NordSpace’s Atlantic Spaceport Complex (ASX) Receives Landmark Environmental Approval, Prepares for First Orbital Launch

This release represents the most significant regulatory milestone for NordSpace’s spaceport to date, clearing the path for Canadian sovereign space launch.

ST. JOHN'S, NEWFOUNDLAND & LABRADOR, CANADA, January 6, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- NordSpace Corp. announced that its Atlantic Spaceport Complex (ASX) in Newfoundland and Labrador has been released from the environmental assessment process. The decision was announced by the Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Environment, Conservation and Climate Change on December 19, 2025. At this stage, the spaceport no longer requires further environmental assessment and will proceed to fulfilling the Minister's conditions over the months ahead as part of the next phase of development and construction in advance of NordSpace's first orbital launch attempts.

This release represents the single most significant regulatory milestone for NordSpace’s spaceport development to date, clearing the path for rapid execution of Canada’s first purpose-built, sovereign orbital launch complex designed and operated by an end-to-end launch services provider. The Minister’s decision follows more than two years of detailed technical studies, regulatory engagement, and sustained consultation with local communities, Indigenous stakeholders, and provincial and federal agencies. The assessment encompassed environmental, safety, marine, aviation, and community considerations.

This decision comes at a critical time for Canada’s space and defence ecosystem, and a strategic time for Atlantic Canada to play a pivotal role in it. Recent federal budget investments including $182.6 million dedicated to sovereign space launch, $357.7 million via the Regional Defence Investment Initiative, Canada's increased investment to European Space Agency (ESA) programs to $528.5 million, and the Department of National Defence’s IDEaS Launch the North Challenge underscore the growing urgency and value of sovereign access to space. With an approved spaceport integrated into its vertically aligned launch architecture, NordSpace is now uniquely positioned to compete for and support national security, civil, and commercial missions requiring responsive and reliable launch from Canadian territory. The company's responsive launch vehicles under development comprise Tundra (500 kg LEO, 350 kg SSO), Tundra+ (1,100 kg LEO, 850 kg SSO), and future reusable medium-lift Titan (5,000 kg LEO, 3,500 kg SSO).

Located on Newfoundland’s southern coast outside the Town of St. Lawrence, the Atlantic Spaceport Complex offers a set of capabilities unmatched by any launch site in Canada. The site supports the widest range of nominal launch inclinations from 44 to 105 degrees over the Atlantic Ocean, enabling access to polar, sun-synchronous, mid-inclination, and select equatorial trajectories. Situated at a mid-Atlantic latitude of approximately 46 degrees, the complex balances orbital efficiency with geographic flexibility. ASX’s Space Launch Complex-01 (SLC-01) is positioned more than five kilometres from the nearest town, enabling the safe operation of medium-lift launch vehicles by offering the largest safety distances of any launch site in Canada. The site is supported by nearby seaports, airports, and highway infrastructure, providing multiple logistics pathways for launch vehicles and payloads.

With the environmental release secured, NordSpace is preparing to advance construction and operational readiness to unlock significant job creation and economic development for Newfoundland and Labrador. In addition to the fulfilment of the Minister's conditions over the course of the next year, with several expected conditions already completed and undergoing internal review, near-term activities include the issuance of a request for proposals for access road construction, followed by additional requests for proposals covering key developments. The company will also begin development of its modular StarGate mission control facility, establish a permanent office in St. John’s, and continue preparations toward its first orbital launch. Two launch pads are currently under development to support both NordSpace and partner launch vehicles, with infrastructure planned to support year-round launch operations. NordSpace looks forward to new collaborations with the province's industrial base, reinvestments back into the provincial economy, and serving as a catalyst for increased federal investment in defence and aerospace to flow to Newfoundland and Labrador and Atlantic Canada more broadly.

For NordSpace, the ASX is a foundational element of its end-to-end launch strategy. Internalizing spaceport operations enables more efficient mission execution, improved schedule control, enhanced reliability, and reduced launch costs, while allowing the company to capture greater value across the launch supply chain. NordSpace is working alongside a growing ecosystem of partners, including C-CORE, KONGSBERG, and LeoLabs, to integrate satellite communications, geospatial intelligence, and space domain awareness capabilities into spaceport operations. Additional strategic partners will be announced over the coming months.

“After hundreds of meetings, dozens of studies, and significant investment over the past two years, this decision reflects the rigour of our efforts and positions NordSpace to deliver a sovereign, responsive launch capability for Canada at a moment when it is a true national imperative." said Rahul Goel, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of NordSpace. "Our first principles derived architecture is supported by our liquid rocket propulsion systems that naturally scale to reusability and medium-lift capabilities, domestic manufacturing with our Advanced Manufacturing for Aerospace Lab, and internalized demand with our Space Systems Lab. Our team is precisely moving every piece on the board into highly strategic positions to ultimately deliver a commercially viable, domestically relevant, and globally competitive space launch capability for Canada.”

NordSpace was also recently invited to join the Department of National Defence at a NATO STARLIFT meeting in the Netherlands, a first for Canada, focused on allied launch and space mobility capabilities. The company will host the upcoming Canadian Space Launch Conference for the second time on May 5th, 2026 in Ottawa, further reinforcing Canada and NordSpace's role in allied space access discussions. NordSpace and the Atlantic Spaceport Complex are the only Canadian members of the Global Spaceport Alliance, and will be presenting at the GSA Spaceport Summit on January 27 in Orlando, Florida.

NordSpace extends its sincere thanks to the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador, Strum Consulting, the Town of St. Lawrence, Transport Canada, NAV CANADA, the Department of National Defence, and the Canadian Coast Guard for their collaboration, diligence, and support throughout the assessment process.

About NordSpace

NordSpace, established in 2022, develops vertically integrated solutions for responsive orbital launch vehicles, spaceports, turn-key satellites, and mission-critical software systems. 100% designed, built, and flown in Canada to go from anywhere on Earth to anywhere in space. The company’s mission is to advance life on Earth through space, delivering innovation, jobs, national security, and sovereignty.

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