BluShift Aerospace, a Maine-based company, is gearing up to revolutionize the satellite industry by launching small satellites into space from the Northeast’s most rural state. With plans to start launches next year, the company aims to establish Maine as a hub for commercial nanosatellites.
CEO and founder Sascha Deri highlighted the need for dedicated, small-lift satellite deliveries to space, emphasizing the demand for rapid and affordable access to orbit. Currently, the small satellite market relies on large companies like SpaceX, leading to long wait times. By launching from Maine, bluShift hopes to provide a solution to this issue.
The company’s recent successful round of fundraising has paved the way for commercial suborbital launches to begin in 2025. This progress comes at a time of significant growth in the satellite industry, with small satellites becoming one of the fastest-growing sectors.
BluShift plans to utilize an existing spaceport for initial launches and eventually establish a headquarters on Maine’s remote Downeast coastline. This location offers direct access to polar orbit over the Atlantic Ocean with minimal interference, making it an ideal spot for satellite launches.
In a nod to their commitment to sustainability, bluShift uses nontoxic biofuel and reusable rockets. Brady Brim-DeForest, managing partner at Late Stage Capital of Houston, will be joining the company as chairman of the board of directors, further solidifying bluShift’s mission of democratizing access to orbit.
With the small satellite market projected to grow exponentially in the coming years, bluShift’s innovative approach to satellite launches could mark a significant shift in the industry.
