US Air Force wants a commercial Rocket Cargo Vanguard to fly stuff anywhere on Earth
By Elizabeth Howell about 1 hour ago
The new program is studying concepts to fly up to 100 tons of cargo around the planet.
An artist's concept of the U.S. Air Force's Rocket Cargo Vanguard program, which is studying the use of reusable commercial rockets to deliver cargo and supplies anywhere on Earth.
An artist's concept of the U.S. Air Force's Rocket Cargo Vanguard program, which is studying the use of reusable commercial rockets to deliver cargo and supplies anywhere on Earth. (Image credit: U.S. Air Force illustration/Randy Palmer)
The U.S. Air Force launched a new rocket cargo program with the Space Force Friday (June 4) to study the use of commercial spacecraft to ship supplies around the world — and they may look to NASA's lunar lander program for ideas.
If the project, called Rocket Cargo, goes as planned, it would take advantage of a swiftly growing rocket industry competing to send satellites into space. While the search for rocket companies has just begun, a concept released by the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) evokes the sleek, silver Starship prototypes being tested by SpaceX in South Texas.
In the past decade, newer industry entrants such as SpaceX, Relativity Space and Rocket Lab — fueled by new efficiencies in rocket manufacturing, self-landing stages and increased demand for CubeSats — are rising to compete with industry standbys such as Arianespace and United Launch Alliance.
https://www.space.com/air-force-rocket-cargo-vanguard-commercial-rockets
