FluxWorks, a Conroe-based company developing next-generation magnetic gear systems, has been awarded a $347,196 grant from the Texas Space Commission. The funding will help bring their revolutionary technology into orbit for testing aboard the International Space Station.
FluxWorks, an innovative company based in Conroe, Texas, has been awarded a grant of up to $347,196 from the Texas Space Commission to advance the flight testing of its magnetic gear technology in space. The company has been chosen as one of just five recipients to receive a portion of $20.7 million in state funding aimed at enhancing Texas’s expanding aerospace sector.
Established by Bryton Praslicka, Ph.D., FluxWorks is grounded in over ten years of research, a significant portion of which was carried out during a NASA-supported initiative at Texas A&M University. The company’s innovative magnetic gear systems provide a safer and more reliable alternative to conventional mechanical gears, making them particularly well-suited for use in extreme environments, such as space.
“This is the moment that validates all the effort put in,” Praslicka stated. “The grant not only supports our initiatives — it also links us with influential figures in the space sector.” The Texas Space Commission referred a recent addition to our team.
The funding will enable FluxWorks to validate its technology through testing on the International Space Station — an essential milestone for involvement in upcoming space missions. Up to this point, the technology had only been validated through laboratory simulations.
“Our simulations indicate significant potential,” Praslicka explained. “To establish ourselves as a significant contender in aerospace, it is essential to prove that our gear technology functions effectively in orbit.” This funding allows us to pursue that goal.”
FluxWorks is based at its headquarters in WorkHub along I-45 in Conroe, with a team of eight full-time employees and four contractors on board. The company operates across various sectors, including energy, manufacturing, and defense, yet its aspirations in the space sector are currently in the spotlight.
Praslicka highlighted that Conroe was selected intentionally for its combination of industrial expertise and geographic accessibility. “The aerospace sector is not overcrowded, and a significant number of our team members have backgrounds in oil, gas, and manufacturing,” he stated.
Being recognized alongside prominent players in the space sector, such as Blue Origin and Axiom Space, who are also recipients, represents a noteworthy achievement for FluxWorks and highlights Conroe’s rise as a formidable participant in the space economy.
