Canadian space services company NordSpace recently branched out into the spaceport business has now taken another step towards their Newfoundland-based Atlantic Spaceport Complex (ASX) becoming a site for international activities.
On October 30th, NordSpace announced that they’ve officially joined the Global Spaceport Alliance (GSA). The GSA bills itself as having “the largest network of international spaceports in the world,” and members include (or included) Spaceports in Europe, South America, Australia, Asia, and the United States—including Cape Canaveral Spaceport.
NordSpace’s ASX is located in St. Lawrence, Newfoundland and Labrador. Construction is already underway, with an eventual goal of having both small- and medium-lift launches from the spaceport from two pads at a range of inclinations “from approximately 46° to 100°.” While NordSpace’s own in-development Tundra rocket would be the primary launcher operating from the site, NordSpace’s goal is to also host launches from “partner launch vehicles and companies,” including American launch companies under the upcoming Technology Safeguards Agreement (TSA). Nordspace says that “Pad B is being designed to be compatible with the TSA and U.S. launch companies.”
The Alliance may be a way for NordSpace to court some of those potential launch partners, as the GSA says that they provide members with “funding initiatives, webinars, direct marketing and networking.”
Most notably and most relevant to NordSpace, they host a number of different events and conferences, and are running their 2026 Spaceport Summit on January 27th in Orlando, Florida. NordSpace have said that they will be attending the conference, where (NordSpace said) “leaders from across the world’s launch and infrastructure community convene to discuss safety standards, operational innovation, and cross-border cooperation in space access.”
GSA chairman George Nield said in the announcement that the GSA “look[s] forward to engaging in robust face-to-face discussions with [NordSpace] and other stakeholders on key topics of interest to the spaceport community.”
NordSpace Founder and CEO Rahul Goel, in turn, said on LinkedIn that he is “very excited about what joining the Alliance will unlock for NordSpace,” as part of an ongoing effort in “carefully curating our partnerships, investments, infrastructure, and technologies to reduce cycle time and strengthen independence.” He said that joining the GSA “consolidates our mission to place Canada among the world’s leading launch nations.”
As a number of the GSA’s Associate Members are connected to launch, including several that are connected to the US space sector, the Summit could provide NordSpace opportunities to either directly or indirectly connect with potential ASX launch partners.
NordSpace also recently announced the creation of the Advanced Manufacturing for Aerospace Lab (AMA Lab), which will use additive manufacturing and “AI-driven design models” to potentially reduce the development time of their Hadfield rocket engine by 15-20%. NordSpace said that the Lab will enable “faster iterations and the discovery of optimal engine operating regimes unattainable through traditional methods.”
Goel, for his part, said in the announcement that “we see the ASX playing a strategic role in supporting NATO’s STARLIFT initiative, ensuring allied nations have secure, responsive launch capacity right here in Canada,” suggesting that non-American NATO members are also being approached (or at least conceived) as potential launch partners. This may become increasingly relevant as the Canadian Federal Government works to reinforce its connection with NATO partners.
As to events closer to home, NordSpace will also be hosting the second Canadian Space Launch Conference (CSLC) on May 5, 2026 in Ottawa.