Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon, also arranges for off-planet shipping. Its space company Blue Origin announced this week it is developing a spacecraft platform focused on “provide logistics and supplies into space.”
The platform will be called “Blue Ring”. The proposal is to launch unmanned ships to meet the needs of government and commercial customers, the company said in a statement this week. He explained that the goal is to deliver from medium-Earth orbit to cislunar space – between the orbits of the Moon and the Earth – and “beyond it”.
“Blue Ring addresses two of the biggest challenges in spaceflight today: developing space infrastructure and enhancing on-orbit mobility,” said Paul Ebertz, senior vice president of space systems at Blue Origin. The company assured that it will be able to accommodate a payload of more than 3 thousand kilograms.
Blue Origin will offer more traditional logistics services such as cargo stowage, transportation and fuel delivery. But he also wants to provide data transfer support, including cloud computing capabilities “in space.”
Blue Origin and its successes in the space race
“We offer our customers the ability to easily access and maneuver into different orbits in a cost-effective manner,” added Ebertz. “And at the same time have access to critical data to ensure mission success.”
Blue Ring is part of In-Space Systems, a newly created business unit of Blue Origin. The company did not provide additional information, such as deadlines. He just showed an illustration of the platform.
However, this announcement is the first official confirmation of the development of the platform after more than a year of rumors and speculation expressed by some company representatives regarding the orbital vehicle.
Project announced amid leadership changes at Blue Origin. Bob Smith, who led the company for six years, announced last month that he would leave the company in December. He will be replaced by Dave Limp, Amazon’s head of services and devices.
Blue Origin also currently has a key space project under its belt. In May, NASA announced that Bezos’ company would be responsible for developing the Artemis V lunar lander. That mission is scheduled to take place in 2029, four years after the US space agency resumes manned flights to the Moon.
Source: Hiper Textual
