SBIR/STTR Research Award

Responsive and Tactical Space Launch System (RTSLS)

Award identifier 79ef55dd48265bb5dfabd2dc796ce72b88ac78ed3eb50cfa9570421ebb669ba7Awarding agency Department of Defense · Air Force

Award amount

$1,241,509

Program and phase

SBIR · Phase II – Direct to Phase II

Award year

2023

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Award details

Awarding agency
Department of Defense
Branch
Air Force
Recipient company
BLUSHIFT AEROSPACE INC
Proposal award date
2022-12-06
Contract end date
2024-08-07
UEI
KMH8W6638D73
Solicitation number
X22.4
Topic code
X224-ODCSO2

Research abstract

bluShift wants to use our core technologies to develop a launch vehicle system that can be used as a responsive method of quickly launching, assisting, or re-deploying small satellites that are critical for national security or other basic functions that keep America running safely and securely. These small, robust, storable, and nimble launch vehicles will form the bluShift RTSLS fleet (Responsive and Tactical Space Launch System). bluShift has been developing a simple hybrid (solid fuel, liquid oxidizer) propulsion system, that has simplicity and robustness benefits over full liquid propulsion systems, and safety benefits over solid propulsion systems, while retaining some of the benefits of solids (storability) and of liquids (control and start/re-start capability). This unique propulsion system is referred to as MAREVL (Modular Adaptable Rocket Engine for Vehicle Launch), and bluShift envisions many exciting applications for the technology. Part of the MAREVL development roadmap included a successful NASA phase I SBIR. One key benefit is the bio-derived fuel that is completely non-toxic and storable, eliminating many of the traditional environmental concerns with launch vehicle mishaps. The oxidizer is also non-toxic and storable. bluShift will be using the MAREVL propulsion system in commercial launch vehicles tailored for the launch of small satellites (

Technology keywords

Not reported

Other awards by this recipient

Verified by the same UEI. These are other public SBIR/STTR award pages, not a merged company record.

Awards with the same topic code

Verified by an exact topic code match. This is not a text-similarity match.

Research funding history

3 SBIR/STTR records share this UEI (2019–2024). Reported award amounts total $2,389,008. Reported amounts are not federal obligations.

Phases: Phase II, Phase I, Phase II – Direct to Phase II

Agencies: Department of Defense, National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Agency intelligence

Department of Defense

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