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| Company type | Launch services |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace |
| Founded | March 2014; 11 years ago (2014-03) |
| Founders | Sascha Deri |
| Headquarters | 2 Pegasus Street,Suite 2, ,Brunswick, Maine United States |
Key people | Sascha Deri,CEO David Hayrikyan,CTO Luke Saindon,SME Brady Brim-DeForest, Chairman |
| Products | Boosters Hybrid rocket engines Biofuel Launch vehicles |
| Services | Sub-orbital and orbital transportation |
Number of employees | 20 (2024) |
| Website | blushiftaerospace |
Blu Shift Aerospace (stylized asBluShift) is an Americanaerospace manufacturer headquartered inBrunswick, Maine, with an additional office inConcord, California. Founded in 2014, the company developshybrid rocket engines powered by plant-derivedbiofuels[1][2] for launchingsmall satellites and supportingsub-orbital research missions.
The company has received funding from theUnited States Air Force,[3]NASA'sSmall Business Innovation Research program,[4] and the Maine Technology Institute.[5] The company is an affiliate of the Maine Space Grant Consortium.[6]
Sascha Deri founded BluShift Aerospace in 2014.[7][8] In 2016, the company relocated fromMassachusetts toBrunswick Landing inMaine, utilizing the aerospace infrastructure of the formerNaval Air Station.[9][10] This move provided access to testing facilities and technical staff needed for developing the company's experimental rockets.
In 2017, the Maine Technology Institute awarded funding[11] for BluShift's bio-fuel development efforts. In 2019, the company received aSmall Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant fromNASA to support work on a modularhybrid rocket engine design.[12][10] BluShift's first launch was originally planned for 2019 however it was delayed due to various factors, including theCOVID-19 pandemic.[13] By 2020, the company had conducted 154static fire tests of its hybrid propulsion system in preparation for its first launch.[14][non-primary source needed]
On January 31, 2021, BluShift Aerospace conducted the launch of itsStardust 1.0 prototype rocket fromLoring Air Force Base inLimestone, Maine.[15][16][17][7] The 20-foot (6-meter) rocket reached an altitude of approximately 4,100 feet (1,250 meters) and was recovered via parachute. The company estimated the total cost of the launch to be under $500,000.[18] It was the first commercial rocket launch that was powered by bio-derived fuel.[19]
The vehicle carried three experimental payloads housed in 3UCubeSat enclosures, provided by Kellogg Research Lab, Rocket Insights, andFalmouth High School.[7]
Following the launch ofStardust 1.0, BluShift Aerospace expanded its commercial and technical operations. In March 2021, the company launched a public crowdfunding campaign with an initial goal of $500,000. By April 2022, the campaign had exceeded its target, raising over $1.1 million from more than 1,000 investors worldwide.[20]
In June 2021, BluShift entered a commercial agreement with Max IQ, a Virginia-based company, to provide launch services for up to 60 small satellites over multiple years, with a planned launch frequency of twice per year.[21]
To support future launch operations, BluShift selected a site nearJonesport andBeals, Maine (approximately 30 miles east ofBar Harbor) after site evaluations and regulatory review. The location was planned to support coastal missions topolar andsun-synchronous orbits.[22] However, in March 2022, BluShift abandoned plans to build a spaceport in Jonesport following opposition from residents.[23][24]
In October 2024, BluShift completed a 60-second static fire test of the MAREVL (Modular Adaptable Rocket Engine for Vehicle Launch) 2.0 engine with active throttling.[25] The test concluded a $1.1 million contract with theU.S. Air Force focused on evaluating the engine for booster-stage propulsion applications.[3]
As of January 2025, BluShift was preparing for the first launch of itsStarless Rogue suborbital rocket, expected to carry commercial payloads.[26] In January 2025, the company was pursuing a $15 million equity round to fund the first launch of its suborbital rocket fromSpaceport America inNew Mexico.[25] In April 2025, BluShift completed a hybrid rocket engine test atBrunswick Landing.[27][28] Mid-2025, BluShift announced plans to re-launch the booster to space once its FAA launch license was approved.[25]
As of May 2025, the company reported technical and funding challenges, including delays in engine development and shifts in federal support priorities. As of May 2025, the company was in the process of raising a $1 million seed round.[3]
The Modular Adaptable Rocket Engine for Vehicle Launch (MAREVL) is ahybrid rocket engine developed by BluShift, which combinessolid bio-fuel with liquid oxidizer.[29][30]
Initially targeting thrust levels between 50 kilonewtons (11,000 lbf) and 60 kilonewtons (13,000 lbf), with plans to reach 80 kilonewtons (18,000 lbf), BluShift's 2022 hot-fire attempt ofMAREVL 2.0 was canceled due to ignition failures. The first successful test on March 1, 2022 generated approximately 39 kilonewtons (8,800 lbf) of thrust.[31]
