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Maine company plans to launch small satellites starting in 2025

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Maine company plans to launch small satellites starting in 2025


PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Representatives for a Maine company that plans to send small satellites into space from the Northeast’s most rural state said they will start launches next year.

Brunswick-based bluShift Aerospace hopes to turn Maine into a hub for the launching of commercial nanosatellites and has been making progress toward that goal for more than three years. A successful recent round of fundraising means a commercial suborbital launch is on track to start in 2025, company officials said Tuesday.

The small satellite market currently relies on large companies, such as Elon Musk’s SpaceX, for deployment of satellites, and that leads to long wait times, said bluShift CEO and founder Sascha Deri. Launching small satellites from Maine can change that, Deri said.

“We see an enormous need for dedicated, small-lift satellite deliveries to space,” Deri said, adding that customers are “seeking rapid, affordable access to space and direct delivery to their desired orbit.”

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The company’s progress on launching small satellites is happening during a time of tremendous growth in the industry, company representatives said.

The concept of small satellites was essentially an academic exercise two decades ago and the technology has since become one of the fastest growing in the satellite industry, bluShift representatives said. The worldwide market for a class of small satellites called CubeSats was valued at $210 million in 2021 and is expected to be worth more than four times that by 2030, the company said.

bluShift plans to use a pre-existing spaceport for initial launches and begin using Maine’s rural, remote Downeast coastline as a headquarters for launches as soon as 2026, company officials said. The company said it thinks the rural coast is a good location because it provides launch opportunities over the Atlantic Ocean directly into polar orbit with little interference.

The company launched a 20-foot prototype rocket to an altitude of more than 4,000 feet in its first test run in 2021. The rocket simulated a small payload by carrying stroopwafels, Dutch cookies.

bluShift also said Tuesday that Brady Brim-DeForest, managing partner at Late Stage Capital of Houston, will become chairman of the board of directors. Brim-DeForest said the company’s use of non-toxic biofuel and reusable rockets will help with its mission of “democratizing access to orbit.”

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Maine

Man Faces 10 Years for Possession and Drug Trafficking in Maine

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Man Faces 10 Years for Possession and Drug Trafficking in Maine


A 42-year-old man faces over 10 years in prison for possession and drug trafficking after police seized a large amount of drugs in Millinocket. He pleaded guilty to the charges Monday.

Man was Passenger in Vehicle

Lenin Nova-Nova from the Dominican Republic was a passenger in a vehicle pulled over for a headlight violation in November 2023. 

Suspect gave Police False Name

Court records said the East Millinocket Police Department “observed an unnatural bulge under Nova-Nova’s clothing. Nova-Nova identified himself using a false name, and a warrant check of that alias revealed an outstanding warrant for arrest.”

Officers found Substances Wrapped in Cellophane

Officers searched Nova-Nova and found $1,305 in cash, four cell phones, and suspected controlled substances wrapped in cellophane.

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Drugs Seized

Police seized 113 grams of 100% pure methamphetamine, approximately 19 grams of a substance containing fentanyl, and 57.8 grams of a substance containing cocaine base.

Identity Confirmed

Nova-Nova’s identity was confirmed by Homeland Security.

Facing $10 Million Fine

In addition to prison, Nova-Nova also faces a fine up to $10 Million and a lifetime of supervised release.

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

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Gallery Credit: Elena Kadvany

WOOF: These are the most popular dog breeds in America

Gallery Credit: Sabienna Bowman





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Maine Whoopie Pie Festival returns for 15th year

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Maine Whoopie Pie Festival returns for 15th year


DOVER-FOXCROFT, Maine (WABI) – Thousands made their way to Dover-Foxcroft on Saturday for the 15th Annual Maine Whoopie Pie Festival.

This year’s festival saw a record number of bakers from all over New England and featured over 100 vendors.

Whether it was chainsaw demonstrations, live music or even wrestling, the day was full of fun things to do and most importantly eat.

The festival even saw TV-5′s own Joy Hollowell who worked as a judge for the Whoopie Pie contest.

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Rare severe thunderstorm threat issued for parts of Maine, New Hampshire

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Rare severe thunderstorm threat issued for parts of Maine, New Hampshire


It has been 3 years since the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center alerted us to a level 3 out of 5 severe weather risk this far in advance. This is also the first time we are seeing a 10% risk for tornadoes since the beginning of the Storm Prediction Center outlooks in 2020.

Damaging wind gusts and even tornadoes are possible from noon Sunday into the early evening as a storm approaches from the west.

The threat starts at a level 1 (lowest out of 5) from Greenville, Bangor and Bar Harbor southwest to outside Augusta, as the storms will lose momentum by the time they reach Down East and northern Maine.

We get up to a level 2 out of 5 from Rangeley, Augusta and down to the Rockland area pushing southwest to Oxford and York counties. This is where the severe thunderstorm threat covers the most areas, with favorable conditions expected thanks to sunshine at midday.

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The severe threat is highest over southwestern Oxford County into Carroll and Coos counties in New Hampshire. In central New Hampshire, conditions are most favorable for tornadoes and damaging wind gusts during the midday hours.

Here’s a timeline of the threats and when you can expect them. This mostly applies to the yellow and orange shaded areas. The thunderstorms will slide east later Sunday afternoon and evening.

Flooding on a localized scale could become an issue as the storms turn into broken segments and go over the same towns in the evening. Watch for standing water, and be aware of down lines and branches.

This is an idea of what the radar will look like Sunday afternoon. The clusters of thunderstorms and broken line segments will be moving east.

If a tornado or severe thunderstorm watch is issued, here’s what you need to know.

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