Canadian Spaceport Thread

[q12]

For all things Canadian Space(port) related.

Exciting news today on the imminent construction Canada's first commercial spaceport in Nova Scotia!

Maritime Launch to Begin Construction of Spaceport Nova Scotia

August 29, 2022 07:00 AM Eastern Daylight Time
CANSO, Nova Scotia--(BUSINESS WIRE)--

Today, Nova Scotia is a step closer to becoming a global destination for commercial space launch as Maritime Launch Services (Nova Scotia) Ltd. (Maritime Launch or “the Company”) is approved to begin construction of Spaceport Nova Scotia – Canada’s first commercial spaceport.

“Today is historic. Nova Scotia is the safest and most globally competitive location to launch satellites into space and today we are closer to realizing this potential,” says Stephen Matier, President and CEO, Maritime Launch, adding, “We are grateful to the team of global experts in design, construction, environmental protection and spaceport operations who have been working with us every step of the way to develop a world class launch site with a focus on safety and environmental stewardship. Space launch from Nova Scotia will position Canada as a global leader in low earth orbit satellite communications while creating hundreds of direct and indirect jobs in the province.”

Today’s approval confirms that Maritime Launch has satisfied the conditions related to construction of Spaceport Nova Scotia within the Environmental Assessment approval granted in 2019. The launch facility will be built on crown land in accordance with a 20-year lease of approximately 335 acres near the rural communities of Canso, Little Dover and Hazel Hill, Nova Scotia. The lease includes an option for a 20-year renewal based on compliance with terms and conditions.

With geotechnical exploratory work complete, Maritime Launch will now begin construction activity on the site.

“This is a good day for Nova Scotia – particularly rural Nova Scotia - as Spaceport Nova Scotia will create many jobs, education and partnership opportunities while boosting the province’s economy,” said Tim Houston, Premier of Nova Scotia. “We’re proud to be a destination for the growing and competitive global commercial space industry.”

With the development of Spaceport Nova Scotia, Maritime Launch expects that other national and international space companies will choose to establish a corporate presence in Nova Scotia to be near the Company’s commercial launch facilities.

“Today’s announcement is the result of extensive consultation and engagement with local communities, the Mi’kmaq, the Municipality of the District of Guysborough and the Province of Nova Scotia,” says Matier. “Our local host communities, the Mi’kmaq and all Nova Scotians can be confident that we will build and operate the spaceport with a focus on safety and environmental stewardship. This was our focus when we began the initiative years ago and it remains our commitment for the future.”
https://www.maritimelaunch.com/news/maritime-launch-begin-construction-spaceport-nova-scotia

https://www.maritimelaunch.com/

[MonctonRad]

Commercial spaceport in Canso NS, Wind powered green hydrogen production plant in Port-aux-Port NL - who says Atlantic Canada is an economic basket case and a backwater.............

[Coldrsx]

Yup, congrats and pretty cool stuff!

[phone]

All well and good, but I have a hard time seeing this being a particularly successful or competitive facility. There's a good reason why there are so few space launch facilities at more northerly latitudes... it is far easier to reach orbit from equatorial/tropical latitudes than places like Canada. Hence the Americans locating their launch facility in Florida, and the Europeans in French Guyana. The Russian Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan is only there because the former USSR doesn't go particularly far south.

If this facility can make a go of it, that would be great, but the fact remains that Canada just isn't a great country to launch an orbiting satellite from.

[q12]

Originally Posted by phone

The Russian Cosmodrome in Kazakhstan is only there because the former USSR doesn't go particularly far south.

Baikonur Cosmodrome is further north than Canso, NS. I think they'll be just fine.

Nova Scotia is a safe place to launch next to the ocean like Florida.

[Wdclement]

Would all the supplies for building and running the spaceport be coming in on trunk 16? I didn't see any rail line or anything on google maps.

[phone]

Originally Posted by q12

Baikonur Cosmodrome is further north than Canso, NS. I think they'll be just fine.

Nova Scotia is a safe place to launch next to the ocean like Florida.

Yes. And its existence is a by product of cold war politics and the limitations of Russian geography. Its continued relevance is a result of its legacy as the launch facility of a global superpower and the associated infrastructure/knowledge cluster built up over many decades, notwithstanding those geographic limitations. Nova Scotia does not have decades of accrued expertise to compensate for its geographic limitations.

That said, I'll grant that Nova Scotia is the ideal place within Canada to build this facility, but I am not convinced that this will be in any way competitive with other launch facilities

China and Japan also have located their launch facilities at their southern extremities.

Again, don't get me wrong, I would love to see it succeed, but I have serious doubts....

[savevp]

I don't see any problem with the location. The ability to select virtually any prograde launch trajectory - open ocean on three sides - is more important than latitude. The fuel savings of an equatorial site aren't that significant from what I've read, especially if transport costs on land or sea are reduced by Nova Scotia's relative proximity to Europe and the US Northeast.

