Air Force to further study use of commercial rockets to deliver cargo around the world -...

The U.S. Air Force plans to further study the potential use of commercial rockets to transport cargo around the world.

According to Air Force budget documents, a project named “rocket cargo” has been selected as one of the Air Force’s so-called Vanguard programs. These are research investments that the Air Force believes could provide useful capabilities in the future. Vanguard programs funded to date include artificial intelligence technologies, autonomous vehicles and navigation satellites.

The Air Force in its budget proposal for fiscal year 2022 is seeking $47.9 million for the rocket cargo project. An Air Force spokesman said an official announcement on the designation of rocket cargo as a Vanguard program is expected this week.

The rocket cargo program would continue work that started last year when the Air Force signed agreements with SpaceX and Exploration Architecture Corporation (XArc) to study concepts for rapid transportation through space. The Air Force in 2021 spent $9.7 million on studies on the use of rocket for cargo deliveries.

The budget request says the project in 2022 will seek technologies from the commercial space industry at large and does not specify any companies. The Air force wants to examine the benefits and challenges of using rockets to move 100 tons of cargo to any location in the world in less than an hour.

“Rocket cargo will demonstrate new trajectories and ways to fly large rockets, the ability to land rockets at austere locations, and design and test an ejectable pod for air drop,” said the budget request.