Welcome to Issue 19 of the In Defence of Canada Briefing.
This week’s issue highlights an important theme: the need for resilient foundations—both in public support and physical infrastructure—to secure Canada’s space and defence future. As our Lead story reveals, recent polling by Abacus Data shows overwhelming public backing for domestic spaceports and sovereign launch capabilities, providing a strong political mandate for ongoing federal investments.
However, as our Feature Analysis outlines, building that future requires adapting to climate realities. A new CDA Institute report warns that multi-billion-dollar investments in Arctic defence and NORAD modernization risk failure if they ignore the destabilizing impacts of permafrost degradation and extreme weather on northern installations.
We also see this push for resilience reflected in our Tactical Briefs, from Reaction Dynamics’ highly deployable, containerized Aurora rocket to Galaxia’s new edge computing architecture for orbital intelligence. And finally, our Guest Opinion challenges us to rethink how we classify the technology driving this sector, arguing that the term “dual-use” is a dangerously outdated way to view modern space infrastructure.
Thanks for reading.
Marc Boucher
Editor-in-Chief
SpaceQ Media Inc.
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The Lead: Public Support Surges for Sovereign Launch Capabilities
A new national survey conducted by Abacus Data on behalf of Maritime Launch Services reveals that 68 percent of Canadians believe the country should have the ability to launch satellites from its own soil. Representing the first comprehensive public polling data on sovereign launch capabilities in Canada, the findings suggest strong public support for domestic space infrastructure—effectively validating recent federal policy shifts and sector funding.
While only 26 percent of respondents initially knew that Canada currently lacks a domestic launch capability, support for building that infrastructure jumped significantly once the capability gap was explained. According to the data, 70 percent of respondents agree that developing launch infrastructure strengthens economic and national security interests, and eight in 10 stated it is important to build infrastructure that directly supports sovereignty.
Read the full report at SpaceQ
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Feature Analysis: The Climate Threat to Arctic Defence Infrastructure
As the Canadian Armed Forces prepare to inject generational investments into modernizing North American aerospace defence, a new policy paper warns that these multi-billion dollar projects could fail if the military does not fundamentally adapt to climate realities.
Published by the Conference of Defence Associations (CDA) Institute and authored by Cudi Zerey, the report examines how environmental hazards—including permafrost degradation, coastal erosion, and extreme weather—are actively destabilizing current northern installations and stressing force availability.
To resolve these issues, the author recommends overhauling how the Department of National Defence and the Treasury Board evaluate projects. The report calls for new lifecycle costing models that factor in supply chain durability, modular system design, and permafrost-adapted engineering to ensure future bases can survive the changing environment they are meant to defend.
Read the full analysis at SpaceQ
Tactical Briefs
Galaxia Unveils Onyx Edge Compute System for LEO Intelligence: Halifax-based space technology startup Galaxia has announced the release of Onyx Edge, a new onboard computing system designed to shift low-Earth orbit operations from raw data collection to real-time intelligence gathering. The hardware utilizes a “Core and Blades” architecture to physically separate the satellite’s flight computer from high-throughput AI processing units. Read more at SpaceQ
Reaction Dynamics Prepares ‘Containerized’ Aurora Rocket: As part of its scale-up for the Launch the North challenge, Quebec-based Reaction Dynamics (RDX) has stated that its Aurora rocket is uniquely designed to fit entirely inside a standard shipping container. Relying on a stable, non-toxic hybrid engine that uses solid fuel pellets and liquid oxidizer, the vehicle can be safely stockpiled and transported via truck, rail, sea, or air. Read more at SpaceQ
DND Launches Defence Drone Initiative (DDI): The Department of National Defence and the Defence Investment Agency have officially launched the Defence Drone Initiative (DDI) to accelerate the development and production of uncrewed and autonomous systems for the Canadian Armed Forces. Bridging the aerospace, robotics, AI, and secure communications sectors, the initiative aims to create an agile procurement pathway for sovereign tactical capabilities. Among its initial focus areas, the DDI is actively exploring low-collateral counter-drone interceptors and deep precision strike technologies. Read more at Canada.ca
