Rocket Cargo

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This article is about the U.S. military programme. For cargo of rockets, see payload.

Rocket Cargo illustration

Rocket Cargo is a United States Transportation Command (TRANSCOM), United States Space Force and Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) program for suborbital spaceflight rocket-delivered cargo involving point-to-point space travel. The program is to develop the capability to rapidly send cargo anywhere in the world on a rocket. It would involve reusable rockets that can perform propulsive landings on a variety of landing sites, to deliver a C-17's worth of cargo in an hour. The program was discussed in 2020 and announced in 2021, with a budget allocation request for Fiscal Year 2022.[1][2][3]

History[]

In the 1960s, the military studied using Douglas Ithacus T-100 rockets to rocket off aircraft carriers to deliver marines to theatres.[4]

In 2018, the Air Force started studying delivering cargo via rockets.[5] In 2020, TRANSCOM consulted with SpaceX on the delivery of 100-tons of cargo via rocket anywhere in the world in under 1 hour with Starship.[6] In 2021, the Pentagon announced the Rocket Cargo program, with the U.S. Space Force as the lead service on the program. $9.7 million U.S. dollars were allocated to Rocket Cargo in FY21.[6][5] The Pentagon Budget Office has requested $48 million dollars US for FY 2022 for the program.[6]

Objectives[]

The program is a "Vanguard" program, a top importance science and technology research and development program. At the time of announcement, it would one of four such programs. The program is to examine modifying existing commercially available hardware for the program objectives. It would involve moving approximately a C-17 Globemaster III's worth of cargo or approximately 100 short tons (91 tonnes), anywhere in the world in under 1-hour. It would use a propulsively landing reusable rocket, that would rocket cargo from source to destination, landing on all kinds of environments.[6][2][3][7][5]

References[]

  1. ^ Michael Sheetz (4 June 2021). "The Pentagon wants to use private rockets like SpaceX's Starship to deliver cargo around the world". CNBC. Archived from the original on 1 September 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  2. ^ a b Brett Tingley (13 October 2020). "The Military's Puzzling Plan To Have SpaceX Deliver A C-17's Worth Of Cargo Anywhere In An Hour (Updated)". The Drive. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  3. ^ a b William Harwood (4 June 2021). "Space Force ponders rockets to quickly move critical cargo around the world". CBS News. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  4. ^ Joseph Trevithick (1 June 2021). "Rocket Delivery Of Cargo Anywhere In An Hour In New Air Force Budget Proposal". The Drive. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  5. ^ a b c "The Air Force wants rocket deliveries to anywhere on Earth in under an hour". Air Force Times. 2 June 2021. Archived from the original on 1 October 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  6. ^ a b c d Kyle Mizokami (4 June 2021). "The Air Force Wants to Drop 100 Tons of Cargo From Space". Popular Mechanics. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.
  7. ^ Doug Cameron (4 June 2021). "Pentagon Envisions Using Cargo Rockets". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on 6 June 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2021.

Further reading[]

See also[]

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