Turning technology readiness into deployable capability
A Canadian non-profit developing a Prairie-based suborbital platform for late-stage validation of space, defence and dual-use technologies. Bringing industry, government, Indigenous communities and researchers together to advance it.
Platform in development
Mission profile
Governed accessClear pathways into real-world validation
Canadian-controlled dataMission evidence retained as national value
Industry-led executionDelivered by qualified operators and specialists
Latest from SIC
Partnership announcement
Calian and SIC are collaborating to advance a proposed Prairie-based suborbital platform for late-stage validation of space, defence and dual-use technologies.
Read Calian’s news release (opens in a new tab)DEFSEC Atlantic 2026
It was great meeting everyone in Halifax. Thank you to the industry leaders, technology developers, researchers and potential partners who connected with Space Innovation Canada.
We’re continuing those conversations to help shape the first mission and advance a Prairie-based suborbital validation platform for space, defence and dual-use technologies.
The national gap
Canada produces world-class research and technology. The harder step is proving performance in operationally relevant environments, repeatedly and on Canadian soil.
Suborbital flight evidence helps assess technology readiness and supports investment, procurement and commercialization decisions. Domestic campaigns can build mission data, operational learning, workforce capability and supply-chain value in Canada.
Trusted domestic pathways for technologies tied to defence, security, space and critical infrastructure.
Mission data and test evidence that support qualification, procurement, commercialization and investment.
Experienced people, validated suppliers and institutional learning that strengthen with every campaign.
Our mission
The Prairie opportunity
The proposed Prairie platform would bring high-altitude balloons, sounding rockets and supporting services together for space, defence and dual-use validation. Site options and participation are being developed with prospective partners.
The proposed model starts with a defined mission and would offer rideshare missions and dedicated suborbital campaigns for integrated systems, matched to each mission’s testing and evidence requirements. Shared missions are designed to spread common costs and make suborbital testing more accessible.
Current development status
We are aligning industry, government, Indigenous communities, researchers and technical partners around a shared validation capability. The platform is in development and is not yet operational.
Target test environments
SIC is developing suborbital flight campaigns to help teams test technologies beyond the lab, identify performance gaps and reduce risk before orbital missions or operational deployment. Each campaign would match high-altitude, high-velocity or brief microgravity conditions to the payload’s testing needs, readiness and available test duration.
SIC is developing suborbital flight campaigns to help teams test technologies beyond the lab, identify performance gaps and reduce risk before orbital missions or operational deployment. Each campaign would match high-altitude, high-velocity or brief microgravity conditions to the payload’s testing needs, readiness and available test duration.
Evaluate sensors and payloads in upper-atmosphere conditions.
Help developers validate technologies for earlier wildfire warnings, more reliable communications in remote areas and better environmental monitoring.
Explore technology performance during high-speed flight.
Evaluate technologies for selected hypersonic and re-entry applications where the mission provides relevant speeds, thermal loads and test duration. Generate evidence to improve reliability and reduce deployment risk.
Test experiments and equipment during brief periods of reduced gravity.
Support selected biomedical, fluid, plant-science, materials and combustion experiments during brief microgravity periods. Test equipment and methods before committing to longer orbital missions.
Illustrative images. Applications depend on mission profile, payload readiness and available test duration.
Evaluate sensors and payloads in upper-atmosphere conditions.
Help developers validate technologies for earlier wildfire warnings, more reliable communications in remote areas and better environmental monitoring.
Explore technology performance during high-speed flight.
Evaluate technologies for selected hypersonic and re-entry applications where the mission provides relevant speeds, thermal loads and test duration. Generate evidence to improve reliability and reduce deployment risk.
Test experiments and equipment during brief periods of reduced gravity.
Support selected biomedical, fluid, plant-science, materials and combustion experiments during brief microgravity periods. Test equipment and methods before committing to longer orbital missions.
From mission to evidence
SIC’s suborbital campaign model starts with a mission need, then brings together SMEs, researchers and delivery partners around a shared validation mission. Campaigns would combine compatible payloads on rideshare missions or test integrated systems through dedicated missions, with testing and evidence requirements defined for each participant.
Establish the mission need, testing objectives and evidence required, then select the appropriate test environment.
Bring together SMEs, applied researchers and qualified delivery partners. Select mission-ready technologies for rideshares or dedicated integrated-system campaigns, and align the vehicles, integration, range, telemetry and recovery services needed to deliver the suborbital campaign.
Work with qualified partners to integrate payloads and systems for rideshare or dedicated suborbital flights, with coordinated operations, testing and data capture.
Use mission evidence to inform further development, procurement, investment and future campaigns. Share anonymized, non-confidential findings and lessons learned to inform future research, improve validation methods and support the next generation of Canadian innovation.
Platform architecture
SIC is developing the structure that brings technology companies, researchers and delivery partners into repeatable suborbital flight validation campaigns. Four connected elements hold it together.
Governed pathways that define who can test, when they can test, and the readiness required to enter a campaign.
Coordinated vehicles, mission operations, safety systems, telemetry, recovery and range services.
Canadian-controlled mission evidence and operational learning, with anonymized, non-confidential findings shared to support the next generation of innovation.
Aligned industry, public, ITB, sponsor and research funding that supports execution, not only design.
The proposed operating model
SIC would coordinate the program and protect its public-benefit mandate. Qualified partners would deliver the vehicles, operations and technical services.
SIC will coordinate
Qualified partners will deliver
Leadership
SIC brings together governance and specialist guidance spanning defence, space operations, commercialization, Indigenous engagement, finance, policy and law.
