USTRANSCOM and Blue Origin leaders meet to discuss space cargo

SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. (March 23, 2022) -- U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Dee Mewbourne, deputy commander, U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) met with Blue Origin leadership yesterday to discuss potential use cases for USTRANSCOM and tour the New Glenn rocket manufacturing facility at Cape Canaveral, Florida. In December, both organizations signed a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) to explore the feasibility of point-to-point terrestrial space transportation from a future user’s perspective. 

On March 29, 2022, Blue Origin launches NS-20, its fourth human flight, for the New Shepard program and the 20th in its history. The company is also developing an orbital launch vehicle named New Glenn that will deliver heavy cargo lift capacity potentially of interest to the Department of Defense for point-to-point mobility and logistics.

“We clearly recognize the growing feasibility and competitiveness of industry’s space capabilities,” said Mewbourne. “What seemed purely futuristic is now rapidly evolving into a trustworthy new mode of transportation, and why TRANSCOM is pursuing multiple opportunities today to anticipate the placement and value of space transportation in tomorrow’s global supply chain operations. It’s a future that simply isn’t distant anymore.”

The U.S. Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM) visiting team stands in front of the first New Shepard rocket to carry humans, which sits inside a Blue Origin lobby at Cape Canaveral, Fla., March 22, 2022: from left to right, U.S. Army Maj. Gen. John Sullivan, director, Strategic Plans, Policy and Logistics; U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Cristina Fernandez-O’Toole, aide de camp to Deputy Commander, USTRANSCOM; U.S. Navy Vice Adm. Dee Mewbourne, deputy commander, USTRANSCOM; U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Andy Moore, chief, Airlift Branch;and U.S. Navy Lt. Cmdr. Rickey Turner, team lead, Office of Research & Technology Applications. (USTRANSCOM Public Affairs Photo)

In addition to the CRADA with Blue Origin, USTRANSCOM also has agreements with SpaceX and XArc (Exploration Architecture Corporation). The first focuses on one commercial space transportation approach to expedite global delivery, and the latter, which concludes soon, is aimed at understanding the infrastructures needed to utilize space transportation systems, including basing and support concepts and supply chain integration needs.

USTRANSCOM is working to establish CRADAs with additional companies, expanding its portfolio to learn more about shaping space into a practical transportation mode.

“The advancements Blue Origin and other companies are making in the space domain to someday deliver cargo and even transport personnel are evolving quickly,” Mewbourne said. “Strategically focused discussions and direct observations of the state of the art capabilities, like the ones we had today, add value to our body of knowledge. We increase our future options with a better understanding of new tools for globally integrated mobility operations.”

USTRANSCOM conducts globally integrated mobility operations, leads the broader Joint Deployment and Distribution Enterprise, and provides enabling capabilities in order to project and sustain the Joint Force in support of national objectives.

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