Sascha Deri founded BluShift Aerospace in 2014.[7][8] In 2016, the company relocated from Massachusetts to Brunswick Landing in Maine, utilizing the aerospace infrastructure of the former Naval 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 a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) grant from NASA to support work on a modular hybrid rocket engine design.[12][10] BluShift's first launch was originally planned for 2019 however it was delayed due to various factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic.[13] By 2020, the company had conducted 154 static fire tests of its hybrid propulsion system in preparation for its first launch.[14][non-primary source needed]
First launch (2021)
On January 31, 2021, BluShift Aerospace conducted the launch of its Stardust 1.0 prototype rocket from Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, Maine.[15][16][17][18] 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.[19]
The vehicle carried three experimental payloads housed in 3U CubeSat enclosures, provided by Kellogg Research Lab, Rocket Insights, and Falmouth High School.[20]
Commercial development (2021-2023)
Following the launch of Stardust 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.[21]
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.[22]
To support future launch operations, BluShift selected a site near Jonesport and Beals, Maine (approximately 30 miles east of Bar Harbor) after site evaluations and regulatory review. The location was planned to support coastal missions to polar and sun-synchronous orbits.[23] However, in March 2022, BluShift abandoned plans to build a spaceport in Jonesport following opposition from residents.[24]
Recent activities (2023-2025)
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 the U.S. Air Force focused on evaluating the engine for booster-stage propulsion applications.
As of January 2025, BluShift was preparing for the first launch of its Starless 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 from Spaceport America in New Mexico.[25] In April 2025, BluShift completed a hybrid rocket engine test at Brunswick 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.[29]
Engine technology
The Modular Adaptable Rocket Engine for Vehicle Launch (MAREVL) is a hybrid rocket engine developed by BluShift, which combines solid bio-fuel with liquid oxidizer.[30][31]
BluShift's 2022 hot-fire attempt of MAREVL 2.0, which was ultimately canceled due to ignition failures, intended to target thrust levels between 50 kilonewtons (11,000lbf) and 60 kilonewtons (13,000lbf), with plans to ramp up to 80 kilonewtons (18,000lbf).[32] The first successful test, conducted on March 1, 2022, generated a peak thrust of approximately 39 kilonewtons (8,800lbf).[33]
Testing program
The full-scale MAREVL 2.0 is currently being tested and is intended to include more than 20 static fire tests.[34] 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.[35]
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.[41][42]
On January 31, 2021, Stardust 1 successfully demonstrated the viability of biofuel propulsion. The single-stage reusable prototype carried an 8kg payload to an altitude of approximately 4,000 feet. The company characterized the vehicle's post recovery condition as satisfactory for potential reuse. The vehicle is now considered retired.[43][44]
Starless Rogue
The Starless Rogue is BluShift's suborbital rocket platform. It is designed to provide 6–10 minutes of microgravity for 30-kg payloads on trajectories reaching up to 300 kilometers altitude. The vehicle also serves as a hypersonictestbed for defense applications.[25][45]
Red Dwarf
Red Dwarf is BluShift's first orbital launch vehicle, designed to deliver 100kg payloads to low Earth orbit, with a focus on polar and sun-synchronous orbits.[46]
In February 2022, BluShift announced that it had reduced Red Dwarf from three stages to two while more than tripling its payload capacity from 30-kg to 100-kg.[47]
The first Red Dwarf launch is planned for 2026, pending successful Starless Rogue operations and full FAA licensing. Due to Maine's high latitude, the vehicle is optimized for high-inclination and polar orbits; however, the company is also considering operations from Wallops LC-1 and Cape Canaveral LC-48 for different orbital requirements.[citation needed]
Recovery and reusability
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 than reflight.[48]
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.
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