The Gravitics orbital aircraft carrier project: a new stage in the race for space supremacy

 

The orbital aircraft carrier project, led by the American company Gravitics, marks a strategic shift in the race for space supremacy. The program, backed by a STRATFI contract worth up to $60 million awarded by the U.S. Space Force through its SpaceWERX innovation office, aims to demonstrate the ability to pre-position and rapidly deploy satellites directly from Earth orbit by 2026.

The main characteristics of the project

- Objective: The orbital aircraft carrier is designed to transform orbital operations by providing the armed forces with rapid and autonomous tactical response capabilities.

- First version: The first, more modest version of the orbital aircraft carrier is expected to be launched next year. This will be followed by a more ambitious version with an internal volume of 60 cubic meters and a starting weight of 5,000 to 10,000 kg.

- Construction: The design includes a cylindrical module wrapped in solar panels that can be opened in orbit, providing an unpressurized compartment to accommodate and release multiple satellites, depending on operational needs.

Gravitics' orbital aircraft carrier project departs from previous approaches that focused on rapid ground launches to replace disabled satellites. Instead, the orbiting aircraft carrier takes a proactive position, placing deployment platforms already in orbit near strategic zones, which significantly reduces reaction time in the event of a threat or loss of power. According to Gravitics CEO Colin Dogan, the system mimics the logic of the Navy: "Aircraft carriers allow the military to have reserves near areas of interest. Our orbital aircraft carriers are doing the same thing, but in space."

This strategic shift is taking place against a backdrop of growing technological competition. The head of the US Space Force, General Cheyne Soltzman, recently stressed that achieving space superiority has become a national priority. In light of the improvement of Chinese and Russian space capabilities, including neutralization systems and space combat simulation, the orbital aircraft carrier program is seen as a critical asset to bridge this gap.