(bluShift Aerospace/Yahoo! Finance) The aerospace startup will use the new investment funds to continue its rapid expansion into the orbital and small satellite services markets. -- bluShift Aerospace announced today that it has raised $1.3M in a seed round, led by Houston-based
rocket fuel
Back TO HOMEUK Space Agency Funding Boosts Plans for Launch from SaxaVord Spaceport and Sutherland Spaceport
(UK Space Agency) ... Orbex, an orbital launch services company based in Forres near Inverness, will receive over £3.3 million to undertake activities to ensure it is environmentally sustainable. This will include activities to install a green propellant plant to manufacture a
December 14, 2023 Read Full Article
Japanese Firm Aims to Create Biomethane-Based Rocket Fuel
(Bioenergy Insight) Japanese chemical manufacturing company Air Water has been working on creating liquid biomethane from cow waste to be used as rocket fuel, potentially providing a solution for dairy farmers grappling with disposal challenges. Air Water said it would begin conducting
October 26, 2023 Read Full Article
BIOTERRAN's Introduces Next-Generation Space Rocket Biofuel
(BIOTERRAN/EIN Presswire) Pioneering Renewable Energy for Space Exploration -- BIOTERRAN, a globally recognized pioneer in renewable technology, has introduced an innovative next-generation Space Rocket Biofuel poised to revolutionize the future of space exploration. This groundbreaking biofuel offers a cleaner and more efficient
October 23, 2023 Read Full Article
Is Hydrogen Really a Clean Enough Fuel to Tackle the Climate Crisis?
by Nina Lakhni (The Guardian) Backers say hydrogen projects should be first in line for almost $26bn in US taxpayer money – but should we believe the hype? ... It’s already used for rocket fuel, but it is now being pushed
March 08, 2023 Read Full Article
Sustainability in the Air Podcast
by Christy Sarkis (SimpliFlying) Gregory Constantine, Co-Founder and CEO of Air Company in Conversation with Shashank Nigam -- Welcome to Season 3 of Sustainability in the Air, the world’s first podcast dedicated to sustainable aviation. Through in-depth conversations with top aviation leaders,
March 06, 2023 Read Full Article
AIR COMPANY Awarded Additional NASA Funding to Continue Its Research & Development of Kerosene-Based Rocket Fuel
(AIR COMPANY/SpaceRef) AIR COMPANY, the world’s leading carbon technology and climate innovation company, has seen its collaboration with NASA further strengthened with direct funding through a NASA Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) award. With this funding, AIR COMPANY will make integral strides
January 18, 2023 Read Full Article
ICE and the Future: Low Carbon Renewable Fuels and… Hydrogen?
by Allen Schaeffer (Diesel Technology Forum) Internal combustion. This sophisticated process is the very foundation of mobility and the industrial age around the world. It is based on the simple concept of fire: chemical changes to release energy. Combust a fuel
November 29, 2022 Read Full Article
Orbex to Lead Construction and Operational Management of Sutherland Spaceport
(Orbex) A Scottish rocket manufacturer and orbital launch services provider is to build and operate the first vertical launch site for satellites on the UK mainland. Orbex, based in Forres, Moray, has signed a lease with development agency Highlands and Islands Enterprise
November 02, 2022 Read Full Article
Repsol and PLD Space Develop Renewable Fuels for Microlaunchers
(Repsol) - The alliance of these two Spanish companies, unprecedented in the space segment, combines technology and sustainability. -The main challenge of the agreement is to formulate new renewable rocket fuels and reduce the carbon footprint by 90% or even
October 24, 2022 Read Full Article
Orbex Secures £40.4 Million in Series C Funding
(Orbex) ... The innovative Prime rocket will be the first orbital rocket to be powered by a renewable bio-fuel, Calor’s Futuria Liquid Gas, a form of bio-propane which will play a part in reducing the carbon footprint of space launches by
October 19, 2022 Read Full Article
