NordSpace

{{Short description|Canadian aerospace company}} {{Use dmy dates|date=August 2025}} {{Use Canadian English|date=August 2025}} {{Infobox company | name = NordSpace | logo = NordSpace logo.png | image = | image_caption = | type = Private | traded_as = | foundation = {{start date and age|2022}} | founder = Rahul Goel | location_city = Markham, Ontario, Canada | key_people = Rahul Goel (CEO) | industry = Aerospace | products = Taiga, Tundra launch vehicles; Athena satellite bus | services = Launch services, suborbital research flights | owner = | num_employees = | homepage = {{URL|https://www.nordspace.com/}} | footnotes = }}

'''NordSpace''' is a Canadian aerospace company specializing in the development of small launch vehicles and satellite systems.<ref name="about">{{Cite web |title=About us |url=https://www.nordspace.com/about |website=NordSpace |publisher=NordSpace |language=en |access-date=31 August 2025}}</ref> The company is developing the ''Taiga'' suborbital launch vehicle and the ''Tundra'' orbital launch vehicle, as well as the ''Athena'' satellite bus.<ref name="about" />

NordSpace is also developing a commercial launch site in Newfoundland and Labrador known as the Atlantic Spaceport Complex.<ref name="betakit-ground">{{Cite web |last=McLauchlan |first=Madison |date=29 August 2025 |title=NordSpace's rocket launch thwarted by faulty safety system, weather delays |url=https://betakit.com/nordspaces-rocket-launch-thwarted-by-faulty-safety-system-weather-delays/ |website=BetaKit |language=en-CA |access-date=2 September 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250902003009/https://betakit.com/nordspaces-rocket-launch-thwarted-by-faulty-safety-system-weather-delays/ |archive-date=2 September 2025}}</ref>

==History== thumb|NordSpace was founded by Rahul Goel in 2022 NordSpace was founded in 2022 in Markham, Ontario by entrepreneur Rahul Goel.<ref name="cbc-founder">{{cite news |last=Kennedy |first=Alex |date=25 January 2025 |title=This man wants a tiny Newfoundland town to house Canada's first commercial spaceport |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nordspace-st-lawrence-1.7437531 |work=CBC News |location=Newfoundland and Labrador |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=1 September 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250803201839/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nordspace-st-lawrence-1.7437531 |archive-date=3 August 2025}}</ref> Goel previously founded the event management platform PheedLoop and invested approximately {{CAD}}5,000,000 of personal capital into NordSpace.<ref name="thestar">{{cite news |last=Colley |first=Mark |date=19 July 2025 |title=This Toronto entrepreneur is betting millions on getting to space. Inside Canada's space race |url=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 |work=The Toronto Star |access-date=1 September 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://archive.today/20250719132342/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 |archive-date=19 July 2025}}</ref>

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.<ref name="payload">{{cite news |last=Gorman |first=Douglas |date=19 March 2025 |title=NordSpace Unveils SHARP Program for Canadian Defense |url=https://payloadspace.com/nordspace-unveils-sharp-program-for-canadian-defense/ |work=Payload |access-date=31 August 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250821063908/https://payloadspace.com/nordspace-unveils-sharp-program-for-canadian-defense/ |archive-date=21 August 2025}}</ref>

In August 2025, the company broke ground on the Atlantic Spaceport Complex in Newfoundland and Labrador.<ref name="betakit-ground" />

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.<ref name="cbc-launch">{{Cite news |last1=Ryan |first1=Maddie |last2=Kennedy |first2=Alex |date=29 August 2025 |title=NordSpace making second attempt at Canada's first commercial space launch in St. Lawrence, N.L. |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nordspace-st-lawrence-launch-1.7620025 |work=CBC News |location=St. John's, Newfoundland |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=29 August 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250829194617/https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/nordspace-st-lawrence-launch-1.7620025 |archive-date=29 August 2025}}</ref>

==Launch vehicles== NordSpace is developing small launch vehicles for suborbital and orbital missions.

