Canada is officially entering the commercial launch race. NordSpace, a private Canadian space company, has begun construction of the Atlantic Spaceport Complex (ASX) in Newfoundland and Labrador, marking a historic step toward the nation’s first operational commercial launch site.
Construction began at NordSpace's ASX launch facility in Newfoundland, Canada. Credit: NordSpace
The facility, located near the town of St. Lawrence on the Burin Peninsula, will serve as the launchpad for NordSpace’s growing family of rockets — including its suborbital Taiga vehicle and the in-development Tundra orbital rocket. The spaceport will also be open to other providers seeking access to orbits ranging from 46 to 100 degrees in inclination, covering everything from equatorial to polar trajectories.
“This is a historic moment for Canada,” said Rahul Goel, CEO of NordSpace, in a press release. “It’s a step toward sovereign space access and the foundation for an independent, end-to-end space mission capability.”
Building Canada’s Space Gateway
ASX, once known as Spaceport Canada, is being constructed with exclusively Canadian resources. NordSpace emphasizes that both its rockets and the new site reflect a “made in Canada” approach, with components sourced domestically and powered by in-house, 3D-printed engines.
The project’s $10 million introductory phase includes two major facilities:
- Space Launch Complex-01 (SLC-01): Two orbital launch pads designed for rockets like the future Tundra vehicle.
- Space Launch Complex-02 (SLC-02): A site dedicated to suborbital flights and equipped with tracking systems for space domain awareness, supporting both commercial and defense applications.
ASX’s position at 46° north latitude is a key advantage. Unlike many North American spaceports constrained by safety regulations over populated regions, the site allows for a broader range of launch inclinations, making it strategically competitive.
The spaceport’s debut launch will come from NordSpace’s Taiga rocket, powered by the Hadfield Mk III 3D-printed engine. The mission — playfully named “Getting Screeched In” after a Newfoundland tradition — is slated for its first launch window opening August 25.
The upcoming flight will be a low-altitude demonstration, aimed at validating the vehicle’s performance before attempting a full demonstration flight in early 2026. “The intent is to make sure it all goes really well and we get this win under our belts,”.
Following Taiga’s tests, NordSpace plans to shift focus to its Tundra orbital launch vehicle. Comparable to Rocket Lab’s Electron, Tundra will be capable of carrying 500 kg to low-Earth orbit and 250 kg to sun-synchronous orbit.
To pave the way, NordSpace is developing its first satellite, Terra Nova, which will launch in 2026 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rideshare. Terra Nova will test in-space propulsion and imaging technologies, serving as a stepping stone before Tundra’s planned maiden mission in 2027.
Beyond orbital launches, ASX will support NordSpace’s SHARP (Supersonic and Hypersonic Applications Research Platform) program. This includes three experimental hypersonic research vehicles aimed at defense and aerospace innovation.
NordSpace’s push for Canadian launch independence has attracted strong support from government officials. The company estimates that the introduction of a domestic launch capability will create 650 jobs and generate $2.5 billion in economic activity by 2035.
“Canada builds world-class satellites, but until now we’ve relied on foreign rockets to launch them,” Goel said. “With ASX, that reliance ends.”
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