LUNR-01 Launch Vehicle
Dimensions and Architecture
Standing approximately 24 meters tall with an approximate 2-meter wide diameter, LUNR-01 is being developed as a compact two-stage vehicle optimized for rapid manufacturing, transport, and vertical launch from Canadian sites. Its streamlined design is intended to support efficient scaling and positions Nova Scotia operations to capture a latitude advantage for high-inclination polar and sun-synchronous orbits.
Propulsion System
Five first-stage engines are expected to deliver deliver 300 kN of liftoff thrust, while the second-stage vacuum engine is designed to provide provides 63 kN. Both are intended to use LUNR’s electric-pump (E-Pump) cycle with proprietary cooling. This mechanically simple architecture accelerates development timelines and is expected to support the dual-use reliability required for commercial and national-security missions.
Propellants
Liquid methane and liquid oxygen (methalox) are expected to deliver high specific impulse, clean combustion, and operational simplicity. These propellants align with reusable architectures prioritized in federal defence and space policy.
Payload Performance
LUNR-01 is expected to deliver 250–350 kg to Low Earth Orbit. The vehicle is designed to be optimized for polar, sun-synchronous, and standard LEO missions that are intended to address growing demand for sovereign Earth observation, communications, and Arctic domain awareness.
Reusability
The first stage is designed for recovery and reuse. This capability is intended to advance federal goals for cost-effective, sustainable domestic launch infrastructure, and is expected to enable higher cadence and lower per-mission costs for both commercial customers and government programs.
National Strategic Alignment
LUNR-01 is being developed to deliver Canada’s first sovereign orbital launch capability. It directly supports Budget 2025’s $182.6 million commitment to sovereign space launch and the February 2026 Defence Industrial Strategy, which designates space launch as one of ten core sovereign capabilities. As the only G7 nation without independent orbital access, Canada gains a strategic edge through LUNR’s domestic platform.
In-house engine and propulsion architecture, supporting a simplified and scalable approach to launch system design.
