Sierra Space Tests Orbital Vehicle Designed to Deliver Cargo in 90 Minutes

    Sierra Space has tested its Ghost orbital cargo vehicle, which is backed by the U.S. military. The system is designed to place cargo in orbit in advance and then, when called upon, deliver it anywhere on Earth within 90 minutes. The company has successfully completed 2 test drops. These are Ghost’s first tests in the past 2 years.    During the tests, Ghost was dropped from a high-altitude balloon, first from an altitude of about 10.7 km and then from 20.9 km. The cargo compartment contained 1 bottle of whiskey and a software-defined radio. These items were selected to test whether liquids and sensitive electronics could withstand the harsh conditions during descent. The recovery of the cargo by a ground team after landing was also tested.    The demonstration is part of the U.S. Space Command’s Apollo Nexus exercise. The exercise is intended to test how different units work together during complex operations. Ghost will not be launched from the other side of the world like a conventional rocket payload and immediately sent to the front line. The vehicle will remain in orbit with the required cargo for up to 5 years and will be called down to Earth when needed.    According to Sierra Space, Ghost can deliver cargo within 90 minutes of being called upon. The system is being developed to send supplies to dangerous areas that military cargo aircraft cannot enter. To do this, the military must select equipment that may be needed in advance, launch it into space and store it in orbit. In other words, the principle of stockpiling supplies at remote bases is being extended to space.    Ghost can carry between 5 and 10 tons of cargo. For this reason, it is not suitable for heavy equipment such as tanks or artillery systems. The vehicle can primarily transport equipment, ammunition and other supplies. The company believes that unmanned aerial vehicles, as well as systems that use microwaves to neutralize drones, could be delivered to military units without putting crewed aircraft at risk.