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Could ‘SpaceSAF’ Enable a Sustainable Future for Spaceflight?

New solution introduced by Salt Lake City-based CleanJoule promises to reduce spaceflight emissions while improving fuel energy density.

Tuesday, December 10, 2024 at 10:00 AM ET

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SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket runs on 27 Merlin engineers powered by RP-1, a common rocket propellant for which CleanJoule says it has developed a “drop-in” replacement. [Courtesy: SpaceX/Flickr]

Key Takeaways:

CleanJoule has introduced SpaceSAF, a "drop-in" 100 percent sustainable alternative to Rocket Propellant 1 (RP-1) used in many first-stage rockets.
SpaceSAF, derived from waste biomass, is designed to reduce spaceflight emissions and offers a 4 percent improvement in energy density compared to petroleum-derived fuels, allowing for extended missions or increased cargo.
The company also develops advanced sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) for commercial aviation, aiming for unblended 100% SAF with higher energy content than current options.
CleanJoule is conducting tests with partners, providing space launch companies like SpaceX and Rocket Lab with a path towards more sustainable and efficient operations.

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To reach net-zero emissions by 2050—a target widely held by members of an aviation industry that is responsible for about 2 percent of carbon dioxide emissions globally—researchers estimate that sustainable aviation fuels (SAF) will contribute to about 65 percent of that goal.

Efforts to promote the switch to SAF have largely focused on the commercial aviation sector. But one Utah-based firm is looking at a different kind of aviation: spaceflight.

Jack Daleo

Jack is a staff writer covering advanced air mobility, including everything from drones to unmanned aircraft systems to space travel—and a whole lot more. He spent close to two years reporting on drone delivery for FreightWaves, covering the biggest news and developments in the space and connecting with industry executives and experts. Jack is also a basketball aficionado, a frequent traveler and a lover of all things logistics.