From 1957 to 1985, over 3,500 sounding rockets were launched from this sub-Arctic site to study the ionosphere and aurora. Rocket components still litter the tundra. A forgotten chapter of Canada's space program.
An atmospheric laboratory
The Churchill Rocket Range exists because of its unique location on Earth. Situated 23 kilometers east of Churchill, Manitoba, the site lies directly within the zone of maximum auroral activity. This positioning made it a natural laboratory for studying the upper atmosphere and the physics of the aurora borealis. Its accessibility by rail and sea also made it a practical choice for such a remote, sub-Arctic location.
Construction began in 1956, preparing the facility for Canada's participation in the International Geophysical Year (IGY), a global scientific effort from 1957 to 1958. During the IGY, American and Canadian scientists launched dozens of sounding rockets, such as the Aerobee and Nike-Cajun, to probe the ionosphere. The goal was to understand how auroral activity affected long-distance radio communications. After the IGY ended, the U.S. Army took over operations in 1959, integrating Churchill into its network of sounding rocket stations. The National Research Council of Canada assumed control in 1970, continuing the upper atmosphere research program until the range was largely abandoned by 1985.
Black Brants and booster debris
Over its decades of operation, the range saw more than 3,500 launches. The main rocket of the Canadian program was the Black Brant series of sounding rockets, which were developed and tested here. The first Black Brant I was launched in September 1959. These rockets were designed to carry scientific payloads weighing up to 68 kg to altitudes of 150 km. Later versions could carry heavier instruments to altitudes between 150 km and 1500 km.
Payloads consisted of instruments like spectrometers to analyze the aurora's light spectrum, and sensors to measure electron density and magnetic fields. The rockets were sub-orbital; they went up and came back down without entering orbit. This resulted in spent rocket stages and components falling back to Earth, creating a debris field that still litters the tundra and Wapusk National Park. The site was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1988. In the 1990s, a private company, Akjuit Aerospace, attempted to redevelop the site into SpacePort Canada, the world's first commercial spaceport. They managed a single, successful launch of a Black Brant IXB on April 28, 1998, before the company ceased operations.
💡Fun Facts
The site was selected because it is located directly under the auroral oval, the region with the most frequent and intense northern lights displays.
The Canadian-designed Black Brant rocket, first tested here in 1959, became a successful commercial export used by space agencies around the world.
A major fire in late 1960 destroyed much of the facility, forcing the temporary relocation of Black Brant test launches to NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.
The site's infrastructure included a blockhouse with three-foot-thick concrete walls and enclosed, heated passageways connecting to the launch pads to protect staff from explosions and the Arctic cold.
The historic range itself is not an official tourist site with regular hours. Access is restricted and requires a guided tour.
Admission
Tours of the historic rocket range can be booked through the Churchill Northern Studies Centre. Prices vary based on group size and tour type.
Accessibility
The site is located on remote sub-Arctic tundra. Tours may involve walking on uneven, unpaved terrain. The buildings are in various states of decay and are generally not accessible.