Developer pushes back construction of rocket launch site
e start date for the construction of Canada’s only commercial spaceport has been pushed back, a developer said following meetings at the proposed rocket launch site near a small shing community on Nova Scotia’s eastern shore.
Stephen Matier, president and CEO of Maritime Launch Services Ltd., said his rm had hoped to break ground this month on the $ 200- million project that could eventually see as many as 12 satellites blast into orbit per year.
But Matier now says the launch site in Canso, likely won’t start being developed until later this year, although he was hesitant to impose any new timeline.
“As part of the process, I try to move things along. But the process is the process. ere’s 12 months of data collection. ere’s a report that has to be written. ere’s a review process that has to happen,” said Matier in a recent phone interview, as he waited to y back home to New Mexico from Halifax Stanfield International Airport.
“I can hope for things, but the real take away is that we are absolutely following all of the processes as they’re laid out.”
e project doesn’t plan to put humans into space but is rather aimed at attracting consortiums of rms that want to put satellites into orbit for commercial purposes, such as near-earth imaging.
e project is a private-sector venture but requires the province’s environmental approvals and other regulatory approvals.
ere are still a number of hurdles to overcome before construction can begin, but Matier said good progress has been made.
Matier said last week, he met with provincial and federal o - cials, aerospace companies, environmental firms, engineering rms and construction companies.
He also visited the site in Canso and met with a community group that included o cials with Guysborough County, the sheries industry and residents.
“I’ve been delighted by the level of support from the community,” said Matier, adding that AJ’S Pub Dining Room and Lounge in Canso has created a four-meat pizza dubbed Cyclone-4m – a launch vehicle that would be used at the proposed site.
Matier said he expects to be back in the province within the next two or three weeks to submit an environmental assessment to the province.
He said the engineering firm hired to carry out the assessment has completed their report, but another technical edit is required before it’s submitted to Nova Sco- tia’s Environment Department for review.
e assessment will also go the Natural Resources Department as part of the company’s Crown land lease application.
“(The environmental assessment) is the real big key piece for us,” he said, adding that the review process takes around 50 days.
“If all the regulatory approvals go well, then we’ll be able to get the land lease application nalized and everything ready to go so we actually have control of the property so that we can actually do the groundbreaking we want to do to get things started a little later this summer or early this fall.”
He said his rm is still aiming for the rst round of satellite launches to begin in 2021 and 2022.