Industry Calls for Complementary Aerospace Strategy: Following the release of the federal government’s Defence Industrial Strategy (DIS), defense and aerospace leaders are emphasizing that space, civil, and military manufacturing rely on the exact same industrial base. As the government prepares to spend billions modernizing NORAD and fielding new space systems, advocates argue that a complementary Aerospace Industrial Strategy is urgently needed to provide the long-term, predictable demand signals required for domestic firms to scale “nose-to-tail” manufacturing capacity. Read more at Vanguard Canada
Global Watch
Pentagon Eyes November for G-BAM Precision Strike Demo: The U.S. Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) has announced the Ground-Based Affordable Mass (G-BAM) challenge, seeking long-range precision strike systems capable of demonstrating results within three months. Supported by $250 million in initial funding, the Pentagon is seeking ground-launched systems that can strike targets over 600 nautical miles away at a cost of less than $250,000 per round. Read more at Breaking Defense
LatConnect 60 Unveils AI for Indo-Pacific Defence: Responding to surging demand from regional military planners, Australian satellite data provider LatConnect 60 has unveiled new proprietary artificial intelligence capabilities. The AI infrastructure is designed to directly integrate with the company’s upcoming SWIRSAT (Short Wave Infrared Satellite) constellation, offering rapid threat detection and intelligence processing tailored for the congested maritime domains of the Indo-Pacific. Read more at SpaceNews
Office of Space Commerce Advances Mission Authorization: The U.S. Office of Space Commerce is officially moving ahead with establishing a clear regulatory framework for novel mission authorization. The long-awaited move aims to close regulatory gaps for in-orbit servicing, space manufacturing, and commercial debris removal operations, giving the commercial industry the legal certainty required to secure private capital for next-generation orbital missions. Read more at SpaceNews
Newly Independent Honeywell Aerospace Targets Organic Growth: Following its recent spin-off into a standalone public company, Honeywell Aerospace CEO Jim Currier stated the firm is highly focused on organic growth to clear a massive $19 billion defense and civil order backlog. The company is actively investing in dual-sourcing its supply chain to improve resilience, though Currier emphasized that strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&A) remain on the table to meet accelerating global demand. Read more at Breaking Defense
Lockheed Martin Ventures Dedicates $100M to European Defence: Lockheed Martin’s strategic investment arm is rapidly expanding its footprint across the Atlantic, opening a new London office and dedicating $100 million specifically for European defense startups. The venture fund is targeting early-stage companies specializing in quantum computing, sensing, autonomy, and advanced manufacturing to support NATO modernization efforts. Read more at Breaking Defense
Greece Approves $3.4B for ‘Achilles’ Shield’ Air Defence: Athens has officially approved a €3 billion ($3.4 billion USD) plan to acquire advanced air defense systems to construct an overlapping, multi-tiered national defense network dubbed “Achilles’ Shield.” Relying heavily on Israeli-designed platforms like David’s Sling and ELTA radars, the architecture is intended to protect Greek airspace from the growing proliferation of hypersonic missiles and one-way attack drones. Read more at Breaking Defense
Guest Opinion: The Danger of the “Dual-Use” Label
In a new commentary published by SpaceNews, the author argues that the ubiquitous label “dual-use”—frequently applied to commercial space capabilities—has become both misleading and dangerous for national security planning.
The piece contends that by categorizing systems as strictly “dual-use,” policymakers mask a fundamental reality: in the modern orbital domain, there is no inherent distinction between commercial and military technology; there is simply technology and its application. The author emphasizes that relying on this outdated label creates dangerous ambiguities in export controls, threat assessments, and strategic planning. Instead, the commentary calls for a more nuanced approach to space policy that directly evaluates the operational intent and inherent capabilities of any given space system, whether it is deployed by a defence prime or a commercial startup.
Read the full commentary at SpaceNews
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