Side Hustle

BUSTLING SPACE ECONOMY AND THE GOAL TO BUILD IT UP. “THERE ARE MORE THAN 85 AEROSPACE COMPANIES ALREADY OPERATING IN MAINE INCLUDING BLUSHIFT AEROSPACE HERE AT THE BRUNSWICK LANDING.” A COMPANY THAT HAS SUCCESSFULLY LAUNCHED A ROCKET AT THE FORMER LORING AIR FORCE BASE IN 2021. THEY’VE SET-UP SHOP IN THE FORMER BRUNSWICK NAVAL AIR STATION – TESTING ENGINES…AND PLANNING FOR A FUTURE THAT INVOLVES SATELLITES THAT CAN FIT IN THE PALM OF YOUR HAND – WITH CAMERAS – SENDING BACK INFORMATION THAT CAN HELP US BETTER UNDERSTAND THE ATMOSPHERE, THE ENVIRONMENT AND SO MUCH MORE. “OUR BIGGEST COMPETITORS IN THIS MARKET ARE BLUE ORIGIN AND VIRGIN GALACTIC WHO ARE TAKING PEOPLE AND TOURISTS UP TO SPACE AND AS A SIDE HUSTLE THEY HELP RESEARCHERS DO EXPERIMENTS. WHAT WE’RE GOING TO FOCUS JUST ON PROVIDING RESEARCHERS THE ABILITY TO DO MORE RESEARCH LONGER THAN THEY’VE EVER BEEN ABLE TO DO IN SPACE AND DO IT IN A MORE SUSTAINABLE WAY.” AT THE HOLIDAY INN BY THE BAY – THREE- HUNDRED PEOPLE GATHERING FOR THE SECOND ANNUAL MAINE SPACE CONFERENCE. IT’S MISSION? “SHARING INFORMATION, GENERATING NEW IDEAS, ESTABLISHING RELATIONSHIPS AND PARTNERSHIPS.” A MEETING OF THE MINDS – TO CREATE A MAINE SPACE COMPLEX – BRUNSWICK SCIENCE TEACHER KARIN PAQUIN SAYS HER STUDENTS ARE ALREADY LEARNING ABOUT SPACE AND THE JOBS THAT CAN BE WAITING FOR THEM RIGHT HERE IN MAINE. “WE NEED THESE SMALL COMPANIES, THESE START- UP COMPANIES TO MAKE MAINE A DRIVING FORCE IN SPACE ECONOMY.” “AS THE SPACE CONFERENCE CONTINUES FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS IN PORTLAND, TOMORROW AROUND 5 P.M., BLUSHIFT WILL CONDUCT ANOTHER EXCITING ENGINE TEST HER