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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 100% sustainable, drop-in replacement for traditional rocket propellant (RP-1), aiming to decarbonize spaceflight by using waste biomass as feedstock.
SpaceSAF offers a 4% improvement in energy density over petroleum-derived RP-1, potentially allowing for extended space missions or increased cargo capacity, and has shown an 86% reduction in particulate matter in reduced-scale testing.
Beyond space, CleanJoule is developing CycloSAF for commercial aviation, a 100% sustainable aviation fuel designed to overcome current blending limits and provide 10% higher energy content than other SAFs or Jet A.
The company is conducting tests for SpaceSAF, with full-scale engine testing planned for 2025, anticipating its adoption by major space launch providers to make space exploration more sustainable.

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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.