The Space Force Is Working on an Aircraft Carrier for Space

The Space Force Is Working on an Aircraft Carrier for Space "The vision is space superiority." Orbital Carrier Space startup Gravitics has been awarded a $60 million contract by the US Space Force to develop an "orbital carrier" that can deploy satellites from orbit. As Ars Technica reports, such a spacecraft could give the military a much faster way to respond to threats to national security in orbit compared to sending a satellite on a rocket into space. While many questions remain about what exactly this carrier could be capable of — unsurprising, considering the sensitive nature of the plans — it's yet another sign that the US military is looking to beef up its presence in orbit, highlighting a brewing "space arms race." Space Superiority Gravitics officials told Ars that the carrier will provide unpressurized space to house one or more satellites, which can be deployed at will in orbit. The goal is to isolate them from the hostile space environment, sparing their batteries ... Read full article.