Watch live today: bluShift Aerospace to launch 1st biofuel rocket from Maine

Launch is scheduled for about an hours time from the start of this thread , approximately 2.30-300 EST (7.30-8.00 GMT).

The launch was originally set for earlier today but for reasons has been put back.

Powered by a non-toxic, carbon-neutral, bio-derived fuel made entirely from materials that can be sourced from farms across America. Stardust 1.0 will demonstrate a low-cost and reliable alternative to traditional fuel without sacrificing efficiency. The Modular Adaptable Rocket Engine for Vehicle Launch, or MAREVL™, can rapidly be grouped in clusters and stages with other MAREVLs. This design architecture allows for the rapid assembly of custom rockets for suborbital and orbital missions.
www.space.com...

Good luck bluShift Aerospace , a nonpolluting launch platform has to be a step forward and thing to be celebrated.

a reply to: gortex

This one is only going a mile high with 17 lbs of payload.
The article says they are working on a rocket that will launch 66lbs of payload.
That is less weight than two five gallon buckets of water.
What type of cargo would be that small?

a reply to: Bluntone22

What type of cargo would be that small?

I'm watching the feed now, and they are saying Nano-Sats/Cube-sats with maine having a better ability to hit a polar orbit.

a reply to: Bluntone22

What type of cargo would be that small?

Small cube satellites.
This is a test of the engine capability , if successful will be the start of a journey to clean space launches.

a reply to: gortex

Cheers for the heads up.
Watching now.

originally posted by: gortex
a reply to: Bluntone22

What type of cargo would be that small?

Small cube satellites.
This is a test of the engine capability , if successful will be the start of a journey to clean space launches.

“Clean”

Hold for a passing snowmobile 😝

Edit: well it worked, hope to see another angle of the launch. The onboard cam kept buffering. But it was a success

Rocket worked better than the live stream eh

Hoping that release a recording, I love seeing the actual launch.

There she goes....

a reply to: gortex


Ummm...SpaceX Raptor engines use methane and oxygen...last time I checked...methane is a bio fuel...

So their claim of first...has missed the mark by a few years...and the reporting claim is just slightly disingenuous...at best...










YouSir

a reply to: gortex

It was a shame about the buffering.

Did I miss-hear or was that a giant F bomb from the commentator?
Didn't see the launch itself but I heard that and thought "must've been a good one!".

originally posted by: gortex
There she goes....

Thank you😆

originally posted by: Tulpa
a reply to: gortex

It was a shame about the buffering.

Did I miss-hear or was that a giant F bomb from the commentator?
Didn't see the launch itself but I heard that and thought "must've been a good one!".

No I heard a loud Fffff yeah! Then dogs barking. The sound was ok, but the video needed work 😆

a reply to: Bigburgh

Certainly don't get that with NASA!

Or passing snowmobiles.

originally posted by: Tulpa
a reply to: Bigburgh

Certainly don't get that with NASA!

Or passing snowmobiles.

NASA doesn't launch up in the county.

For reference Maine is a pretty big place. That far north, we just call it the county.

originally posted by: gortex
Launch is scheduled for about an hours time from the start of this thread , approximately 2.30-300 EST (7.30-8.00 GMT).

The launch was originally set for earlier today but for reasons has been put back.

Powered by a non-toxic, carbon-neutral, bio-derived fuel made entirely from materials that can be sourced from farms across America. Stardust 1.0 will demonstrate a low-cost and reliable alternative to traditional fuel without sacrificing efficiency. The Modular Adaptable Rocket Engine for Vehicle Launch, or MAREVL™, can rapidly be grouped in clusters and stages with other MAREVLs. This design architecture allows for the rapid assembly of custom rockets for suborbital and orbital missions.
www.space.com...

Good luck bluShift Aerospace , a nonpolluting launch platform has to be a step forward and thing to be celebrated.

Biofuel is non-polluting? Please explain. It has to be processed, where does the energy come from to process this magic non-polluting biofuel? Zero emissions too? Wow, that must be some real special magic fuel.

Solid bio fuel? Carbonaceous solids and an oxidizer like Ammonium Perchlorate (NH4ClO4) would work but I can't easily find their technology. The amount they are combusting into evil CO2 is inconsequential.

a reply to: panoz77

It’s like electric cars being emissions free.
Biofuel is probably green speak for biodiesel or similar.

Most rockets use liquid oxygen and kerosene as fuel.. solid rockets are a different monster.
This rocket likely replaces the kerosene with biodiesel.
Not to sure it has enough pop to replace kerosene in larger rockets.

Biofuels are normally made from grain that is cultivated, planted and harvested with diesel fueled equipment.
It’s also sprayed with petroleum based fertilizer and herbicide.

a reply to: pteridine

Is it solid fuel?
I didn’t see where it said either way.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
a reply to: pteridine

Is it solid fuel?
I didn’t see where it said either way.

I looked again and found their website www.blushiftaerospace.com...

"Rocket Engine Type: Hybrid

Fuel: Proprietary, non-toxic, bio-derived solid fuel

TNT Rating of Fuel: 0

Oxidizer: Non-toxic, non-cryogenic pressurized liquid"

I think that they are being coy with their oxidizer description. If it oxidizes biomass it will probably oxidize people.
Thinking about liquid oxidizers that would not produce toxic gases, 70+% H2O2 comes to mind, although partial combustion would generate some aldehydes, ketones, and carboxylic acids. H2O2 is nasty stuff in such high concentrations and getting any on anything carbonaceous, including human flesh, is a bad idea. The configuration of the fuel charge would be important so as to have a good burn. This likely isn't a pile of sawdust; maybe a bio-derived polymer/starch cast in a cruciform cross section or somehow mixed in a combustion chamber.