By Sarah McLean, Vice President, Communications and Corporate Affairs, Maritime Launch
The global space industry is undergoing a transformation unlike any seen before. With rapid advancements in technology and a surge in commercial space activity, the demand for launch services has skyrocketed. However, the industry faces a bottleneck: a limited number of spaceports. Existing facilities are oversubscribed, and delays in accessing launch services threaten innovation, economic growth, and even national security. The need for new, efficient, and strategically located launch sites has never been more pressing. One solution? Spaceport Nova Scotia.
A Visionary Leadership Team
At the helm of this initiative is Steve Matier, a seasoned space professional whose career has spanned decades in the space industry. With experience in government and private sector roles, Steve has worked on various space projects, from satellite systems to launch vehicle integration. A Silver Snoopy award recipient, Steve led the human space program for the Challenger while at NASA.
Recognizing the growing constraints on launch services, Steve embarked on a mission to identify the ideal location for a new commercial spaceport in North America. His goal was clear: find a site that could support frequent, efficient, and environmentally responsible launches while minimizing disruption to populated areas.
After an exhaustive search, which included fourteen locations around the continent, his journey led him to Nova Scotia, where the geographic advantages, engaged community support, and open Atlantic flight corridor made it an unparalleled choice for space launch. The region’s proximity to polar and sun-synchronous orbits, essential for Earth observation and climate monitoring satellites, cemented its potential as a global launch hub.
Canso, Nova Scotia from which Spaceport Nova Scotia launches to polar and Sun-synchronous orbit
Credit: Bardencj on Wikimedia Commons
Matier's extensive experience, including his early days as a NASA engineer and engineering manager, shaped his vision for a truly non-government commercial launch site. As he explained in a recent interview with SSPI, while the space industry has seen commercial developments in rockets, satellites, and space stations, launch infrastructure has remained dependent on government-run ranges. Spaceport Nova Scotia presents an opportunity to bridge this gap and unlock the industry's full potential.
The Space Business is... In Canada: Welcome to Spaceport Nova Scotia
In The Space Business is... podcast series, we take a look at the way the commercial space industry has spread itself to parts of the world where space and satellites were once only read about or dreamed of. In the first episode, we hear from Steve Matier, President and CEO of Maritime Launch Services in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Stephen Matier, President and CEO of Maritime Launch Services, is the visionary and driving force behind the development of Spaceport Nova Scotia, a world-class commercial space complex that will launch Canada into the global space industry. A mechanical engineer (Bachelor of Science, University of New Mexico, 1989) and an award-winning former NASA contractor engineering manager (NASA White Sands Test Facility), Matier is leading coordination and approval among provincial, federal and international governing bodies, securing financing, leading launch vehicle lease contracts, coordinating launch vehicle integration and selecting best-in-class commercial firms to support launch operations at Maritime Launch.
Underwritten by
Sasha Jacob, Chair of the Board, supports this effort at the highest level. A well-respected financial leader with an extensive background in investment banking, Sasha played a pivotal role in the transition of renewable energy from government-controlled utilities to private-sector-driven growth. His understanding of market dynamics and commercialization trends makes him uniquely suited to help steer Maritime Launch to success.
Sasha’s connection to space is more than just professional – it’s deeply personal. His great-uncle, Josef F. Blumrich, was a distinguished NASA engineer whose contributions to space exploration were groundbreaking. Blumrich’s work was integral to the development of technologies for the lunar landing module, including tank designs and omnidirectional wheels – innovations that remain significant today. His legacy is further emphasized by his NASA Exceptional Service Medal and numerous patents that have impacted the industry.
Growing up, Sasha was captivated by his great-uncle’s stories of NASA’s early days and the lunar landing. He even attended Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama, as one of the first Canadians to participate, further fueling his passion for space. However, his career took him into finance, where he became a leader in renewable energy investment. Yet, the parallels between the evolution of the energy sector and the commercial space revolution were impossible to ignore.
Just as renewable energy shifted from government-dominated to a competitive, efficient, and scalable private-sector-driven industry, space is now undergoing a similar transformation. Decreasing costs, higher utilization rates, and improved technologies are accelerating space access, much like solar panels saw a 20% annual cost reduction due to manufacturing efficiencies. The same forces are driving space commercialization, with SpaceX’s success proving that launch costs can plummet while accessibility rises.
For Sasha, joining the Board of Directors for Maritime Launch was the perfect alignment of passion and expertise – a chance to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of space while leveraging his financial acumen to build a sustainable, commercially viable enterprise.
A Game-Changer for the Global Space Industry
One of the most innovative aspects of Spaceport Nova Scotia is its “lease and launch” model. Spaceport Nova Scotia offers a turnkey solution, unlike traditional spaceports, which require launch providers to build and maintain their own infrastructure. Companies can lease the facility, access fully developed launch infrastructure, and focus on what they do best – delivering payloads to orbit.
This model drastically reduces the capital expenditures required for launch providers, lowers barriers to entry, and accelerates time-to-market for new commercial space ventures. With flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and an efficient regulatory framework, Spaceport Nova Scotia is poised to become a cornerstone of North America’s space economy.
Key Milestones and the Road Ahead
Since its inception, Spaceport Nova Scotia has achieved several critical milestones. From securing necessary environmental approvals to forging strategic partnerships with industry leaders, the project has steadily progressed toward its first commercial launch. Construction has begun, with a suborbital launch in 2025 and Canada’s first orbital launch planned for 2026.
Matier highlighted five key pillars driving the project’s progress: securing investment, regulatory approvals, infrastructure development, partnerships with launch providers, and regional economic impact. Matier emphasizes that none of these can move forward in isolation – each is critical to ensuring the spaceport’s success.
Why Spaceport Nova Scotia Answers a Global Problem
The world needs more launch capacity, and Spaceport Nova Scotia is uniquely positioned to meet this demand. With strategic advantages, a cost-effective lease and launch model, and strong leadership from industry veterans like Steve Matier and Sasha Jacob, it stands as a crucial infrastructure project in the modern space economy.
Spaceport Nova Scotia is a catalyst for economic growth and technological innovation in Canada. Matier emphasized that the project is injecting enthusiasm into the region’s tech sector and inspiring youth to pursue careers in space-related fields.
As MLS continues to gain traction, investors have a unique opportunity to enter at the ground level of a transformative industry. The fast pace of the commercialization of space is already speeding up, and those who see the opportunity today could benefit from a generational shift in how humanity accesses and utilizes space.
Spaceport Nova Scotia is more than just another launch site – it represents the future of accessing space. It embodies innovation, economic growth, and the limitless potential of the final frontier.