LIMESTONE, Maine – The tiny crew of about 10 from bluShift Aerospace made history on Sunday when they launched the Stardust 1.0 rocket, marking the world’s first commercial launch of a rocket powered by a bio-derived fuel and the first commercial missile launch in Maine.
BluShift Aerospace’s plans to make history with the launch of the Stardust 1.0 were delayed for a second time this month due to cloudy skies. When the rocket finally takes off, it will mark the world’s first commercial launch of a rocket powered by a bio-derived fuel and the first commercial rocket launch in Maine.
The first launch attempt Sunday morning had to be delayed because it was too cold for the electronics in the rocket to function properly and they needed to warm up, said bluShift CEO Sascha Deri.
The temperature was 14 degrees below zero around 6 a.m., he said.
“We know our battery packs are useless below minus 10,” he said. “I didn’t even think this was going to be a problem, but I don’t think I knew Aroostook County well enough.”
After this, the sky briefly became cloudy, but then cleared for a launch at about 10:30 AM. Unfortunately, the missile did not leave the turret during this attempt, which Deri attributes to the fact that the main valve was depressurized and unable to open.
‘It was an educational lesson. We wanted to prevent gas from being lost, but we shouldn’t have, ”he said.
Another launch attempt, about an hour later, also resulted in the missile not clearing the turret – caused by the escape of ignition fluid. Deri clarified that the ignition fluid is separate from the company’s own bio-derived fuel.
The ignition fluid was replenished at 1:56 PM and the crew immediately switched to pressurizing and heating the system before launch. At the time, Deri said, ‘It looks very good, and I think we have a good chance. I hope we can say the third time is the charm. “
At 3 p.m., the missile was able to launch without any major problems, deploying the payload parachute in time for the materials to appear safely to the ground.
“The good news is that we have had a successful launch. The incredible news is that it has landed in such an easily accessible place, ”said Deri. He also thanked the Bouchard family for locating the rocket on snowmobiles in such a short time.
“I feel incredibly happy,” he said.
The launch was originally scheduled for October 28, 2020, but was moved to November so that the team could conduct additional tests that they believed were critical to the missile’s performance. During this time, engineers found that the rocket’s design could be improved, and the launch was delayed a second time.
Improvements included improvements to O-rings, additional heat shield added to key areas in the missile – specifically around the combustion chamber and within the telemetry area – telemetry improvements to data link reliability, and improvements to the launch trailer’s heat shield to allow it to re can be used.
On the next attempt, the crew were fully prepared to launch Stardust on the morning of January 15, but cloud cover prevented them from obtaining the required Federal Aviation Administration approval. Originally scheduled for 8am, the launch was later moved to 10am, and the time was shifted incrementally throughout the day until the team no longer had enough daylight for the launch.
The FAA requires notification one hour before launch, then 15 minutes before, and one more after launch is complete.
The team will need 48 hours with cloud cover less than 50 percent of the flight ceiling, or 5,200 feet above sea level, for the launch to take place. The wind must also be calm. And because the crew is based in Greater Brunswick, they need to determine the optimal weather window about three to four days in advance so they can drive to Limestone and prepare the missile.
The Stardust is 20 feet long, 14 inches in diameter, weighs about 650 pounds, and cost nearly $ 1 million to build.
In addition to making history, the team hopes this will open the doors to a relatively untapped market for academic and commercial payload launches.
Deri said on Jan. 15 that by attending numerous conferences and interviewing dozens of customers, the company learned that there are no small, specialty missile launches equipped to carry one to three payloads.
On January 31, the rocket was launched with three payloads on board – a scientific payload from Falmouth High School, aerospace materials from Kellogg Research Lab in New Hampshire, and a Rocket Rock Bumbler and Stroopwafel from Rocket Insights in Massachusetts.
(The rocket will be launched with three payloads on board – a scientific payload from Falmouth High School, aerospace materials from Kellogg Research Lab in New Hampshire, and a Rocket Rock Bumbler and Stroopwafel from Rocket Insights in Massachusetts.)
The CEO said at the initial launch that companies like SpaceX and United Launch Alliance can in a way be compared to freight trains and that a company like Rocket Lab is comparable to a bus line.
“And we’ll be the Uber of space,” Deri said.