German launch company Isar Aerospace signed a 10-year lease agreement with Canada's Maritime Launch Services to operate a launch pad at Spaceport Nova Scotia for its Spectrum rocket. The deal is valued at $150 million with an option to extend another decade. Isar will design and operate the pad infrastructure while MLS provides facilities for vehicle integration, testing, and mission control. The partnership matters because Canada lacks operational orbital launch capability, and Isar sees independent launch access as critical infrastructure for sovereign nations.
Development of the facility begins later this year, with Isar targeting 2028 for first orbital launches from Canada and aiming to support up to 40 launches annually by 2029. Isar's Spectrum rocket attempted its inaugural flight in March 2025 from Norway's Andøya Spaceport but failed shortly after liftoff. The company has scrubbed multiple second-attempt launches since due to weather and technical issues. Spaceport Nova Scotia is positioned as a multi-user center designed for expansion, joining NordSpace's facility as one of Canada's first orbital launch sites, though neither company has yet achieved a successful orbital flight.