The space systems command of the U.S. space force announced today that it will provide a total of $87.5 million to support prototype commercial projects related to the test and enhancement of the next generation rocket, so as to improve the flexibility of the upper stage rocket.
These awards were presented by the Space Enterprise Federation of the space development mission under the auspices of the national security space launch program, which contributed to the participation of the Pentagon’s space industry, industry and academia. Awards include:
$24.35 million was provided to Jeff Bezos’s blue origin space venture for the cryogenic fluid management of the second stage of the new Glenn rocket.
US $24.35 million was provided to the rocket Laboratory for the development of the upper layer of the neutron rocket.
Provide $14.47 million to SpaceX for rapid throttling and restart testing of Raptor rocket engine, which will be used for SpaceX’s interstellar rocket and liquid methane specification development and testing; And combustion stability analysis and test.
US $24.35 million will be provided to the joint launch Alliance for the uplink command and control of the superior of Centaur 5, which will be used together with ula’s Vulcan rocket.
Work on these prototype projects should be completed by 2023. The prototype project for orbital transfer and mobility is expected to begin early in fiscal 2022, pending congressional budget approval.
Colonel rob Bongiovi, head of SSC launch enterprise, said in a press release: “our launch industry is the envy of the world. We are happy to cooperate with the industry to promote transformational space access capabilities.”.
In parallel with the prototype project, SSC is continuing to develop the next phase of the national security space launch strategy to support the phase 3 procurement competition planned for fy2024. After the previous round of competition, SpaceX and ula won the second phase contract worth hundreds of millions of dollars last year.
