Blue Origin and Anduril have secured contracts with the U.S. Air Force to examine how their technologies, including rockets, could be used to transport military cargo globally. The contracts, part of the Air Force’s Rocket Cargo program, involve $1.37 million for Blue Origin and $1 million for Anduril. These initial contracts might pave the way for transforming the Pentagon’s cargo transport methods and indicate which companies might later compete for larger funds.
Anduril’s contract marks a potential new venture for the defense startup. Both contracts are under the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Experimentation for Global Agile Logistics (REGAL) program. Blue Origin didn’t comment, and Anduril referred inquiries to AFRL.
REGAL is AFRL’s experimental arm, focused on orbital transport as a service. The Air Force aims to acquire these capabilities through service contracts, similar to how it engages commercial airlines. REGAL’s objective is to demonstrate commercial, reusable rockets and systems for rapid deliveries to remote areas within an hour.
Limited details are available about REGAL, but the proposals offer some insights. Blue Origin’s contract involves analyzing “point-to-point material transportation” with activities in Merritt Island, Florida, where they are developing the New Glenn rocket.
Anduril’s contract involves studying the development of a reentry container that can carry 5 to 10 tons of payload between space and Earth. The reentry capsule should accommodate multiple payloads across platforms and propose a thermal protection system. Reentry is challenging due to the need to protect contents during atmospheric return.
This news follows Rocket Lab’s REGAL contract, which includes a flight demonstration component. Should rocket cargo services mature, they could allow the Pentagon to use commercial rockets for quick delivery, potentially leading to human transportation in the future.