TRANSCOM adds Blue Origin to space cargo transport effort

Blue Origin has joined U.S. Transportation Command's effort to explore the potential military use of space cargo transport capabilities, marking officials' third cooperative research and development agreement in this arena.

The deal, signed Dec. 17 but announced by TRANSCOM Dec. 30, adds Blue Origin to the list of companies working with the command to help prove the viability of possibly using rockets to transport individuals and cargo in the future.

Both SpaceX and XArc, a space architecture and engineering consulting company, signed CRADAs to support the work in spring 2020. TRANSCOM last year released a request for information seeking industry help in better understanding the feasibility of point-to-point space cargo transport -- a step that cleared the way for the new CRADA.

TRANSCOM Deputy Commander Vice Adm. Dee Mewbourne noted in the command’s release announcing the CRADA that “more partnerships may be in our future.”

“We expect industry to provide the nation with a broad spectrum of space transportation options, and we seek to understand their value to DOD as they mature,” he said.

TRANSCOM in October signaled officials are poised to kick-start a “proof of principle” demonstration of those capabilities, though it could be another year before current launch vehicle partner SpaceX is able to move forward.

At the time, however, Mark Surina from the Logistics Management Institute, which works with TRANSCOM’s Office of Research and Technology Applications, said the pace could accelerate “if we find somebody who’s ready to go earlier.”