Spaceplane company signs US Department of Defense logistics deal

Commercial space company Sierra Space has signed a deal with the US Department of Defense to explore point-to-point global delivery of material and personnel.

The contract is a Cooperative Research & Development Agreement (CRADA) with the United States Department of Defense’s Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM).

The two organisations will work together to develop solutions using Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplanes, Shooting Star cargo modules, and on-orbit infrastructure that provides capabilities for precise, cost-effective and timely global delivery of Department of Defense logistics and personnel.

Both parties will collaboratively explore space transportation as a new mode of point-to-point global terrestrial delivery of materiel and personnel, as an alternative and complement to traditional air, land and surface modes for Department of Defense global supply chains.

Additionally, the agreement outlines plans to identify current capabilities and maturity of Sierra Space’s space transportation methods, as well as both observed and projected risks, benefits and additional research and development needed as a result.

“Today’s agreement with the United States Transportation Command gives Sierra Space the unique opportunity to provide hypersonic point-to-point solutions to our government customers,” said Sierra Space CEO, Tom Vice. “Through Dream Chaser, the world’s first commercial spaceplane, the Shooting Star cargo module and other projects, we are focused on providing unique ultra-high-speed, heavy payload solutions to the Department of Defense for logistics and personnel movement requirements. We plan to leverage these technologies to reach anywhere on the globe within three hours.”

The urgent pace of contested and changing environments and instantaneous sophisticated cyber threats increasingly complicates the traditional distance-driven challenges of on-time worldwide logistics delivery.

Considering this environment, this Sierra Space and USTRANSCOM agreement will develop concepts and investigate emerging industry capabilities for projection of forces for immediate employment, and agile transportation options to project and sustain combat forces in complex and contested environments in addition to non-combat activities such as humanitarian relief operations and medical missions.

www.sierraspace.com