On January 31,2021 United States (US) based Startup bluShift Aerospace launched ‘Stardust 1.0’ from Loring Commerce Centre in Maine, US. It is the World’s 1st Commercial Rocket launch powered by Biofuel.
- The solid biofuels used in the launch is non-toxic, Carbon Neutral & can be sourced from America
- It uses Nitrous Oxide bubbled with Oxygen as an oxidizer.
About Stardust 1.0:
i.Stardust 1.0 is a launch vehicle which is capable of launching tiny nanosatellites.
- It is 20 Feet Tall & weighs around 250 kg
- It can carry a maximum payload mass of 8 kg
ii.During the launch, the rocket carried 3 payloads. They are
- A Cubesat prototype developed by highschool students
- A metal alloy developed by Kellogg’s Research Labs for reducing vibrations
- A Cubesat from Software Company Rocket Insights.
Key Points about blushift Aerospace:
iii.bluShift Aerospace’s Rocket Engine is a hybrid of solid and liquid propellant called ‘Modular Adaptable Rocket Engine for Vehicle Launch (MAREVL)’.
iv.Other rockets being developed by the company include Stardust Gen. 2, Starless Rouge and Red Dwarf, which is a low-Earth orbit (LEO) vehicle and is designed to fly a maximum payload of 30 kg.
What are Biofuels?
Biofuels are obtained from Biomass which can be converted into Liquid Fuels and used as transportation fuels.
- The most common kinds of Biofuels which are being used are ethanol & Biodiesel which are the 1st generation of biofuels technology.
- Ethanol is made from plant materials whereas Biodiesel is produced by combining Alcohol with new & used vegetable oils, animal fats or recycled cooking grease.
Recent Related News:
i.August 12, 2020, Skyroot Aerospace, Indian aerospace startup successfully test fired an upper stage rocket engine “Raman”, India’s first 100% 3D printed bi-propellant liquid rocket engine injector named after the nobel laureate Sir CV Raman and became the first private aerospace company in India to test a rocket engine developed in India.
About bluShift Aerospace:
Chief Executive Officer (CEO) – Sascha Deri
Headquarters – Brunswick, Maine, USA
