Canada’s First Commercial Rocket Launch Delayed
Propellant Issue Pushes Back Newfoundland Liftoff
A long-anticipated rocket launch that would have marked the first commercial spaceflight from Canadian soil has been postponed after engineers identified propellant inconsistencies during final preflight checks, according to NordSpace.
The Toronto-based company had planned the maiden flight of its Taiga suborbital rocket from the Atlantic Spaceport Complex last week. The vehicle, powered by a 3D-printed Hadfield liquid engine, is designed to become the first fully Canadian-made rocket to launch from a Canadian commercial spaceport. NordSpace said the delay followed a review of fuel testing data that revealed differences between results at its Ontario test site and those at the Newfoundland launch facility. The discrepancy led to a fuel-rich mix, preventing liftoff.
All rocket and ground systems operated as planned during test sequences, and there was no damage to the vehicle, infrastructure, or personnel. NordSpace said its safety systems performed as intended. Because modifications cannot be made with temporary infrastructure on site, the company must complete changes at its permanent facilities in Ontario before rescheduling. A new target date has not been released.
Scrubbing the flight pushes back a milestone for Canada’s space sector. If successful, the launch would mark the country’s first commercial liquid-fueled rocket flight, the first from a commercial Canadian spaceport, and a key step toward sovereign orbital launch capability—an area where peers such as New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom have already advanced. Canada, despite a legacy that includes the Alouette-1 satellite in 1962 and breakthroughs in robotics, has never fielded a homegrown orbital launcher.
NordSpace, founded in 2022, has grown to 25 employees and is simultaneously working toward its larger Tundra orbital vehicle. The company is also preparing its first satellite, Terra-Nova, for launch aboard SpaceX’s Transporter-17 rideshare mission in 2026. Beyond rockets, its plans include expanding its manufacturing footprint, supporting Canadian space and defense startups through an in-house venture fund, and developing infrastructure in Newfoundland to permanently support launch operations.
Our Take
Canada remains one of the few G7 countries without independent launch capability. A commercial rocket launch from within its borders would reduce reliance on foreign providers, enhance sovereignty in space access, and strengthen the nation’s role in the fast-growing global space economy. NordSpace’s efforts represent a fully private path to turning that ambition into reality.