Moments from take off, a company hoping to launch Canada’s first-ever commercial rocket had to pause plans to launch Tuesday morning, citing a boat leaving the harbour.
But NordSpace is still hopeful they can launch inside their morning window, which runs until 12:00 p.m. NT.
Around 10 a.m. it appeared as if the rocket was ready for lunch but then the live stream halted.
“We have identified a boat leaving the harbour, we are working to resolve [it]. The vehicle has been put in safe mode, and we will prepare the rocket again. No need to go horizontal,” the company said in comments on its social media livestream.
NordSpace still has another window to launch in the afternoon from 3 p.m. to 7 p.m.
NordSpace is making a renewed attempt to launch its single-engine rocket, Taiga, in St. Lawrence. It’s a six-metre tall rocket created using 3D-printed metal.
NordStream was livestreaming the attempted launch on Youtube.
On Monday morning, the company announced it would have better odds of launching on Tuesday and Thursday as it anticipated improved weather.
NordSpace attempted several launches in late August, and was 58 seconds away from takeoff when an ignition issue occurred and the mission was scrubbed.
The launch — when it does happen — will be suborbital, meaning the rocket won’t orbit Earth and will only be in the air for about a minute before it splashes into the Atlantic Ocean.
Speaking with CBC News in January, CEO Rahul Goel said St. Lawrence serves as a top location for a commercial space launch because of its ideal position to achieve the right orbital inclinations.
Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here. Click here to visit our landing page.