Badass POP Missile Fuel Arrives from Berkeley’s Labs: Will America Keep a Hold of Them?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Simulation data from Sandia suggests “that POP fuel candidates are safe and stable at room temperature and will have energy density values of more than 50 megajoules per liter after chemical processing. That’s 56 percent more
July 12, 2022 Read Full Article
Bacteria for Blastoff: Using Microbes to Make Supercharged New Rocket Fuel
by Aliyah Kovner (Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory) ... Well aware of the advantages biology has to offer, a group of biofuel experts led by Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) took inspiration from an extraordinary antifungal molecule made by Streptomyces bacteria to
July 04, 2022 Read Full Article
Biofuel Revolution: Could Common Bacteria Found in Soil Fuel Jet Planes
by Trenton Doyle (NZ Herald) New research has found a way to make explosive compounds using bacteria commonly found soil - which could pave the way for cleaner alternatives to jet fuel. And with fuel prices at record highs, some scientists
July 01, 2022 Read Full Article
Orbex Reveals First Full-scale Microlauncher Rocket Developed in Europe
(Orbex) World’s most environmentally friendly rocket seen in its complete form for first time; UK is the first European nation to unveil an innovative, lightweight re-usable launcher -- Uniquely, Orbex Prime is powered by a renewable bio-fuel, bio-propane, supplied by
May 12, 2022 Read Full Article
bluShift Conducts First Biofuel Rocket Engine Test
(Aerospace Testing International) aine, USA-based rocket developer bluShift has performed the first full-scale test of its hybrid, biofuel rocket engine. As shown in the video ..., the test of the Modular Adaptable Rocket Engine for Vehicle Launch (MAREVL 2.0) fired the
March 08, 2022 Read Full Article
World’s Largest Green Hydrogen Project Unveiled in Texas, with Plan to Produce Clean Rocket Fuel for Elon Musk
by Leigh Collins (ReCharge) The 60GW Hydrogen City project, announced by local start-up Green Hydrogen International, will be powered by wind and solar, with an on-site salt cavern for H2 storage -- US start-up Green Hydrogen International (GHI) has announced a 60GW
March 04, 2022 Read Full Article
Why Terpenes in Jet Fuels?: The Digest’s 2022 Multi-Slide Guide to SAF from Biobased Terpenes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Did you know the Naval Air Systems Command is working on high-performance sustainable aviation fuels from biobased terpenes? Check out this illuminating slide guide from Dr. Benjamin G. Harvey at the Naval Air Warfare Center
January 18, 2022 Read Full Article
Biofuels Can Make Orbital Launches Greener
by Evan Harp (ETF Trends) Even though space flight involves leaving the Earth, like every other sector, it is contending with its environmental impact. Two British rocket startups are claiming that their technology can reduce spaceflight’s carbon footprint through renewable fuel. Both Skyrora and Orbex have unique solutions
November 11, 2021 Read Full Article
Renewable Diesel Byproduct to Fuel Low-Carbon Rocket Launch
by Ron Kotrba (Biobased Diesel Daily) The carbon footprint of launching the new Orbex Prime space rocket will be up to 96 percent lower than comparable space launch programs, according to Orbex’s citation of a recent assessment by Xiaoyu Yan from
November 02, 2021 Read Full Article
Making Martian Rocket Biofuel on Mars
(Georgia Institute of Technology/Phys.Org) Researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology have developed a concept that would make Martian rocket fuel, on Mars, that could be used to launch future astronauts back to Earth. The bioproduction process would use three resources native
October 27, 2021 Read Full Article
Orbex Set to Launch World’s Most Environmentally Friendly Space Rocket
(Orbex/SpaceRef) The carbon footprint of launching the new Orbex Prime space rocket will be up to 96 per cent lower than comparable space launch programmes, a new scientific study has revealed. Prime is poised to become one of the most environmentally friendly
