The first ever commercial launch of a biofuel-powered rocket has taken place in the US.

At a size of 20ft (6m) long with a weight of 550lbs (250kg), the rocket known as Stardust 1.0 made its launch in sub-zero temperatures at a former military base in Maine according to an article on BBC News.

This launch was the first of its kind, with both the bio-derived fuel and the engine for the rocket taking more than six years to refine.   

“It (the biofuel) actually costs less per kilogram than traditional rocket fuel and it’s completely non-toxic. And it’s a carbon-neutral fuel which is inherently better for our planet and more responsible,” said Sascha Deri, who is the CEO of bluShift Aerospace and a creator of the rocket’s biofuel.

“We want to prove that a bio-derived fuel can serve just as well, if not better in some cases, than traditional fuels to power rockets and payloads to space.”

Its maiden launch saw Stardust 1.0 parachute back down to the Earth’s surface after reaching heights of one mile. However, the next mission for bluShift is looking to focus on reaching suborbital heights with its second planned rocket – Red Dwarf.

“Right now there are freight trains to space like SpaceX and ULA – and there are buses to space, like medium size rockets,” said Deri. “They’re taking thousands of kilograms to space. But there’s no space launch service allowing one or two payloads to go to space. There’s no Uber to space. We want to be the Uber service to space.”