Consortium led by NordSpace leverages Canadian technologies in a first-of-its-kind, AI-enabled hybrid additive-subtractive production capability
HAMILTON, Ontario, May 27, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — NordSpace, Miltera, Pegmatis, and Prime Powders, all 100% Canadian-owned companies, announced the launch of an industry consortium project valued at over $8 million, including $3.2 million in support from Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen) under the Advanced Manufacturing Technology Program.
Together, the companies will industrialize Canada’s first AI-powered hybrid additive-subtractive manufacturing line for advanced space propulsion, delivering a domestically owned capability for producing rocket propulsion hardware at the cost, cadence, and quality required for routine sovereign access to space. The project integrates large-format metal additive manufacturing, AI-driven in-situ quality control, precision 5-axis machining, and a resilient Canadian materials supply chain with Indigenous participation, forming a cohesive production system owned and operated by Canadian SMEs.
The resulting process chain will enable the production of high-performance turbopumps for next-generation space propulsion systems, while establishing a transferable manufacturing platform applicable to hydrogen compression, clean-energy turbomachinery, and other high-value rotating-machinery sectors. By advancing Canadian manufacturing capability through demanding real-world applications, the consortium is creating both near-term industrial output and long-term national manufacturing capacity.
The project directly advances the sovereign industrial objectives of Canada’s new Defence Industrial Strategy released in February 2026. By building at home rather than importing, anchoring critical intellectual property in Canadian small and medium-sized enterprises, and integrating Indigenous participation, the consortium operationalizes the Strategy’s “Build-Partner-Buy” framework and its emphasis on resilient domestic supply chains and Canadian advanced-manufacturing champions.
Statements
“The Government of Canada’s investment in this project helps advance the country’s sovereign space capabilities and is an example of putting the Defence Industrial Strategy into action. Through this initiative, NGen is harnessing Canadian ingenuity and Canada’s world-class workforce to build a robust, sovereign supply chain, enabling our manufacturers to compete globally, strengthen our defence economy and ensure the economic benefits of innovation reach communities across our country.”
The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Canada Economic Development for Quebec Regions
“As our global trading environment undergoes dramatic shifts, it is mission critical for Canada to invest in its sovereign production capacity. Frontier use cases with blue ocean potential are where we need to double down, and the Government of Canada is showing immense foresight by focusing on access to space. By supporting companies that are threading AI into a domestically integrated production system geared toward sovereign launch capabilities, the government is charting a course for Canada to compete in the next frontier. As the MP for Markham–Unionville, I am thrilled to see local companies operating as advanced-manufacturing champions for Canada’s Defence Industrial Strategy.”
Michael Ma, Member of Parliament for Markham–Unionville
“This investment from NGen marks a significant step forward in building sovereign Canadian advanced manufacturing capability for space propulsion. By combining AI-powered hybrid additive-subtractive technologies with strong ecosystem participation, this project delivers both immediate results and long-term strategic value, strengthening Canada’s defence and space industrial base while creating transferable capabilities across high-value sectors.”
Jayson Myers, CEO, NGen
“Sovereign access to space is impossible without sovereign manufacturing. Launching NordSpace’s Tundra rocket on an aggressive timeline demands novel advanced manufacturing for flight-grade hardware that no Canadian supply chain has previously produced. Working alongside our consortium partners, NordSpace is helping prove that Canada can build the most demanding components of next-generation launch propulsion entirely at home, by Canadians, for Canadians.”
Rahul Goel, Chief Executive Officer, NordSpace Corp.
“Miltera is proud to be a world leader in turbomachinery manufacturing technology and extreme precision applications. Through this consortium, we are helping bridge the gap between additive manufacturing and flight-grade propulsion hardware by combining advanced 5-axis machining, automation, and metrology to deliver the precision, repeatability, and scalable process capability needed for sovereign Canadian launch.”
Michael Blackburn, President & CEO, Miltera Machining Research Corp.
“Pegmatis is building a proprietary, AI-driven platform that brings new intelligence to manufacturing and reinforces Canada’s role as a global innovator. While initially focused on components critical to space launch propulsion systems, the platform is designed for any high-value industry where precision, traceability, and accountability are critical. By integrating advanced manufacturing processes with real-time data insight, we enable full visibility, auditable workflows, and consistent quality at scale.”
Ron Cassar, Co-Founder & COO, Pegmatis Inc.
“Prime Powders Inc. is participating in this NGen project in an exclusive strategic partnership with the Indigenous community to help secure Canadian supply chains, create Indigenous employment initiatives and revenue‑sharing agreements empowering local communities. We are replacing import dependency with Canadian‑manufactured, certified aerospace-quality metal powders. This project will help ensure supply‑chain resilience, skills training, and sustainable community‑centred economic development.”
Jimmy Scott, President & CEO, Prime Powders Inc.
About NGen
Next Generation Manufacturing Canada (NGen) is the industry-led, non-government not-for-profit organization leading Canada’s Global Innovation Cluster for Advanced Manufacturing. NGen connects manufacturers, technology developers, researchers, developers and policymakers across Canada’s advanced manufacturing ecosystem. The organization works to accelerate the commercialization of advanced manufacturing technologies and strengthen Canada’s industrial competitiveness.
Contact
Robbie MacLeod
Sr. Director Communications & Member Services
613-297-3578
robbie.macleod@ngen.ca
