rewrite this title Pentagon’s Space Initiative: New Assignments for Blue Origin and Anduril

The Pentagon has partnered with Blue Origin and Anduril for space cargo transportation. Capsules to be developed under the REGAL program will be able to deliver military payloads to the surface in less than an hour.

The U.S. Air Force has signed agreements with Blue Origin and Anduril for a project that could revolutionize cargo transportation. The two companies will study technologies for transporting military cargo from space to Earth under the Pentagon’s Rocket Cargo program.

The contract with Blue Origin is valued at $1.37 million, while the contract with Anduril is worth $1 million. Although these agreements are small in value, they are seen as a prelude to multi-billion dollar defense contracts in the long term.

Logistics from Space to Earth

The projects are being conducted under the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) REGAL (Rocket Experimentation for Global Agile Logistics) program. The program’s goal is to deliver military cargo to any point on Earth in less than an hour using reusable rockets and reentry capsules.

Blue Origin will analyze the potential of “point-to-point cargo transportation” using its New Glenn heavy-lift rocket.

A Major Task for Anduril

Anduril, a company known for its defense technologies, is stepping into a new area. Its contract involves a feasibility study for a reentry capsule capable of carrying 5 to 10 tons of payload from orbit to Earth. This capsule is expected to be compatible with different rockets and have a heat shield system that can withstand extremely high temperatures.

Reentry technology is one of the most critical challenges in the space industry. A capsule’s ability to return to Earth without burning up in the atmosphere and to safely transport its payload is a highly complex process. Currently, the SpaceX Dragon capsule transports cargo and astronauts from the ISS, and startups like Varda Space Industries are working on manufacturing-focused capsules. However, the number of companies with this capability is still very limited.

Under the REGAL program, the goal is for massive cargoes transported through space to be landed on Earth via a capsule and made available for quick use. According to the AFRL, this system could eventually be used to transport people from point to point as well.

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