221: Maritime Launch and Mission 03 with Stephen Matier

Stephen Matier is the President and CEO of Maritime Launch Services. He is also the visionary behind Spaceport Nova Scotia, a world-class commercial space complex that will launch Canada into the global space industry. Steve and his team at Maritime Launch will carry the next set of stories about space INTO space later this summer (Mission 03, currently open for story submissions) through the STORIES of Space non-profit organization.   Today on the podcast, Steve explains how space exploration was always in his background AND backyard! Steve started as a mechanical engineer (Bachelor of Science, University of New Mexico) and worked at NASA’s White Sands Test Facility.  At Maritime Launch, Matier leads coordination and approval among provincial, federal, and international governing bodies, securing private financing, leading satellite sales, coordinating launch vehicle integration and selecting best-in-class commercial firms to support launch operations.     Want to know more about Maritime Launch? https://www.maritimelaunch.com/  Want to send your own story ABOUT space INTO space this summer? Submit your story TODAY at  www.storiesofspace.com  Want to know more about Steve Matier? https://www.maritimelaunch.com/team  As part of Steve’s work with Maritime Launch, he is driving the collaboration and partnerships to support the development of a safe and environmentally sustainable commercial space launch market in Canada. With satellite and launch vehicle clients within Canada and around the globe interested in launching from Spaceport Nova Scotia, Maritime Launch is joining a global industry that will exceed one trillion dollars annually within the next 20 years.    While Steve’s day-to-day focus is squarely focused on developing Canada’s first commercial spaceport, Matier’s interest in space extends beyond the technology and the launch itself. Steve has a passion for teaching, which means he is never far from the classroom, whether guest lecturing at a local high school physics class in Canso or presenting to kids at summer programs in Antigonish. He has driven partnerships with St. Francis Xavier University and Cape Breton University and supports Dalhousie’s CubeSat program. His passion for working with schools began in his early career in the Space Shuttle program, with the recognition that kids can look up into space and see opportunities for themselves on the ground.    Steve is a recipient of the prestigious Silver Snoopy Award, an honor for outstanding achievements related to human flight safety or mission success.