Dutch rocket builder T-Minus Engineering has signed an agreement with Canada’s Maritime Launch Services to carry out two rocket launches from Spaceport Nova Scotia in October.
Founded in 2011, T-Minus develops and operates a range of suborbital rockets for microgravity and hypersonic experimentation. In May 2022, during ESA’s PAC Symposium in Biarritz, France, the company unveiled its most powerful suborbital rocket to date, the Barracuda. The rocket stands approximately four metres tall and can carry payloads of up to 40 kilograms to altitudes of around 120 kilometres.
On 3 June 2023, Maritime Launch Services, a Canadian commercial launch facility operator, announced that it had signed an agreement with T-Minus Engineering for the launch of two Barracuda rockets. According to the press release, the two launches will carry various scientific and educational payloads for several customers, whose names were not disclosed. The launches are expected to take place from Spaceport Nova Scotia in October 2025.
“We look forward to bringing our Barracuda platform to Spaceport Nova Scotia,” said T-Minus cofounder Mark Uitendaal. “This launch will demonstrate a fully integrated flight campaign with our Canadian partners and help build momentum for future hypersonic testing programs in Canada. While most of the payload capacity has already been allocated, limited slots remain available.”
T-Minus will use a mobile launch vehicle integration building to prepare the two rockets for flight. The company will then employ a mobile launch platform to conduct the launches from the fledgling Canadian spaceport.
To date, T-Minus has not publicly disclosed any successful launches of its Barracuda rocket. In response to questions from European Spaceflight in April 2025, T-Minus cofounder Hein Olthof stated, “Until now, we have not performed any launches for civil applications with this rocket.” However, in its 3 June press release, Maritime Launch Services claimed that “T-Minus has launched Barracuda many times before.” As a result, the operational history of the Barracuda rocket remains unclear.
Dutch suborbital launch provider T-Minus Engineering will launch two Barracuda rockets from Spaceport Nova Scotia in October 2025.
