Company:NordSpace
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| Type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | 2022 |
| Founder | Rahul Goel |
| Headquarters | Markham, Ontario, Canada |
Key people | Rahul Goel (CEO) |
| Products | Taiga, Tundra launch vehicles; Athena satellite bus |
| Services | Launch services, suborbital research flights |
| Website | www |
NordSpace is a Canadian aerospace company specializing in the development of small launch vehicles and satellite systems.[1] The company is developing the Taiga suborbital launch vehicle and the Tundra orbital launch vehicle, as well as the Athena satellite bus.[1]
NordSpace is also developing a commercial launch site in Newfoundland and Labrador known as the Atlantic Spaceport Complex.[2]
History
NordSpace was founded in 2022 in Markham, Ontario by entrepreneur Rahul Goel.[3] Goel previously founded the event management platform PheedLoop and invested approximately CA$5,000,000 of personal capital into NordSpace.[4]
In March 2025, NordSpace announced the Supersonic and Hypersonic Applications Research Platform (SHARP) program, which includes the SHARP Arrow unmanned aircraft, the SHARP Sabre rocket-based platform, and the M2S-HyRock rocket engine.[5]
In August 2025, the company broke ground on the Atlantic Spaceport Complex in Newfoundland and Labrador.[2]
NordSpace conducted a launch campaign for its Taiga rocket in August 2025 from St. Lawrence, Newfoundland and Labrador. Launch attempts were delayed due to weather and technical issues, including a ground safety system fault, and no launch occurred during the campaign.[6]
Launch vehicles
NordSpace is developing small launch vehicles for suborbital and orbital missions.
Taiga
Taiga is a suborbital launch vehicle intended for research and technology demonstration payloads.[7] The vehicle is used as a test platform for propulsion systems and flight technologies.[7]
Tundra
Tundra is an orbital launch vehicle under development, intended to deliver small satellites to orbit.[1]
Rocket engines
NordSpace develops rocket engines using additive manufacturing techniques.
Hadfield engine
The Hadfield Mk III engine is a 3D-printed rocket engine developed by NordSpace and used on the Taiga vehicle during its 2025 launch campaign.[8]
M2S-HyRock
The M2S-HyRock is a 3D-printed rocket engine introduced as part of the SHARP program.[5]
Launch infrastructure
NordSpace is developing the Atlantic Spaceport Complex in Newfoundland and Labrador to support future launch operations.[2]
Launch history
| Date | Vehicle | Outcome | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 29 August 2025 | Taiga | No launch | First launch attempt scrubbed at 11:45 a.m. NDT due to loss of power to quick-disconnect mechanism from generator issue[6][2] |
| 29 August 2025 | Taiga | No launch | Second attempt: engine ignition achieved at 18:38 NDT, but automatic misfire detection system shut down engine; later determined to be a false trigger[6][2] |
Future plans
NordSpace plans to continue development and testing of the Taiga vehicle and to advance the Tundra orbital launch vehicle program.[7]
See also
- Maritime Launch Services
- Atlantic Spaceport Complex
- Reaction Dynamics
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "About us" (in en). NordSpace. https://www.nordspace.com/about.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 McLauchlan, Madison (29 August 2025). "NordSpace's rocket launch thwarted by faulty safety system, weather delays" (in en-CA). https://betakit.com/nordspaces-rocket-launch-thwarted-by-faulty-safety-system-weather-delays/.
- ↑ Kennedy, Alex (25 January 2025). "This man wants a tiny Newfoundland town to house Canada's first commercial spaceport". CBC News (Newfoundland and Labrador: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nordspace-st-lawrence-1.7437531.
- ↑ Colley, Mark (19 July 2025). "This Toronto entrepreneur is betting millions on getting to space. Inside Canada's space race". The Toronto Star. https://www.thestar.com/news/gta/this-toronto-entrepreneur-is-betting-millions-on-getting-to-space-inside-canadas-space-race/article_b2e9f56f-d435-46d5-87a9-fa9b8fd433e8.html.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 Gorman, Douglas (19 March 2025). "NordSpace Unveils SHARP Program for Canadian Defense". Payload. https://payloadspace.com/nordspace-unveils-sharp-program-for-canadian-defense/.
- ↑ 6.0 6.1 6.2 Ryan, Maddie; Kennedy, Alex (29 August 2025). "NordSpace making second attempt at Canada's first commercial space launch in St. Lawrence, N.L.". CBC News (St. John's, Newfoundland: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nordspace-st-lawrence-launch-1.7620025.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 Boucher, Mark (27 August 2025). "NordSpace targets Taiga suborbital launch attempt for Thursday or Friday". SpaceQ. https://spaceq.ca/nordspace-targets-taiga-suborbital-launch-attempt-for-thursday-or-friday/.
- ↑ Riehl, Alex (12 August 2025). "NordSpace breaks ground on new Atlantic Spaceport Complex in Newfoundland". https://betakit.com/nordspace-breaks-ground-on-new-atlantic-spaceport-complex-in-newfoundland/.
Further reading
Articles
- Mortillaro, Nicole (22 August 2025). "Canadian companies race to launch rockets into orbit from home soil — a first". CBC News (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation). https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/rocket-launches-canada-1.7610059.
- Howell, Elizabeth; Boucher, Mark (12 August 2025). "NordSpace begins construction at Atlantic Spaceport Complex". SpaceQ. https://spaceq.ca/nordspace-begins-construction-at-atlantic-spaceport-complex/.
- Lafleur, Alyssa (2 August 2024). "NordSpace invests in Spaceport Canada to develop sovereign space launch capabilities". Space Insider. https://spaceinsider.tech/2024/08/01/nordspace-invests-in-spaceport-canada-to-develop-sovereign-space-launch-capabilities/.
Audio and video
- [VideoFromSpace] (8 July 2025). Can Canada get itself to orbit? These 2 companies are trying to make it happen (Video). Space.com. Future plc. Retrieved 1 September 2025 – via YouTube.
External links
- No URL found. Please specify a URL here or add one to Wikidata.
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