A rendering of Gravitics’ planned “Orbital Carrier” spacecraft above Earth. (Image credit: Gravitics)
By Space.com
The U.S. Space Force is funding the development of a new “Orbital Carrier” spacecraft that can deploy multiple satellites when needed.
The Orbital Carrier is being designed by Seattle-based company Gravitics and is funded through the Space Force’s SpaceWERX development office, which partners with private industry to develop new technologies and spacecraft. SpaceWERX has set aside up to $60 million to fund the development of Gravitics’ Orbital Carrier concept.
The Orbital Carrier is designed to carry “multiple maneuverable space vehicles that can deliver a rapid response to address threats on orbit,” Gravitics wrote in a statement. That means it will act as the space-based equivalent of an aircraft carrier, ready to rapidly deploy satellites in response to any threats to U.S. spacecraft in orbit.
