The U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has increased the funding of its contract with Blue Origin by an additional $11.7 million, bringing the total cost of the project to approximately $13 million.
The project aims to explore the feasibility of using commercial rockets to deliver military cargo anywhere in the world in less than an hour.
Blue Origin will develop technical requirements and mission parameters for a concept for transporting cargo between two points on Earth (point-to-point) using a rocket. This approach aims to reduce air and sea transportation, which takes hours or days, to less than an hour.
The project will continue until October 2027. At this stage, only technology research and concept development are planned. There are no plans for a demonstration flight or the creation of a finished system.
The initiative is being implemented as part of AFRL's Rocket Experimentation for Global Agile Logistics (REGAL) program. Anduril Industries, Sierra Space, and Rocket Lab also received funding for the program.
Blue Origin's heavy-lift, reusable New Glenn rocket is being considered as a potential launch platform. The rocket made its first orbital flight in January 2025 and has completed three orbital missions so far. However, flights were suspended after an incident during testing in May 2026. The company plans to return the New Glenn rocket to service by the end of the year.