October 22, 2021 Read Full Article
This Vodka Helps Fight Climate Change
(CNN) Vodka is usually made from fermented grains, like rye. But Air Company's spirit is made out of captured carbon dioxide emissions. READ MORE/WATCH VIDEO From CO2 To Vodka: Air Company Launches World’s First Carbon-Negative Spirit (Forbes) This carbon-negative vodka comes from
July 23, 2021 Read Full Article
Burgeoning Space Tourism Industry Could Become Big Emitter
by Natasha Lasky (Our Daily Planet) ... While space-bound rockets emit less than the aircraft industry, their emissions have been increasing at nearly 5.6% a year. Why This Matters: When rockets launch into space, they require a vast amount of propellants to make it
July 20, 2021 Read Full Article
Press Release: Advanced Biofuels USA Files Comments on Transportation and Climate Initiative: Calls for Extension of Program to Aviation, Trains, Marine/Maritime, Agriculture, Rocket Launches and Natural Gas
(Advanced Biofuels USA) Advanced Biofuels USA suggests an expansion of transportation emissions reduction in the Transportation and Climate Initiative (TCI) proposed Draft Model Rule (TCI-P) in public comments filed today. Currently, the proposed emission reduction program is limited to on-road
May 07, 2021 Read Full Article
Earth Day 2021 Series Day 3: Renewable Liquid Fuels: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
by Hannah DelSordo* (Advanced Biofuels USA) Take yourself back to an earlier time, when we relied on horses, oxen and other renewably fueled animals for mobility and work. (They ate corn, wheat, oats and other bio-plants, didn't they?) Now move ahead a
April 03, 2021 Read Full Article
Groundbreaking Biofuel Rocket Could Be 'Uber for Space'
by Jane O'Brien (BBC News) Snow swirled and a biting wind sent temperatures plummeting to several degrees below zero as the Stardust 1.0 made its debut at a former military base in Maine. ... But after several delays and as the
February 02, 2021 Read Full Article
bluShift Aerospace Makes History with Biofuel-Powered Rocket Launch
by C. Thatcher Carter (Times Record/Press Herald) Despite technical setbacks early on, the Brunswick-based company successfully launched its first rocket around Sunday afternoon. -- Despite frigid weather and early technical difficulties, Brunswick’s bluShift Aerospace Inc., made history Sunday afternoon when it
February 01, 2021 Read Full Article
Elon Musk to Offer $100 Million Prize for 'Best' Carbon Capture Tech
(Reuters) ... “Am donating $100M towards a prize for best carbon capture technology,” Musk wrote in a tweet, followed by a second tweet that promised “Details next week.” Tesla officials did not immediately respond to a request for additional information. READ MORE There’s
January 22, 2021 Read Full Article
Weather Delays Launch of Biofuel Rocket Made by Maine Company
by Alice Keefe (WMTW) ... BluShift had planned to launch the rocket from the former Loring Air Force Base in Limestone, but the launch was scrubbed Friday afternoon. The rocket launch will likely be rescheduled to Tuesday or Wednesday. WMTW spoke with
January 15, 2021 Read Full Article
ISRO Working on Green Fuels Like Hydrogen Peroxide for Rockets
(India Times Energy World) ISRO Chairman said that the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) is looking at green propulsion through hydrogen peroxide in its rocket that would take Indians into the space under its 'Gaganyaan' mission. The Indian space rockets are
January 01, 2021 Read Full Article
NAWCWD, Amyris Collaborate to Develop, Test High-Energy Biosynthetic Fuel
(Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division/NAVAIR News) What do bread and liquid jet fuel have in common? Yeast. At least they can, if you’re talking about the biosynthetic research being done in China Lake, California, by Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division and
October 07, 2020 Read Full Article
Can We Get to Space without Damaging the Earth through Huge Carbon Emissions?