What's more concerning is that the launch vehicles they're building around are Ukrainian. Though I'm sure the production can be moved elsewhere if need be.

[JHikka]

I've never been sold on this Canso proposal since it was announced five+ years ago. Won't believe it until they're physically launching.

[WhipperSnapper]

I don't see this a viable business but a site to launch Canadian CubeSats is not a bad thing. (well, until 10 to 20 years from now when there's a several hundred thousand of those things in orbit)

[q12]

This map shows the site layout around Canso.

[JustForTheHalibut]

Talk about pie in the sky, I'm not sure how the maritimes always seem to get duped into these snake oil salesman projects.

It's been what, 25 years since the last 'Canada's first Spaceport' was closed down in Churchill Manitoba?

"Spaceport Canada. A Canadian company is spending $300 million to build a facility known as SpacePort Canada. on Hudson Bay. It will be a commercial launch site entirely devoted to sending satellites into polar orbits. "

http://www.spacetoday.org/Rockets/Spaceports/Canada.html

[phone]

Originally Posted by JustForTheHalibut

Talk about pie in the sky, I'm not sure how the maritimes always seem to get duped into these snake oil salesman projects.

I'll tell you what this province needs, a genuine bona fine electrified six pad spaceport!

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by JustForTheHalibut

Talk about pie in the sky, I'm not sure how the maritimes always seem to get duped into these snake oil salesman projects.

It's been what, 25 years since the last 'Canada's first Spaceport' was closed down in Churchill Manitoba?

"Spaceport Canada. A Canadian company is spending $300 million to build a facility known as SpacePort Canada. on Hudson Bay. It will be a commercial launch site entirely devoted to sending satellites into polar orbits. "

http://www.spacetoday.org/Rockets/Spaceports/Canada.html

25 years ago is hardly comparable to now.

[q12]

Originally Posted by JustForTheHalibut

Talk about pie in the sky, I'm not sure how the maritimes Western Canada always seem to get duped into these snake oil salesman projects.

It's been what, 25 years since the last 'Canada's first Spaceport' was closed down in Churchill Manitoba?

.

[phone]

Originally Posted by q12

.

I've sold spaceports to Churchill, Okotoks and Maple Creek, and by gum that put them on the map!

[thewave46]

*chanting in background*
Spaceport, spaceport, spaceport

But what if the rocket should explode?
Into the Atlantic it will dump its load!

What about the our local jobs?
Space travel requires blue-collar slobs!

But the highways are all cracked and broken
Quiet now, the mob has spoken!

*chanting in background*
Spaceport, spaceport, spaceport

[someone123]

Originally Posted by WhipperSnapper

25 years ago is hardly comparable to now.

It's not that far-fetched to build a facility like this for launching satellites. Looks like this got private financing from Toronto-based firms PowerOne Capital Markets and Primary Capital. I wonder how many people checked the financing model before posting, or if those early investors knew they could just get SSP wisdom instead of doing the due diligence on their investments.

Easy to foresee the firehose of negativity that such a post would generate. They say they will have some satellites in orbit in a couple years so we can wait and see what happens. I don't think you can take any risks or do anything interesting in Canada without a flood of negativity, Simpsons memes, etc. It's kind of depressing; I don't think you can have a dynamic country or economy without some risk tolerance. Not sure what the risk-reward model is like for this sort of project. Sometimes financiers go for high risk, high reward models and everybody says they are (billionaire) idiots. But this is actually not that unique a project at this point.

[thewave46]

Originally Posted by someone123

It's not that far-fetched to build a facility like this for launching satellites. Looks like this got private financing from Toronto-based firms PowerOne Capital Markets and Primary Capital.

Easy to foresee the firehose of negativity that such a post would generate. They say they will have some satellites in orbit in a couple years so we can wait and see what happens. I don't think you can take any risks or do anything interesting in Canada without a flood of negativity, Simpsons memes, etc. It's kind of depressing; I don't think you can have a dynamic country or economy without some risk tolerance.

It's the internet. So, uh, if they're basing their decisions on investing based on the SSP reaction and not the economic fundamentals, their goose is already good and cooked.

A lot of ideas have turned out to be monuments to hubris, so Simpsons memes are just the online version of the political cartoon of a pregnant Jean Drapeau.

[someone123]

Originally Posted by thewave46

It's the internet. So, uh, if they're basing their decisions on investing based on the SSP reaction and not the economic fundamentals, their goose is already good and cooked.

A lot of ideas have turned out to be monuments to hubris, so Simpsons memes are just the online version of the political cartoon of a pregnant Jean Drapeau.

My point is that the memes are not really correct and don't make much sense. The citizens of Canso or NS don't appear to have pooled their money for this one. It looks like the funding came from private firms (maybe they are using crown land but who cares).

The investors will know more about the project than we will. And it may make sense even if the probability of success is low.