Maritime Launch Services (MLS) has conducted its first commercial rocket launch, and its second launch overall. While the mission didn’t go according to plan, it still nudged the company closer to supplying Canada with sovereign launch capabilities.
Stephen Matier,
“Today, we are one step closer to orbital launch from Canadian soil.”
Maritime Launch Services
The Halifax, N.S.-based company launched Dutch firm T-Minus Engineering’s single-stage Barracuda rocket at its in-development spaceport near Canso, N.S. on Thursday at 10:54 a.m. EST. The vehicle didn’t reach its intended 100-km altitude—the unofficial but widely accepted Kármán Line that marks entry into space. However, the Barracuda did launch a symbolic payload of student and creator stories to the “edge of space,” according to a statement.
The Halifax Examiner noted concerns that MLS may have provided little warning to area residents, as it did not issue a press release in advance of the launch. However, the company said it “worked closely” with federal, provincial, and municipal authorities to honour safety rules. MLS delayed the launch by hours to give two ships time to move out of the rocket’s planned flight path. Transport Canada also told the Examiner that it issued a notice to local boaters and aviators in advance of the event.
Despite the limited altitude, CEO Stephen Matier billed the flight as a “complete mission success” that provided useful data. He also characterized the mission as underscoring progress on the Spaceport Nova Scotia facility that will serve as its launch hub going forward. It only has one launch pad but is expected to offer four upon completion.
“Today, we are one step closer to orbital launch from Canadian soil,” Matier said.
MLS previously helped launch a York University student rocket that wasn’t meant to reach space. Matier told The Globe and Mail that he expects one or two more suborbital launches in 2026, with an orbital launch most likely to take place in 2027.
The liftoff comes as MLS sees both growing opportunities and mounting competition. The federal government’s 2025 budget gave the Department of National Defence $182.6 million to develop a sovereign launch capability in the next three years. Officials speaking at the SpaceBound industry conference this week said that some of the money would be devoted to a rocket challenge.
Earlier this month, Canadarm creator MDA Space made a $10-million equity investment in MLS. The funding is expected to “accelerate” work on Spaceport Nova Scotia and will make MDA an “operational partner” at the location.
MLS has effectively been racing against Markham, Ont.-based NordSpace to reach space and provide commercial launch services in Canada. NordSpace has tried twice to launch its Taiga rocket, but fell short due to technical issues and is waiting for government approval before its next attempt.
NordSpace founder and CEO Rahul Goel still sees the MLS achievement as a positive for the Canadian space industry. The executive told BetaKit by email that Maritime Launch has NordSpace’s “full support,” and that both companies share “objectives and vision” for orbital launches in the country.
Feature image courtesy Maritime Launch Services.