by David Verbeek and Helene Fouquet (Bloomberg/Los Angeles Times) When a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket blasts off on a plume of white smoke, hot gases shoot out of its 27 engines, creating a thrust equal to 18 Boeing 747 aircraft. Upon reaching
August 13, 2020 Read Full Article
Corn-Powered Tomahawk Missiles Are Coming
by Kelsey D. Atherton (Forbes) ... The process patented by Los Alamos uses a byproduct of ethanol production, letting America's love of fueling vehicles with corn fuel even more dangerous vehicles. ... The U.S. Navy pursued a cheaper, biofuel alternative for JP-10 for
June 03, 2020 Read Full Article
The New and Improved Tomahawk Missile Now Runs on Corn
by Kyle Mizokami (Popular Mechanics) The new fuel blend uses feedstocks instead of petroleum in an effort to limit the military's dependence on fossil fuels. -- Modern cruise missiles are powered by turbine engines running off JP-10. -Scientists at Los
May 30, 2020 Read Full Article
Gene Edited Algae and Microbes to Make Fuel on Mars
by Brian Wang (Next BIG Future) NASA NIAC fund work to use bioorganisms to perform atmospheric in-situ resource utilization (ISRU). Utilizing 100% ISRU for propellant production, they aim to reduce the Entry Descent Landing (EDL) mass of a crewed mission to Mars
May 04, 2020 Read Full Article
Heard on the Floor at the Algae Biomass Summit
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ...Couple of good trends to point to: 1. Lot more emphasis on farms and farming these days. It’s still an industry dominated by people in white coats, but there are some more overalls around the ABS
September 19, 2019 Read Full Article
Converting Algae into Rocket Biofuel
(ABS-CBN News) A group of Filipino scientists say they found a way to convert algae into biofuel for rockets. In an interview with ANC's Early Edition, Orbital Exploration Technologies founder Dexter Baño also weighs in on the benefits of creating
August 29, 2019 Read Full Article
Scientists Develop Cheaper, Greener Plant-Based Jet Fuel
by Julie St. Louis (Courthouse News) Chinese scientists have developed a new plant-based biofuel that could help the aviation industry “go green,” according to research published in the journal Joule Thursday. Researchers say the magic of this biofuel, derived from cellulose, is its high-density state
March 22, 2019 Read Full Article
Russian Rocket for Suborbital Space Tourism to Use Ethanol as Fuel — Designer
(Tass) CosmoCourse plans to engage in space tourism starting from 2025 -- A projected rocket for commercial suborbital spaceflights, to be launched from a private space center to be built in Central Russia, will use ethyl alcohol as a fuel, the project’s
March 08, 2019 Read Full Article
Renmatix, Gevo Ink Deal to Develop Cellulosic Hydrocarbons for Jet Fuel, Gasoline Markets
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) We have word bubbling up simultaneously from Pennsylvania and Colorado that Gevo and Renmatix inked a joint development agreement to evaluate the commercial feasibility of creating renewable jet fuel by integrating Renmatix’s Plantrose Process with Gevo’s
December 07, 2018 Read Full Article
Maine Firm Tests Biofuel-Fed Rocket Engines at a Former Navy Base
by Beth Brogan (Bangor Daily News) ... Eventually, that rocket, powered by a proprietary bio-derived, carbon neutral rocket fuel formulation, will leave Earth, carrying small satellites — “cube sats” — into space. Eventually, the rocket would be able to carry 50
November 07, 2018 Read Full Article
The Top 10 Advances in Renewable Butanol: What’s Speeding up, Where Are the Slow-Downs?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) From Portugal comes the news that SilicoLife was awarded with a SME instrument phase 1 grant for the commercial evaluation of its BUTANOVA technology, a new biological process to produce n-butanol. BUTANOVA technology consists on a novel
August 03, 2018 Read Full Article
Sierra Hotel: Los Alamos, Gevo to Develop Ultra Long-Range Missile, Aviation Fuels
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Imagine, for example, a Boeing 777 flying non-stop between any two cities in the world. Or F-18A/F Superhornets adding significant weapon loads, or up to 30% to flight range. It’s like getting a new generation of
October 12, 2017 Read Full Article
Tasty Energy Treats You Can Make From Brownies
