Canada Rocket Company to begin R-2 engine component testing in December

Toronto-based Canada Rocket Company (CRC) is scheduled to begin hot-fire testing of engine components for its R-2 rocket in December. The initial tests will focus on a gas generator used for turbine ignition.

The R-2 is a medium-lift launch vehicle designed to carry up to 15,000 kilograms to low-Earth orbit. The engine will utilize methalox propellant, consisting of liquid methane and liquid oxygen. CEO and co-founder Hugh Kolias stated that the development and testing cycle for the engine is expected to continue until approximately 2028, with a goal of having a fully assembled engine with a turbopump ready for testing by that time. The company is targeting a launch attempt around 2032.

CRC is one of three Canadian firms that received $8.3 million in government funding to help establish domestic launch capabilities. This initiative coincides with the construction of a new spaceport on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, a project supported by a $200 million allocation from Canada’s Department of National Defense.