It can loiter in orbit, so is presumably intended for some form of weapons delivery. But has only cold gas thrusters so doesn't compete with hypersonic skip glide systems.
Between the article's opening "developed ... under a veil of secrecy", and closing comments about the DoD being very active in sub-orbital delivery, I'd assume that the Pentagon has paid for 'most everything so far.
The FAA's paperwork talks about pharmaceutical (zero-g manufacturing) uses. If it was a real use case, that industry has plenty of $billions.
Similar anyone else who imagines that he could somehow synthesize unobtainium in zero g, and can raise money to try it.
The DoD's use case seems iffy to me. The current version of Starfall looks pretty useless for delivering weapons directly to targets. Ballistic missiles and their reentry vehicles are mature technologies. Vs. this big (needs a large-diameter rocket to launch) and slow hockey puck would let your target's air defenses play in Easy Mode.
More-plausible DoD uses:
- Development platform. For technologies they'll later (or secretly) use on more threatening platforms.
- Messaging. If the Pentagon is "reinforcing" US forces near Elbonia with delivered-from-space stuff, it's decent way to say "we are A-listers, and we are serious".
- Logistics & Supply cheat code. Over the years, I've read too many articles about US forces having a complete disaster of a supply chain for mission-critical supplies & spare parts. If the Pentagon's (say) F-35's in some critical spot were grounded for lack of replacement oil filters, then this kinda tech could let them bypass the FUBAR Dept. and get uber-critical stuff to where it was really needed.
What's the actual use case for this?
It can loiter in orbit, so is presumably intended for some form of weapons delivery. But has only cold gas thrusters so doesn't compete with hypersonic skip glide systems.
Is there a paying customer?
Between the article's opening "developed ... under a veil of secrecy", and closing comments about the DoD being very active in sub-orbital delivery, I'd assume that the Pentagon has paid for 'most everything so far.
The FAA's paperwork talks about pharmaceutical (zero-g manufacturing) uses. If it was a real use case, that industry has plenty of $billions.
Similar anyone else who imagines that he could somehow synthesize unobtainium in zero g, and can raise money to try it.
The DoD's use case seems iffy to me. The current version of Starfall looks pretty useless for delivering weapons directly to targets. Ballistic missiles and their reentry vehicles are mature technologies. Vs. this big (needs a large-diameter rocket to launch) and slow hockey puck would let your target's air defenses play in Easy Mode.
More-plausible DoD uses:
- Development platform. For technologies they'll later (or secretly) use on more threatening platforms.
- Messaging. If the Pentagon is "reinforcing" US forces near Elbonia with delivered-from-space stuff, it's decent way to say "we are A-listers, and we are serious".
- Logistics & Supply cheat code. Over the years, I've read too many articles about US forces having a complete disaster of a supply chain for mission-critical supplies & spare parts. If the Pentagon's (say) F-35's in some critical spot were grounded for lack of replacement oil filters, then this kinda tech could let them bypass the FUBAR Dept. and get uber-critical stuff to where it was really needed.
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