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Terpenes may be the most unloved class of energy molecule of all time, if you compare R&D spending to potential. Even ARPA-E, the home of high-risk, high-reward government research into energy, hasn’t delved into terpenes since
June 28, 2017 Read Full Article
Japan's First Private Rocket Nears the Launch Pad
(Nikkei Asian Review) A startup founded by maverick Japanese entrepreneur Takafumi Horie is poised to launch a test rocket as early as January. If successful, it will be Japan's first private rocket to reach an altitude of 100km. Interstellar Technologies, based
December 02, 2016 Read Full Article
The Terpene Fuel Machine: The Digest’s 2016 Multi-Slide Guide to Terpenes
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) Much has been written about terpenes in the area of flavors and fragrances. But they have astonishing properties for super high-density jet fuels in the 130,000-140,000 BTU range. Think valencene, premnaspirodiene, and b-caryophyllene. Now, we
June 23, 2016 Read Full Article
NASA Should Be the Key to the Crucial Development of Large Scale Bio-Jetfuel and Rocket Fuel End-to-End Production
by Robert E. Kozak* (Advanced Biofuels USA) In looking at a way to jump-start this country’s bogged down production of biomass-based jetfuel (Jet-A, JP-5, JP-8) and rocket fuel (RP-1/2), the early history of the US space program should serve as
February 08, 2016 Read Full Article
NASA Should be the Key to the Crucial Development of Large Scale Bio-Jetfuel and Rocket Fuel End-to-End Production
by Robert E. Kozak* (Advanced Biofuels USA) In looking at ways to jump-start this country’s bogged down production of biomass based jetfuel (Jet-A, JP-5, JP-8) and rocket fuel (RP-1/2), the early history of the US space program should serve as a
January 02, 2015 Read Full Article
4 Minutes with… Dr. Indresh Mathur, Director, Research and Development, Haltermann Solutions
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... Develop high energy rocket propellants for the private companies under NASA contracts to fly missions to the space station. Develop endothermic fuels for hypersonic vehicles for the military. READ MORE
December 19, 2014 Read Full Article
Process Converts Human Waste into Rocket Fuel
Brad Buck (University of Florida) Buck Rogers surely couldn’t have seen this one coming, but at NASA’s request, University of Florida researchers have figured out how to turn human waste -- yes, that kind -- into rocket fuel. Adolescent jokes aside, the
December 11, 2014 Read Full Article
Evolva Acquires Allylix in $59M All-Share Transaction: What’s the Impact for Industrial Biotech?
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... But in the meantime, it appears to be an open-and-shut case that “new sugars” are the new sugar — and specifically that stevia might be the new sugar. Supporters of the idea that
November 25, 2014 Read Full Article
8 Trends Driving Aviation Biofuels Today
by Jim Lane (Biofuels Digest) ... SkyNRG is undertaking its first major feedstock project in South Africa, featuring a nicotine-free energy tobacco crop that’s developed by Sunchem under the name of Solaris. Which is an excellent reminder of how much activity
August 07, 2014 Read Full Article
Advanced Drop-In Biofuels for Commercial Aviation, Marine Shipping, and Military Applications: Global Market Analysis and Forecasts
(Navigant Research) Viewed as a game changer in the race to commercialize advanced biofuels, aviation and marine biofuels represent a very significant opportunity for emerging producers in the advanced biofuels industry. Demand for advanced biofuels produced from sustainable, non-food feedstocks
July 18, 2014 Read Full Article
Highly Powerful New Biofuel Could Change Rocket Engines Forever
(RT.com) Scientists have scored a breakthrough in high-energy biofuels by producing a bacterium that synthesizes highly-efficient pinene, a hydrocarbon made by trees. It could soon replace existing alternatives and usher in a new era of rocket engines. Researchers have struggled for
April 02, 2014 Read Full Article
Microbial Synthesis of Pinene
Stephen Sarria , Betty Wong , Hector García Martín , Jay D. Keasling, and Pamela Peralta-Yahya (ACS Synthetic Biology) The volumetric heating values of today’s biofuels are too low to power energy-intensive aircraft, rockets, and missiles. Recently, pinene dimers were