Orbital satellite launch: $8.3 million in aid to improve rocket

By Sylvain Daignault, Local Journalism Initiative, The Southern Courier (translated from French)

With the award of initial $8.3 million in federal funding, Longueuil-based aerospace company Reaction Dynamics has reached a significant milestone in its containerized rocket launch project, designed to place microsatellites into orbit.

Within the company, enthusiasm is palpable. In an interview with Le Courrier du Sud, Rémi Lecerf, Director of Marketing, welcomed Ottawa’s interest in what he described as an innovative technological approach.

This funding is part of the “Launch the North” initiative, a $105 million program administered by Defence Innovation, Excellence and Security. The goal is to accelerate the development of a Canadian ultra-responsive orbital launch capability that can be deployed within the country.

Technological Development and Expansion

Support from Ottawa, combined with that of the Quebec government obtained in 2025, will allow the company, founded in 2017, to continue developing its avionics and onboard electronics systems. These improvements notably concern the Aurora 1 rocket, whose first launch is scheduled for Australia this fall.

In the longer term, Reaction Dynamics aims to deploy Aurora 8, a more powerful version of a rocket equipped with eight engines, whose launch is planned for 2028 from Nova Scotia.

The company also anticipates rapid growth in its workforce, which is expected to increase from about 40 employees to nearly 100 within a year. “Our goal is to build a 100,000-square-foot prototype factory to develop the engines for our Aurora rocket,” explains Mr. Lecerf.

A rapidly growing market

In a context where demand for satellite services continues to rise, Mr. Lecerf points out a uniquely Canadian characteristic: the lack of national launch infrastructure. “Every Canadian uses satellite services about forty times a day. Whether it’s to pay for their coffee at Tim Hortons, check the weather, or use the Waze app for traffic,” he emphasizes.

Until now, Canada has had to turn to foreign partners—Russian, Indian, or American—to launch its satellites into orbit. But the deteriorating relationships with some of these partners, according to Mr. Lecerf, reinforce the urgent need for national autonomy. “We can’t bury our heads in the sand. Canada must become sovereign in the field of satellite launchers,” he insists.

The market prospects are considerable. According to the firm Euroconsult, more than 1,300 satellites are expected to be launched by Canadian companies between 2026 and 2035; a potential that Reaction Dynamics intends to fully exploit.

Reaction Dynamics’ containerized rocket launch system will be able to place microsatellites weighing between 150 and 200 kilograms into orbit. Eventually, Reaction Dynamics’ satellite launch system will be able to be transported in a container almost anywhere in Canada and around the world.

“Launching the North”: Towards Space Sovereignty

With “Launching the North,” Ottawa intends to close a strategic gap: Canada remains the only G7 country without a launch capability on its territory. The program aims to lay the foundations for a national industry capable of designing and operating its own launch vehicles.

Of the 39 applications submitted, Reaction Dynamics is one of the three companies selected for the first phase. This selection allows the Longueuil-based company to continue developing its technology and position itself in a sector destined to play a key role in tomorrow’s economy.

editor