The Taiga rocket is a suborbital, liquid-fueled rocket being developed by NordSpace, a Canadian space technology company. It’s designed as a stepping stone to NordSpace’s larger Tundra orbital rocket, and its initial launches will demonstrate its capabilities for reaching the Karman line, the boundary of space. The Taiga rocket is a key part of NordSpace’s plan to establish Canada’s first commercial space launch capability. 

• Purpose:

  The Taiga rocket is a suborbital launch vehicle, meaning it will not reach orbit. Its primary purpose is to test and demonstrate key technologies for NordSpace’s future orbital rockets, specifically the Tundra. 

• Liquid Fuel:

  Unlike many other sounding rockets that use solid fuel, Taiga utilizes liquid propellant, specifically kerosene and liquid oxygen. 

• First of its Kind:

  NordSpace aims to be the first to launch a Canadian-built, liquid-fueled rocket into space, making the Taiga a significant milestone for the Canadian space program. 

• Hadfield Engine:

  The Taiga rocket and the Tundra will both be powered by the Hadfield engine, a 3D-printed, regeneratively cooled engine designed in-house by NordSpace. 

• Spaceport Canada:

  NordSpace is also developing Spaceport Canada in Newfoundland and Labrador, which will be used to launch the Taiga and Tundra rockets. 

• Scalable Design:
  The Taiga is designed to be a stepping stone to the Tundra, which is designed to carry larger payloads to low Earth orbit.