One of Canada’s largest space companies is investing in a spaceport company.
MDA Space ($MDA) committed $10M CDN ($7.1M) to Maritime Launch Services (MLS), making MDA an equity owner in the company and strategic partner in the push to establish sovereign, orbital launch capabilities at MLS’ Spaceport Nova Scotia. MDA shares were up about 1% on the TSX late afternoon Monday, to $27.67 CAD ($19.69 USD).
The spaceport hosted one suborbital launch in 2023, but the facility is developmental and pre-revenue—and has launched nothing else yet. However, Dutch company T-Minus Engineering may launch a delayed suborbital test there this month, according to local media reports.
Cash in camo: MLS received another $10M CDN ($7.1M) last week from Canada’s government-owned export credit agency, which is supporting the spaceport development in part because of the expectation that it will be a venue to host Canadian defense payloads.
While Canada currently launches its military satellites with the US and Europe, lower price tags and crowded global spaceports are part of the push to launch locally.
Looking up: MDA’s contribution brings expectations of joining Spaceport Nova Scotia as an operational partner, receiving “pro-rata participatory rights in future financings”, and obtaining the right to nominate one individual to sit on the MLS board. The first spaceport orbital launch date has not been confirmed, but a new MLS agreement is in place with Quebec’s Reaction Dynamics for their first attempt as soon as Q3 2028.
Spaceport Nova Scotia isn’t the only active Canadian spaceport. NordSpace’s Atlantic Spaceport Complex in Newfoundland and Labrador hosted its first suborbital launch attempts in August and September, but weather and tech problems forced a launch delay to an undetermined date.
