Sierra Space is using a payload the weight of a couple of beer kegs to demonstrate whether it can advance the idea of delivering military supplies through space. So far, tests have gone well enough that the U.S. Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) is spending nearly $1 million to continue it.
The Colorado-based space infrastructure company will work to scale the 150-kilogram payload of its Ghost spacecraft up to 5 to 10 metric tons — closer to the weight of a business jet. The goal is to deliver cargo from space to any location on Earth in under 90 minutes, Sierra Space said in an October 2024 news release.
The Ghost system is designed to remain on orbit for up to five years, storing and delivering supplies on demand. Eventually, the spacecraft could be used for missions such as delivering rescue kits for downed pilots, medical supplies for disaster relief or logistical support for military operations.
Sierra Space performed three helicopter drop tests from 610 meters without a parachute and from 1,219 meters with a parachute in February 2024. The tests, conducted at the NASA space shuttle runway in Florida, were designed to assess impact dynamics and payload integrity, controlled descent and precise landing proximity, and effective separation of shield and payload components. The company planned to move up to hypersonic speeds in subsequent tests.
Space Force Gen. Stephen Whiting, commander of U.S. Space Command, said in June 2024 he sees promise in the AFRL’s pursuit of point-to-point delivery through space. “Let’s let the demonstrations continue,” Whiting said during an interview with the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies. “And as we start to build out an operational concept that would make sense for the nation, then we can have the discussion of where that’s going to go, who’s going to have responsibility for it.”