Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions Saved Articles My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials HomeInnovationNewsHow Canada’s first commercial spaceport is taking shape in Nova ScotiaThe proposed orbital launch facility has secured federal backing and early commercial interest as construction slowly moves forwardLast updated 52 minutes ago You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account.Maritime Launch Services Inc.'s launch pad on March 21. Photo by Marie Lumsden Canada’s push to build the country’s first commercial spaceport in rural Nova Scotia is moving from ambition to execution, backed by hundreds of millions in federal funding and infrastructure investment, but it faces criticism that early stage construction appears limited to a concrete slab and access roads.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorSpaceport Nova Scotia, under development just outside Canso, will give Canada domestic orbital launch capability and support regional economic development while entering a global launch industry increasingly dominated by private companies. Canada currently relies on foreign launch sites in the United States and Europe to send satellites into orbit for communications, earth observation, navigation and defence purposes.The company behind the project, Halifax-based Maritime Launch Services Inc. (MLS), said it is on track, though it is still in its early stages and must navigate technical, financial and market risks to become operational on schedule. Here’s what you need to know about Canada’s first commercial orbital launch facility.Breaking business news, incisive views, must-reads and market signals. Weekdays by 9 a.m.By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc.A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder.The next issue of Posthaste will soon be in your inbox.We encountered an issue signing you up. Please try againSpaceport Nova Scotia is being developed with shared infrastructure for multiple rocket operators rather than a single integrated launch system.The company originally planned the project around Ukraine’s Cyclone-4M rocket, but Russia’s 2022 invasion disrupted the program and accelerated a shift toward a more flexible, multi-customer launch model.The project sits on a 335-acre coastal site leased from the Nova Scotia government under a 40-year agreement and is intended to support both commercial and government missions. Its permit allows up to eight launches a year, with plans to scale toward 50 annually.Despite criticism that the site appears to be just a $200-million slab of concrete, the company said construction remains on track.“It’s a meme,” Stephen Matier, founder and chief executive of MLS, said in dismissing the criticism. “It’s a clueless meme. People have really no understanding of what’s required.”In its early phase, the spaceport remains largely focused on foundational infrastructure. Planned facilities include a building for assembling rockets, payload processing clean rooms for satellites, a launch control centre for mission operations and fuel storage systems.Matier said road expansion is continuing, fibre infrastructure is being extended to the site and utility planning is underway with Nova Scotia Power Inc. He said design work on major facilities is advancing, with tenders for the utility hub expected to come in the coming weeks, and construction is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2027.He estimated remaining construction costs at roughly $60 million to $70 million, but the project remains fully funded with about 30 people currently employed on site.Once fully operational, the facility is expected to support up to 80 permanent staff.The project is underpinned by a 10-year, $200-million federal lease agreement signed in March with MLS, under which the Department of National Defence will lease a dedicated launch pad at the site.Under the agreement, Canada pays $20 million annually in rent, structured as a lump sum in the first year and quarterly payments thereafter. The contract also requires that at least 90 per cent of rental proceeds be spent in Canada or with Canadian-based businesses.MLS is contractually required to develop, operate and maintain a working spaceport and keep it available for both government and commercial use. If those obligations are not met, the government retains the right to intervene, recover costs or terminate the agreement.Matier said the global space economy could reach US $1 trillion annually by 2030, with current launch capacity already constrained, which is why demand for launch capacity is quickly growing, driven by satellite deployment.“If you wanted to launch something with SpaceX today, you’re looking at a backlog of four to six years,” he said. “That’s not a healthy supply chain. That’s a bottleneck.”A big question, however, is whether demand will scale quickly enough to justify the infrastructure investment required to build and operate a new spaceport.Another variable is regulatory approval. Canada is still developing a federal framework for commercial orbital launches. Last month, Transport Minister Steven MacKinnon introduced the Canadian Space Launch Act (Bill C-28) to modernize rules for launches and re-entries.The federal government said the legislation would support sovereign launch capabilities and help grow a domestic space industry it estimates could eventually be worth $40 billion.Matier said he is confident the regulatory system will be in place in time for Spaceport’s planned orbital launch in 2028.The project is built around what MLS calls an “airport model” for space: shared infrastructure such as roads, utilities, safety systems and launch coordination while private companies provide rockets and payloads.Under this model, rockets launching from the site fall into two categories. Orbital rockets place satellites into continuous orbit around the Earth, while suborbital rockets briefly reach space before returning, typically for research and testing.The spaceport is designed to have up to four launch pads, with companies leasing long-term access or bringing their own systems under varying arrangements. Matier said some future operations will be flexible as needed.“Some clients are containerized systems,” he said. “They can show up and be ready to launch in 48 to 72 hours. Others could be long-term tenants building out for 10 years.”Longueuil, Que.-based Reaction Dynamics Lab Inc. has signed a pathfinder launch agreement with a first orbital launch from Spaceport Nova Scotia in the third quarter of 2028 and has invested $1.7 million in MLS. The company plans to use its Aurora rocket, which is still in development.Glasgow-based Skyrora Ltd. and South Korea’s Innospace Co. Ltd. have also signed letters of intent to assess using the facility for launches.Matier said MLS is in discussions with other potential clients, though he declined to name them.“We have more clients than we have pads available,” he said.Two successful suborbital launches have already taken place at the site. In one of them, Netherlands-based T-Minus Engineering BV launched a four-metre-tall Barracuda hypersonic test rocket in November, though it fell short of its target altitude. Two more small test launches are planned next month, followed by another in October. Join the Conversation This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.