NordSpace’s Atlantic Spaceport Complex in St. Lawrence, NL is under construction, with a tender for roadwork leading to a second launch pad expected to be awarded in the summer of 2026. NordSpaceArticle contentWork to develop the Atlantic Spaceport Complex in St. Lawrence, N.L., took another leap with $10 million in funding announced for the project on Thursday, Aug. 27, 2026.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentThe spaceport is being built by NordSpace Corp., a Markham, Ont.-based company that has already constructed one launch pad at its site on Newfoundland’s Burin Peninsula.Article contentArticle contentThe company is still awaiting a new launch window to attempt its first suborbital rocket flight from the site, but is also planning a second launch site from which it hopes to eventually send Canadian-built rockets and satellites into orbit.Article contentArticle contentThursday’s funding announcement at the spaceport site in St. Lawrence included $4 million from the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and $1 million from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation (REGI) program, together with $5 million of NordSpace’s own capital.Article contentThe provincial funding consists of a $1-million term loan and a $3-million forgivable loan tied to the creation of 100 new full-time permanent positions by 2033.Article contentThe latest funding injection builds on other capital privately raised by the company, in addition to $8.3 million previously committed to NordSpace under the Department of National Defence’s Innovation for Defence Excellence and Security (IDEaS) Launch the North challenge.Article contentThrough the Launch the North challenge, NordSpace was selected as one of the Canadian companies advancing sovereign national space launch capability.Article content Rahul Goel, founder and chief executive officer of NordSpace Corp., speaks during a funding announcement for the company’s Atlantic Spaceport Complex in St. Lawrence, NL on Thursday, Aug. 27. NordSpaceArticle contentNordSpace founder and chief executive officer Rahul Goel also announced that the company is actively exploring scaled manufacturing operations in Newfoundland and Labrador, in addition to launch operations.Article contentArticle contentCurrently, the company has a manufacturing facility in Markham where it builds rockets, engines, satellites and mission-specific technology.Article contentIn a release, NordSpace said additional investments and contracts specifically for the spaceport are to be announced over the coming months, as well as for the company’s broader space launch and space systems programs.Article contentWork continues to develop the suborbital launch site and NordSpace hopes to have the orbital launch site ready to support operations by 2028. That phase of the spaceport project received environmental assessment approvals in January 2026, enabling continued construction through the current build season, with new construction tenders issued earlier in August.Article contentNordSpace said the Atlantic Spaceport Complex is being designed around the vehicles it will fly, anchored by its Taiga, Tundra and Tempest light and medium lift vehicles.Article contentThe company called it “Canada’s most capable commercial spaceport, offering the widest inclination ranges available in the country, the largest safety distances required for scalability to medium- and heavy-lift vehicles, and the highest approved launch cadence in Canada.”
Newfoundland spaceport project takes another step towards its giant leap plans
