Photo Credit: Conroe/Lake Conroe Chamber of CommerceNews
Conroe-based FluxWorks awarded six-figure grant from Texas Space Commission
FluxWorks, a revolutionary company leading the way in development of magnetic gear technology, received a grant of up to $347,196 from the Texas Space Commission. The Conroe-based enterprise built on more than a decade of Ph.D. research and experience was one of five proposed projects to receive a total of $20.7 million from the Texas Space Commission.
“It feels like the hard work paid off for the whole team,” FluxWorks Founder and Chief Executive Officer Bryton Praslicka, Ph.D. said of the award. “The Texas Space Commission has done more than just award us the money, though. Between last October and now, I’ve met with them frequently and each time we visit, they make introductions. In fact, one of our newest employees was a referral from the Texas Space Commission.”
The Texas Space Commission was established in 2023 by the 88th Texas Legislature to promote innovation in the field of space operations and commercial aerospace opportunities into the Texas economy. Praslicka, who employs eight full-time workers and four contractors at FluxWorks headquarters in Conroe, says the funding from the Texas Space Commission will make an out-of-this world impact: it will help launch FluxWorks technology into space.
“Our magnetic gear technology, first invented through a NASA-funded project while I was studying at Texas A&M, had only been proven in a lab setting,” Praslicka shared about FluxWorks’ safe, reliable and effective replacement for traditional mechanical gears. “All the calculations and simulations indicate it should provide the value we believe it will when used in space. However, to be part of future space missions – our technology needs to be flight-qualified, and that’s an expensive endeavor. This grant closes that financial gap and allows us to fund our testing on the International Space Station. This is the enabler that will get us into space next year.”
In addition to the grant from the Texas Space Commission being the boost for FluxWorks technology to eventually orbit Earth, Praslicka admits simply sharing a space with superstars in the industry is an astronomical achievement.
“This is exciting for our team because of the work we’ll be able to do with the grant,” Praslicka noted. “But also seeing how the grant has put FluxWorks next to some of the other awardees, titans like Axiom and Blue Origin who have also been awarded, is certainly thrilling.”
FluxWorks opened its Conroe headquarters within WorkHub’s I-45 location in October 2024 and serves clients in diverse fields such as space, energy transformation, food and beverage and the defense sector. Knowing his company’s products would be used for space-related projects, Praslicka was intentional when pinpointing Conroe for FluxWorks’ home base.
“We chose it for the location,” Praslicka admitted about selecting Conroe. “It was strategic to not be in a super deeply saturated space location, but rather a spot that also has industrial experience. Many of our staff come from oil and gas and manufacturing, so Conroe offers the perfect mix and ideal location for FluxWorks, what we do and who we serve.”
Conroe was the perfect destination for Bryton Paslicka and his company, and now thanks to the Texas Space Commission – FluxWorks’ next stop will be outer space.
Source: Conroe Economic Development Council
