As relations with the United States deteriorate, Canada takes its own launch industry seriously

“From an engineering standpoint and an infrastructure standpoint, basically 90 percent of everything you do on this light-lifting piece is thrown out the window, and it’s almost like a net new program,” Kolias said. “And everyone said: If you’re not going to try to bring lightweight devices to market, then why do it in the first place? And that hit us relatively hard.”

So the company set its sights higher: developing the R-2 rocket, a fairly standard medium-lift vehicle whose renderings bear some resemblance to SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. There are nine methane-powered engines, an engine cycle with gas generator, and landing legs that signal a future path toward first stage reuse. It could carry up to 12.5 tonnes into low Earth orbit. If all goes well, Kolias said, the company could be ready to go by 2032.

That would be fantastic, but is any of this realistic?

Canada goes on the defensive

Perhaps because the mood is angry in Canada. For decades, Canada has relied heavily on the United States for its defense. Famously, in 1959, the Canadian Prime Minister canceled the Avro Arrow interceptor aircraft under development in the country. Since then, the Canadian aerospace industry has largely lagged behind. The country’s satellites generally launch into space aboard American rockets.

But sovereignty is coming back into fashion. Earlier this year, Canada unveiled a defense industrial strategy that would ensure the country has a strong industrial and technological base to support its defense readiness. Space is one of ten capabilities outlined in the report, which includes “space launch” as a priority.

“I think geopolitics has actually created a fantastic opportunity, not only for us, but also for other Canadian industries, to finally build real aspirational industries,” Kolias said. “We’re moving away a little bit from the globalist movement and realizing that there are some essential aspects, both economically and from a sovereignty or defense and military perspective, that you have to own your own destiny.”