This is the first edition of the Canadian Spaceport Report, the renamed report for our previous series we called the Canadian Spaceport Launch Vehicle Power Rankings. Among the updates in this report is news concerning Maritime Launch Services (MLS) and we’ve also learned that Northern Private Capital visited Yuzhnoye Design Office with MLS.
The Canadian Spaceport Report
Why are we publishing an ongoing Canadian Spaceport Report when Canada does not have a spaceport?
The answer is simple. The global space economy is growing, shows no sign of slowing down, and if Canada wants to be leader it will need a spaceport. That, and a proposed spaceport in Nova Scotia is almost at the stage where ground breaking and development might begin.
For more information on “the why,” Including how it’s in Canada’s strategic national interest, read our previous column on this topic.
The MLS Nova Scotia spaceport and MDA?
The proposed spaceport in Nova Scotia is being pursued by Maritime Launch Services which is based in Halifax. The company was to have begun construction in the fall of 2019. However, financing has not been in place and then the pandemic put a hold to some of their efforts.
SpaceQ spoke with MLS CEO Steve Matier this past Monday to get an update. The company recently received an 18 month extension from the government of Nova Scotia so that they can complete their environmental compliance ahead of ground breaking. Matier would like to get the environmental compliance wrapped up as soon as possible but the pandemic has slowed down their efforts. With respect to funding, Matier wasn’t prepared to discuss the status of any potential funding. He did say though that he might have some news shortly that would make the project more attractive to the federal government.
It’s no secret the federal government and the Canadian Space Agency are keenly interested in the project. In particular, the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) and Department of Transportation while not overtly supporting the project, are working on regulatory updates that would allow launch vehicles to launch from Canadian soil to orbit.
As we mentioned in opening, we’ve also discovered that Northern Private Capital (NPC) has had an interest in MLS. During our ongoing research we found an Instragram video by the Yuzhnoye Design Office that was about MLS and their efforts to bring the Cyclone 4M medium-lift rocket to Canada. What was unusual about the video it that it included Andrew Lapham, co-founder and CEO of Northern Private Capital (NPC). And you may recall that NPC is the company that bought MDA from Maxar technologies in late 2019.
As the Yuzhnoye Instragram video below shows, Andrew Lapham visited Yuzhnoye Design Office with MLS’s Steve Matier and Joseph Hasay. We’ve learned the trip was in the spring of 2019. MLS’s Matier wouldn’t go into any details, but did say that since the video is public he could confirm the trip, and that yes, as the video shows, NPC was interested in MLS and a Nova Scotia spaceport at that time.
Timing is important in the sequence of events that led NPC to talk to MLS and the subsequent acquisition of MDA by NPC. Here’s what we’ve pieced together between public information and conversations with people familiar with the situation, but not authorized to speak on the record.
NPC and MLS began discussions about a possible interest before NPC bought MDA from Maxar. The trip to the Ukraine was in the spring of 2019 so NPC must have been talking to MLS early in 2019. Why was NPC interested in MLS and the proposed Nova Scotia spaceport? The link is billionaire John Risley who is from Nova Scotia. Risley is the other co-founder of NPC and NPC is an investing vehicle used by the Risley family. It seems he has a strong interest in the space sector.
At some point in late 2019 NPC decided to pursue MDA as their primary space investment play. That, it seemed, put MLS to the side. After the deal for MDA closed in April of 2020, Andrew Lapham told SpaceQ in an interview that decisions regarding what MDA would be doing would rest on newly minted CEO Mike Greenley’s shoulders with the board overseeing any decisions it was needed to make. Considering what we now know, that NPC had an interest in MLS before the MDA deal, and that decisions on what MDA would do going forward rested in part with Greenley, we contacted MDA and asked them directly if they have an interest in MLS and their proposed Nova Scotia spaceport. The short answer we received was that “We have nothing to disclose on this topic.” That answer is not a no, nor is it a yes. If MDA has an interest in MLS that would be something. Would it be as a customer? A supplier?
What’s interesting about MDA’s reaction and other important stakeholders, including government, is the interest in the spaceport. It seems everyone is interested, would like to see a Canadian spaceport, but no one is pulling the trigger yet on full-on support and any financial commitment. The only potential stakeholder to step-up so far is the Nova Scotia government who have not dismissed the project, have approved the environmental review and would like to see the project succeed. Why? Jobs, jobs, jobs. A spaceport would bring jobs to Nova Scotia. And if the spaceport was a success, it could lead to more jobs.
