Brunswick aviation company receives $150,000 grant in preparation for launch

Brunswick-based bluShift Aerospace conducted a hot fire test of its biofuel engine MAREVL, which will be used in its rocket Starless Rogue, on Friday, September 6, 2024. Kristian Moravec / Times Record

Maine Institute of Technology awarded a $150,000 grant to Brunswick-based bluShift Aerospace as part of the latest round of pandemic funding for the technology and innovation sector in Maine.

bluShift said the grant will help it obtain a vital commercial space launch license and hire a flight analyst as it tries to launch its biofuel rocket. The company was just one of 48 organizations to receive funding through the $7 million Maine Jobs and Recovery Plan announced earlier this month.

“ blueShift Our team is honored to receive this award at such a transformative moment in our journey,” CEO and founder Sascha Deri said in a press release. “As we prepare to launch our first commercial suborbital space services, we are excited to offer researchers unprecedented time in microgravity, both on Earth and “This grant empowers us to continue our path to securing our FAA commercial space launch license and meeting high safety standards.”

Deri received the commercial space launch license Since it is a requirement of commercial field activities, it is also vital for bluShift’s growth strategy.

To obtain the license, bluShift will need to demonstrate that it complies with strict safety regulations set by the FAA; It’s a process that requires the submission of detailed applications outlining launch plans, safety procedures, “vehicle” design, and more. The license application process will take approximately 12 to 18 months, the company said.

bluShift said grantor MTI has provided financing support to the company since 2014, when it began operations in Brunswick Landing. MTI president Brian Whitney said he is proud to be a part of bluShift’s journey in Maine.

“blueShift“‘s bid performed extremely well in our highly competitive funding request, and we are excited that they will be able to put the funds to good use,” said Whitney.

Gov. Janet Mills’ office announced the $7 million Rescue Plan on Nov. 13. More than 134 organizations have applied, seeking more than $20 million in total funding, Mills’ office said.

This grant funding is the second and final phase of the Pandemic Recovery for Innovative Maine Economy (PRIME) program, created by MTI to distribute federal funding through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.

The purpose of PRIME funding was to help Maine businesses in the technology and innovation sector recover from the COVID-19 pandemic. This year’s prizes ranged from $20,000 to $250,000.

The award follows several important milestones for the company. Over the summer, bluShift installed a reusable, 100-foot-tall oxidizer tank that would hold 400 gallons of oxidizer and enable the rocket to fly all the way to the Kármán line, which Deri said was the most expensive part of the rocket. boundary between Earth’s atmosphere and space).

Brunswick aerospace company one step closer to testing biofuel rocket engine

On September 6, the company conducted a hot-ignition engine test with MAREVL. Then on October 24, bluShift conducted a time-of-flight test of the rocket engine. Modular Adaptive Rocket Engine for Vehicle Launch (better known as MAREVL – pronounced “awesome”). More tests will be conducted as part of the company’s long-term goals for space launches, the company said.

Brunswick’s bluShift completes hot-fire rocket engine testing

The ultimate goal is to reach a niche segment of the aviation market where researchers can test products in microgravity. Deri has noted in the past that the current market allows for very little testing time, what scientists call “zero G time,” and that bluShift aims to expand microgravity testing.

Copy Story Link