CANSO – After years spent trying to move a commercial spaceport project from concept to construction, Maritime Launch Services is now taking its message to the public through a new astronaut-training exhibit opening later this month at Halifax’s Discovery Centre.
The Halifax-based operator of Spaceport Nova Scotia, located in Canso, is the presenting sponsor of Mission: Astronaut, an interactive STEM exhibition that opens Saturday, May 23 and runs through September, inviting visitors to explore spaceflight through robotics, mission simulations and hands-on astronaut challenges.
The initiative comes as Maritime Launch continues advancing development of Spaceport Nova Scotia following a series of major developments over the past year, including a federal launch agreement with the Department of National Defence, new infrastructure investment and a successful suborbital test launch in late 2025.
It also follows growing federal interest in establishing a legal framework for commercial space launches in Canada through Bill C-28, the Canadian Space Launch Act, which is before Parliament.
In an email to The Journal, Maritime Launch vice-president of corporate affairs Sarah McLean said the company sees the Discovery Centre partnership as an opportunity to promote science, technology and future careers in the space sector.
“Maritime Launch Services is proud to support the Discovery Centre’s new Mission: Astronaut exhibition as presenting sponsor, helping inspire curiosity, exploration, and innovation through hands-on STEM learning,” she said.
The exhibition includes interactive training exercises designed to simulate aspects of astronaut life and space missions, including docking procedures, robotics, microgravity challenges and spacesuit precision tasks.
McLean said public interest in Canada’s role in space exploration is growing, pointing to the Artemis II mission and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen’s involvement in the international program.
“We want Nova Scotians to know that as Canada’s space sector continues to grow, exciting career opportunities in the industry will grow right here in Nova Scotia as well,” she said.
The company also plans to extend parts of the program into eastern Nova Scotia communities through the Discovery Centre’s portable planetarium, with planned visits to Canso, Hazel Hill and Little Dover. “We are a working with the Discovery Centre to bring elements of the experience on the road,” McLean said.
Meanwhile, she said, Maritime Launch continues to position the proposed Canso-area facility as part of Canada’s emerging commercial space sector.
Last month, Cape Breton-Canso-Antigonish MP Jaime Battiste told the House of Commons the project could create “1,600 jobs in my riding… in rural Nova Scotia” during debate on federal launch legislation tied to the emerging industry.
A 2023 economic analysis by the Conference Board of Canada – completed “with funding and support from Maritime Launch” but for which the organization said “the findings and conclusions… rest entirely with The Conference Board of Canada” – estimated construction of Spaceport Nova Scotia would support 748 jobs in Nova Scotia and more than 1,600 across Canada during development, with close to 1,000 annual full-year jobs nationally once the facility is fully operational.
The federal government also signed a 10-year, $200-million agreement with Maritime Launch earlier this year under which the Department of National Defence will lease a dedicated launch pad at the site.
Despite those developments, skepticism about the project remains in some quarters after nearly a decade of regulatory review, financing efforts and pre-construction planning.
In a recent commentary published by Halifax Examiner, Canso resident Marie Lumsden, a member of the Action Against the Canso Spaceport group, said people who live in the area have “expressed deep concerns about their safety, potential displacement, noise and water contamination, property values, nearby protected wilderness areas, habitat destruction, and the disruption of our multi-million-dollar fisheries.”
Maritime Launch says youth outreach and STEM engagement remain part of its long-term vision for the industry.
“As a company developing an orbital launch site in Nova Scotia, we believe investing in the next generation is an important part of building a long-term space ecosystem in Canada,” McLean said.
