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DHL to hitch a ride on a rocket to the Moon

[ June 3, 2016   //   Chris ]

Up to now deliveries into space have been solely a subject for FBJ’s cartoonist, but Deutsche Post DHL Group really is planning to become the first logistics company to make deliveries to the Moon. The German-owned delivery giant, together with Airbus’s Defence and Space arm, has gone into partnership with Astrobotic Technology, which describes itself as “a lunar logistics company that delivers payloads to the Moon for companies, governments, universities and individuals.”

DHL will become the official logistics provider for Astrobotic’s first mission to the Moon.” To bring things down to earth, somewhat, DHL will not be firing its own rockets into space; it will instead provide logistics services for Astrobotic’s spacecraft and its customer payloads, making sure that all materials for the new lunar lander as well as the ‘space freight’ arrive safely in time for their journey to the Moon.

Airbus Defence and Space, the world’s second largest space company, is meanwhile developing a Peregrine lunar lander powered by an Aerojet Rocketdyne propulsion system featuring next generation space engine technology.

Arjan Sissing, senior vice president, global brand marketing, Deutsche Post DHL Group, declares: “We are excited to be embarking upon this incredible venture into the next era of logistics – beyond Earth and to the Moon. Having played a pioneering role in logistics for many years, we are looking forward to partnering with Astrobotic to open a new frontier in space, and to further developing lunar logistics in the future.”

Tags: DHL