Responsible for SIC's governance, strategic direction and public-benefit mandate.
Allied Launch & Policy
Former U.S. Space Force senior leader and Branch Chief for Space Access, Mobility and Supply Chain. He directed Space Standards Integration for U.S. Space Force Acquisition and shaped allied launch and industrial-base strategy.
President & Managing Director
Regan Hinchcliffe is President and Managing Director of Space Innovation Canada, where he leads the organization’s strategy, partnerships and development. He co-founded sMedia and spent 13 years scaling it from a startup into a multinational marketing technology company recognized among Canada’s fastest-growing companies for four consecutive years.
Cyber Compliance & ITBs
President of Third Rock Consulting and an ecosystem enabler with more than 20 years embedded with aerospace & defence Primes and Tier 1s. From MENA to Japan, he aligns ITB capital, cyber readiness and allied partnerships to turn innovation into deployable capability.
Defence, Industrial Benefits & Systems
Senior leader at Kongsberg Maritime with more than 25 years in defence, naval systems and autonomous technologies. He brings expertise in Industrial and Technological Benefits frameworks, advanced systems integration and Canadian naval operations.
Commercialization & Allied Policy
Founder of ConvergX® and ConvergX® Xpand™ and Deputy Chair of NIAG’s Community of Interest with Allied Command Transformation (ACT). Recognized among Canada's Top 20 Women in Defence, she brings global commercialization, allied policy and cross-sector partnership leadership.
Cross-functional guidance across the disciplines required to move from concept to safe, credible execution.
Finance & Governance
Finance and governance experience spanning energy, infrastructure and emerging technologies.
Finance and governance leader with experience across energy, infrastructure and emerging technologies. His expertise spans capital strategy, financial controls, sustainability and long-term institutional governance.
Indigenous Partnerships & Economic Development
Working in economic and business development at Scout Engineering and Consulting, supporting Indigenous communities with access to capital, project development, and lasting partnerships at a 100% Indigenous-owned firm.
Teaghan brings a legal background and her perspective as a Treaty 8 member to her economic development work. Working alongside Indigenous communities, she helps secure capital, turn ideas into actionable projects, and achieve broader economic development goals. Grounded in trust, respect for the land, and community priorities, Teaghan builds relationship-driven partnerships that create lasting opportunities and meaningful impact.
Industrial Strategy
AnchorPoint founder with 20+ years in defence, aerospace, space and advanced technology.
Founder of AnchorPoint Industrial Benefits Advisory and a senior executive advisor with more than 20 years of experience across the defence, aerospace, space, and advanced technology sectors. She specializes in Industrial and Technological Benefits (ITB) and offsets strategy, government and defence procurement, Indigenous participation frameworks, proposal governance, and government funding and incentive program strategy.
Technology Transfer & IP
Innovate Calgary technology-transfer leader with 15+ years in IP and commercialization.
Associate Director of Technology Transfer at Innovate Calgary with more than 15 years in IP strategy, commercialization and multinational research frameworks. His expertise includes data governance, public-funding alignment and technology-transfer models.
Marketing & Strategic Communications
Ocean Girl Designs founder specializing in ocean technology and defence communications.
Founder of Ocean Girl Designs and a specialist in communications and stakeholder engagement across the ocean technology and defence sectors. She supports national industry alignment and partnership development.
Spaceport Operations
Former Maritime Launch Services & Spaceport Nova Scotia COO with 30+ years of infrastructure leadership.
Former COO of Maritime Launch Services, where he led operations and governance for Spaceport Nova Scotia. He brings more than 30 years of infrastructure leadership, stakeholder engagement and operational execution.
Space Law & Governance
Orbital Reach Principal with experience spanning Project Kuiper, Galileo and Copernicus.
Space lawyer and executive, Principal at Orbital Reach™ and Co-Founder and Co-CEO of ASCEND™. His experience includes Amazon Project Kuiper and the EU flagship programs Galileo and Copernicus, with expertise in market access, licensing and space governance.
Indigenous Partnerships & Economic Development
Project Consultant at Scout Engineering and Consulting, a 100% Indigenous-owned firm, focused on Indigenous capacity building and workforce development.
Michael is a member of Canoe Lake Cree First Nation and a Project Consultant at Scout Engineering and Consulting, a 100% Indigenous-owned firm. A Red Seal Journeyman Carpenter with more than 20 years of construction experience, he brings expertise in project management, Indigenous capacity building and workforce development. He works with Elders, Knowledge Keepers and community leaders to advance community-driven infrastructure that respects cultural values, traditional knowledge and the land.
Land Use & Corridor Planning
Cairnstone Principal with 25+ years in land-use and corridor planning.
Principal of Cairnstone with more than 25 years in land-use and corridor planning. A former Senior Planner with the Government of Nunavut and Regional Director for Alaska to Alberta Railway, he brings Arctic infrastructure and multi-jurisdictional development expertise.
Technical, Regulatory & Space Operations
Sundogs Group Managing Partner with NASA, Blue Origin and Axiom experience.
Managing Partner at Sundogs Group and Director, Strategic Initiatives at Virtus Solis. A former NASA, Blue Origin, Axiom, Boeing and Sea Launch leader, he brings expertise in launch operations, systems engineering, ISAM/ISRU, spaceport development and policy.
Build with us
We’re engaging technology developers and researchers with validation needs, alongside government, Indigenous communities, industry and delivery partners interested in shaping the platform.
