the Earth’s rotation to boost rockets into equatorial orbits.

The facility is at an early stage, so early that Transport Canada says it isn’t yet ready to comment. But we do have Kenneth Hodgkins, president of International Space Enterprise Consultants to talk about the subject. Mr. Hodgkins used to be the Director of the Office of Space and Advanced Technology at the US State Department, and was in Ottawa a few years back talking about Canada as a launching state.

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About Marc Boucher

Boucher is an entrepreneur, writer, editor & publisher. He is the founder of SpaceQ Media Inc. and Executive Vice President, Content of SpaceNews. Boucher has 25+ years working in various roles in the space industry and a total of 30 years as a technology entrepreneur including creating Maple Square, Canada's first internet directory and search engine.

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