Cargo Would Be Stationed in Orbit for Immediate Delivery

The US Air Force has chosen a little-known space cargo outfitter with an eye towards 'warehousing in space', stationing equipment in orbit for later use.

The firm broke news with a tweet, announcing "Outpost has been awarded a $1.25M contract with the Air Force to develop the capability to to use Ferryall and Carryall to warehouse cargo on orbit for just in time delivery anywhere on Earth." They continued on to outline their work, adding "The Space GARAGE program will focus on the development and testing of our re-entry technology and will support our warfighter in maintaining logistics and supplies in hard to reach locations around the globe."

Outpost's Cargo Ferry concept consists of a payload container mounted aboard a solar-paneled reusable vehicle, with a deployable heat shield and automated paraglider system. The idea is that the entire assembly is deployed much like a microsatellite, sending a Cargo Ferry into orbit, where it can later be called upon anywhere on Earth below. The USAF would be able to package important supplies and leave them stationed in orbit until they're desperately needed in-theater, at which point the container is recalled, and begins its deployment. It reenters the atmosphere and expands its parachute to automatically touch down right where it's needed... or so the plan goes.

Outpost Technologies has said that the Cargo Ferry system could also undo some of the traffic issues seen on the ISS, being used to ferry hardware and equipment instead of taking up room on human-certified spacecraft. Their Ferryall is expected to tote a payload of 100 kilograms, while the Carryall takes the form of a standard TEU, for payloads up to 10 tons.

FMI: www.outpost.space