The full-scale MAREVL 2.0 is currently being tested and is intended to include more than 20 static fire tests.[32] In March 2022, its first test, a 5-second burn, was completed, validating ignition and flow stability. Subsequent tests have progressively extended burn duration and demonstrated throttling capabilities, culminating in the successful 60-second full-duration burn in October 2024.[3]
| Vehicle | Launch sites | Dimensions | Range | Payload | Stages | Launches | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Stardust 1[33][34] | Brunswick, ME Loring, ME | H: 20 ft (6.1 m) W: 14 in (0.36 m) | 1.25 km (4,100 ft) | 8 kg (18 lb) | 1 | 1 | Retired |
| Stardust 2 | Brunswick, ME Loring, ME | H: 22 ft (6.7 m) W: 24 in (0.61 m) | 15 km (49,000 ft) | 30 kg (66 lb) | 1 | 0 | Canceled |
| Starless Rogue Beta[35] | Washington County, ME Spaceport America, NM | H: 37 ft (11 m) W: 24 in (0.61 m) | 120 km (75 mi) | 30 kg (66 lb) | 1 | 0 | Development |
| Starless Rogue[25][36] | Washington County, ME Wallops LC-1, VA Spaceport America, NM | H: 37 ft (11 m) W: 30 in (0.76 m) | 300 km (190 mi) | 30 kg (66 lb) | 1-2 | 0 | Development |
| Red Dwarf[32] | Washington County, ME Wallops, VA Cape Canaveral LC-48, FL | H: 78 ft (24 m) W: 40 in (1.0 m) | ~1,000 km (620 mi)LEO/SSO | 100 kg (220 lb) | 2 | 0 | Development |
The Stardust series served as BluShift's technology demonstrator and testbed for the MAREVL propulsion system. These rockets are launched from a mobile stand approximately three times the height of the rocket, which features flame diverters at its base. A 2022 report from Mainebiz noted that BluShift's fuel production, test site, and launchpad are intended to be entirely solar-powered.[22][37]
On January 31, 2021, Stardust 1 successfully demonstrated the viability of biofuel propulsion. The single-stage reusable prototype carried an 8 kg (18 lb) payload to an altitude of approximately 4,000 feet (1,200 m). The company characterized the vehicle's post recovery condition as satisfactory for potential reuse. The vehicle is now considered retired.[38][39]
TheStarless Rogue is BluShift's suborbital rocket platform. It is designed to provide 6–10 minutes ofmicrogravity for 30 kg (66 lb) payloads on trajectories reaching up to 300 kilometres (190 mi) altitude. The vehicle also serves as ahypersonictestbed for defense applications.[25][40]
Red Dwarf is BluShift's first orbital launch vehicle, designed to deliver 100 kg (220 lb) payloads to low Earth orbit, with a focus on polar and sun-synchronous orbits.[41]
In February 2022, BluShift announced that it had reducedRed Dwarf from three stages to two while more than tripling its payload capacity from 30 to 100 kg (66 to 220 lb).[42]
The firstRed Dwarf launch is planned for 2026, pending successfulStarless Rogue operations and fullFAA licensing. Due to Maine's high latitude, the vehicle is optimized for high-inclination and polar orbits; however, the company is also considering operations fromWallops LC-1 andCape Canaveral LC-48 for different orbital requirements.[citation needed]
BluShift has integrated recovery systems into all of its vehicles.Stardust 1 successfully demonstrated parachute recovery, landing safely in snow for post-flight analysis rather thanreflight.[7]
| Launch No. | Date/time | Vehicle | Customer/payload | Launch site | Apogee | Duration | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| - | 21 October 2020 | Stardust | N/a | Test Launch Stand,Brunswick Landing, Maine | N/a(4,500 ft planned) | N/a | cancelled |
| The company's first planned test launch was postponed due toCOVID-19 and other delays.[43] | |||||||
| 1 | 27 December 2020 07:00 ET | Stardust 1.0 | Kellogg Research Lab, Rocket Insights, Falmouth High School | Runway,Loring Commerce Centre, Maine | N/a(4,000 ft planned) | N/a | postponed |
| Launch scrubbed due to unfavorable weather conditions. | |||||||
| 14 January 2021 07:00 ET | Runway,Loring Commerce Centre, Maine | N/a(4,000 ft planned) | N/a | postponed | |||
| Second attempt scrubbed due to unfavorable weather and winds. | |||||||
| 31 January 2021 14:45 ET | Runway,Loring Commerce Centre, Maine | 1,250 m (4,100 ft)AGL | ~2 minutes | Success | |||
| Successful launch after the third countdown of the day. First commercial biofuel rocket launch worldwide. Recovery teams retrieved rocket components safely from a snow-covered field.[7] | |||||||
| 2 | NET Late 2025 | Starless Rogue | TBA | Spaceport America, New Mexico | TBA(120-140 km planned) | (~10 minutes planned) | Planned |
| First suborbital launch to space with paying customers, pending FAA commercial launch license approval.[25] | |||||||
| 3 | NET Mid-2026 | Starless Rogue | Max IQ[21] | Coastal Launch Pad, Washington County, Maine | TBA(>150 km planned) | (~10 minutes planned) | Planned |
| First commercial launch from Maine coastal site with Max IQ experiment payloads.[25] | |||||||
| 4 | NET 2026 | Red Dwarf | TBA | Coastal Launch Pad, Washington County, Maine | TBA(LEO/SSO planned) | TBD | Planned |
| First orbital test launch of Red Dwarf vehicle.[44] | |||||||
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