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An artist’s conception shows Gravitics’ Orbital Carrier with payloads ready for deployment. (Gravitics Illustration)
The U.S. Space Force has chosen Marysville, Wash.-based Gravitics to build and fly an orbital carrier that could deliver maneuverable space vehicles to the final frontier — and have them ready to respond to future threats.
The project will be supported by up to $60 million in funding, to be provided through the Space Force’s SpaceWERX STRATFI program. That funding would come from government sources as well as private sources, Gravitics said today in a news release.
“We’re honored to partner with the U.S. Space Force on this critical initiative.” Gravitics CEO Colin Doughan said. “The Orbital Carrier is a game-changer, acting as a pre-positioned launch pad in space. It bypasses traditional launch constraints, enabling space vehicle operators to rapidly select a deployment orbit on-demand.”
In an illustration, Gravitics shows the Orbital Carrier as a cylindrical cargo module containing stacked-up spacecraft with folded-up solar panels. The timeline for development of the carrier wasn’t announced, but Gravitics said the newly announced deal will provide it with the “resources and support necessary to develop and demonstrate the Orbital Carrier platform.”
The project follows up on a $1.7 million contract that the SpaceForce’s SpaceWERX program awarded to Gravitics almost a year ago. That contract called upon Gravitics to adapt the architecture for its commercial space station modules to address the Space Force’s interest in beefing up rapid-response space operations — an initiative known as Tactically Responsive Space.
Over the past few weeks, U.S. military officials have sounded the alarm over Russian and Chinese efforts to execute “attack and defend” maneuvers using satellites in low Earth orbit — tactics that have been compared to orbital dogfighting. At a symposium in Denver, Gen. Chance Saltzman, the Space Force’s chief of space operations, said he was looking for more options that would enable the U.S. to gain superiority in any future orbital conflict.