The orbital launch vehicle update
At some point in the near term Canada is likely to have a spaceport. Once that happens who are the launch providers that will use the spaceport?
In the previous series we called the Canadian Spaceport Launch Vehicle Power Rankings, we provided a ranking of the launch vehicles that might use a Canadian spaceport based on our research. Our research is based on public sources and sources not authorized to speak on the record.
Since the only spaceport that’s under development in Canada is the Nova Scotia spaceport by MLS, these rankings only include launch vehicles that might use this facility. And to note, the MLS spaceport as currently designed, is intended for small and medium launch vehicles. As well, the rankings will focus primarily on Canadian and US launch companies at this time as they are the most likely to use the spaceport.
The launch vehicle rankings
10 – Rocket 1, Launcher Space (down 1)
Launcher Space is in the process of moving into a new facility near SpaceX in Hawthorne, California. The move from New York is to be closer to the supply chain. It’s also a lot further away from Nova Scotia.
9 – SpinLaunch (USA) (down 6)
SpinLaunch is very much in quiet mode right now. They have reportedly raised US$80 million in funding and while they are interested in using the proposed MLS spaceport, they need to show some technology progress. Until we hear more, we’re moving them way down in the rankings.
8 – Phantom Daytona-E, Phantom Space (USA) (up 1)
Since our last update when the company was first publicized, we’ve learned a lot more about this company including that its co-founder and investor is Canadian Michal Prywata of Toronto. In an interview with SpaceQ, Prywata said he hopes to launch from Canada one day.
7 – Electron, Rocket Lab (USA/New Zealand) (up 1)
Rocket Lab is going public in a big way joining the SPAC (special purpose acquisition company) craze earlier this month. The company also unveiled a new medium-lift rocket, the Neutron which would be a perfect fit for the Nova Scotia spaceport.
6 – C6 Rocket, C6 Launch (Canada) (up 1)
C6 recently unveiled their new rocket engine test stand and appear to making some progress.
While the company is not planning on launching from Canada at this time, circumstances could see that change.
5 – Terran 1, Relativity Space (USA) (up 1)
The company recently announced it had 3D printed its Terran 1 rocketโs second stage in a few weeks. The company has deep pockets thanks to the $500 million it raised last November. In June of 2020 we interviewed co-founder Jordan Noone. They’ve signed Telesat as a customer. It’s not inconceivable that they might one day consider launching from Canada.
4 – Reaction Dynamics (Canada) (up 1)
Reaction Dynamics completed an important test for its hybrid propulsion technology last week. We’ve got the exclusive report from its founder Bachar Elzein. The company is making progress towards its goal of building Canada’s first orbital launch vehicle.
3 – Astra Space (USA) (up 1)
Astra is also going public via a SPAC and will hold an investor day on April 14. I know there is interest on MLS’s part to see them use the Nova Scotia spaceport.
2 – Alpha and Beta, Firefly Aerospace (USA) (no change)
FireFly’s long delayed maiden test flight has been pushed into April. The company will be launching from the Vandenberg Air Force Base Space Launch Complex 2-West.
MLS has stated they are in talks with FireFly. Should those talks progress to a launch contract, they could become the first company to launch from Nova Scotia in late 2021. They would not be using the Cyclone 4M launch pad, but rather a new modular small launch pad, designed in-part for mobile launch systems.
1 – Cyclone 4M, Yuzhnoye Design Office (Ukraine) (no change)
Yuzhnoye still remains at the top of the rankings. We’ve heard that the Ukraine government may step up its efforts to get this project moving forward.
Here’s the short background on why Yuzhnoye is still number 1 in the rankings. Yuzhnoye funded the study that led to the Canso area location in Nova Scotia being selected for a spaceport. Steve Matier was the writer of that study. He decided after writing the study that he wanted the challenge of making the Nova Scotia spaceport a reality. So he convinced Yuzhnoye to be the customer, and he would, with his partners, build the spaceport under a new company, Maritime Launch Services.
Great article. I haven’t much about this Canso, Nova Scotia launch site in over a year. Good to see there is development going on.
Is it the May, 2019 visit? Looks like it is…