bluShift Aerospace Receives Funds To Pursue Licensing from the FAA
The aerospace company has received a $150,000 grant from the Maine Technology Institute, which it will utilize to hire a high-level analyst and to secure licensing from the FAA
November 18, 2024 – BRUNSWICK, Maine – bluShift Aerospace announced today that it has received a $150,000 grant from the Maine Technology Institute (MTI). The grant is part of a $7M Maine Jobs & Recovery Plan program announced November 13, 2024, by Maine Governor Janet Mills and is designed to help Maine technology companies create jobs and strengthen Maine's innovation economy. The awards were administered by MTI, which has provided funding support for bluShift since it began operations at Brunswick Landing in 2014.
bluShift Aerospace is among 48 Maine companies selected for awards, which range from $20,000 to $250,000. bluShift CEO and founder Sascha Deri said the award will allow bluShift to hire a high-level flight analyst position and help to secure licensing from the Federal Aviation Administration, which is essential to the company’s growth strategy.
“The bluShift team is deeply honored to receive this award at such a transformative moment in our journey," said Deri. “As we prepare to launch our first commercial suborbital space services, we’re thrilled to offer researchers unparalleled time in microgravity—unlocking new possibilities for groundbreaking innovation both on Earth and beyond. This grant empowers us to advance toward securing our FAA commercial space launch license and meeting their high safety standards.”
FAA licensure is a necessary regulatory requirement to conduct commercial space activities. To obtain a license, an aerospace company must demonstrate that their spacecraft and launch operations comply with rigorous safety regulations set by the FAA. Companies must submit detailed applications outlining their launch plans, vehicle design, safety procedures, and other relevant information. An approved FAA license grants permission to operate and launch commercial spacecraft within the United States, signifying that their operations meet stringent safety standards set by the FAA to protect public safety and national security.
“MTI has been so proud to be a part of bluShift’s amazing journey here in Maine,” said Brian Whitney, President of the Maine Technology Institute. “bluShift’s proposal fared extremely well in our very competitive funding solicitation and we are thrilled they will be able to put the funds to good use.”
bluShift achieved a major milestone on October 24, 2024, when it conducted a flight-duration test of its full-scale Modular Adaptable Rocket Engine for Vehicle Launch (MAREVL™), a novel hybrid rocket engine that burns nontoxic, carbon-neutral, bio-derived solid fuel. More engine testing is expected in the coming months.