===Taiga=== thumb|Taiga Rocket at the Atlantic Spaceport Complex in August 2025 ''Taiga'' is a suborbital launch vehicle intended for research and technology demonstration payloads.<ref name="spaceq-taiga">{{cite news |last=Boucher |first=Mark |date=27 August 2025 |title=NordSpace targets Taiga suborbital launch attempt for Thursday or Friday |url=https://spaceq.ca/nordspace-targets-taiga-suborbital-launch-attempt-for-thursday-or-friday/ |work=SpaceQ |access-date=31 August 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250828132539/https://spaceq.ca/nordspace-targets-taiga-suborbital-launch-attempt-for-thursday-or-friday/ |archive-date=28 August 2025}}</ref> The vehicle is used as a test platform for propulsion systems and flight technologies.<ref name="spaceq-taiga" />

===Tundra=== ''Tundra'' is an orbital launch vehicle under development, intended to deliver small satellites to orbit.<ref name="about" />

==Rocket engines== NordSpace develops rocket engines using additive manufacturing techniques.

===Hadfield engine=== thumb|The Hadfield rocket engine is made in Markham, Ontario 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.<ref name="betakit-engine">{{Cite web |last=Riehl |first=Alex |date=12 August 2025 |title=NordSpace breaks ground on new Atlantic Spaceport Complex in Newfoundland |url=https://betakit.com/nordspace-breaks-ground-on-new-atlantic-spaceport-complex-in-newfoundland/ |website=BetaKit |access-date=28 August 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250819145938/https://betakit.com/nordspace-breaks-ground-on-new-atlantic-spaceport-complex-in-newfoundland/ |archive-date=19 August 2025}}</ref>

===M2S-HyRock=== The ''M2S-HyRock'' is a 3D-printed rocket engine introduced as part of the SHARP program.<ref name="payload" />

==Launch infrastructure== NordSpace is developing the Atlantic Spaceport Complex in Newfoundland and Labrador to support future launch operations.<ref name="betakit-ground" />

==Launch history== {| class="wikitable" |+ Launch history ! Date !! Vehicle !! Outcome !! Notes |- | 29 August 2025 || Taiga || {{no|No launch}} || First launch attempt scrubbed at 11:45 a.m. NDT due to loss of power to quick-disconnect mechanism from generator issue<ref name="cbc-launch" /><ref name="betakit-ground" /> |- | 29 August 2025 || Taiga || {{no|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<ref name="cbc-launch" /><ref name="betakit-ground" /> |}

==Future plans== thumb|Render of NordSpace's Tundra Orbital Launch Vehicle deploying satellite in low Earth orbit NordSpace plans to continue development and testing of the ''Taiga'' vehicle and to advance the ''Tundra'' orbital launch vehicle program.<ref name="spaceq-taiga" />

==References== {{reflist}}

==Further reading== ===Articles=== {{refbegin}} * {{cite news |last=Mortillaro |first=Nicole |date=22 August 2025 |title=Canadian companies race to launch rockets into orbit from home soil — a first |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/rocket-launches-canada-1.7610059 |work=CBC News |publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation |access-date=31 August 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250828033350/https://www.cbc.ca/news/science/rocket-launches-canada-1.7610059 |archive-date=28 August 2025}} * {{cite news |last1=Howell |first1=Elizabeth |last2=Boucher |first2=Mark |date=12 August 2025 |title=NordSpace begins construction at Atlantic Spaceport Complex |url=https://spaceq.ca/nordspace-begins-construction-at-atlantic-spaceport-complex/ |work=SpaceQ |access-date=31 August 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250821185949/https://spaceq.ca/nordspace-begins-construction-at-atlantic-spaceport-complex/ |archive-date=21 August 2025}} * {{cite news |last=Lafleur |first=Alyssa |date=2 August 2024 |title=NordSpace invests in Spaceport Canada to develop sovereign space launch capabilities |url=https://spaceinsider.tech/2024/08/01/nordspace-invests-in-spaceport-canada-to-develop-sovereign-space-launch-capabilities/ |work=Space Insider |access-date=1 September 2025 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250216122707/https://spaceinsider.tech/2024/08/01/nordspace-invests-in-spaceport-canada-to-develop-sovereign-space-launch-capabilities/ |archive-date=16 February 2025}} {{refend}}

===Audio and video=== {{refbegin}} * {{cite AV media |author=((VideoFromSpace)) |author-mask=[VideoFromSpace] |date=8 July 2025 |title=Can Canada get itself to orbit? These 2 companies are trying to make it happen |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34bOaa7ZXMM |format=Video |work=Space.com |language=en |publisher=Future plc |access-date=1 September 2025 |via=YouTube}} {{refend}}

==External links== {{Commons category}} * {{Official website}}

Category:Space industry companies of Canada Category:Canadian companies established in 2022 Category:Aerospace companies of Canada Category:Transport companies established in 2022 Category:Private spaceflight companies Category:Companies based in Newfoundland and Labrador