Air Force successfully demonstrates space-based cargo delivery with SpaceX Starfall pods
The U.S. Air Force Research Lab has completed a test of its Rocket Cargo capability, using SpaceX Starfall capsules to drop resupply pods from orbit, a system designed to deliver equipment to military units anywhere on Earth without risking aircraft or personnel.
Military planners across the U.S. armed forces are working to operationalize a space-based resupply system. The Air Force Research Lab (AFRL), which serves as the research and development division of the U.S. Air Force, has now validated Rocket Cargo technology in a live test, demonstrating the feasibility of delivering cargo containers to military personnel from orbital platforms.
During the test, a SpaceX Starfall capsule carrying cargo pods lifted off from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station aboard a Falcon 9 rocket as part of the Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission. The capsule subsequently descended into the Pacific Ocean, completing the test sequence. The payload included practical military supplies: meals ready to eat, drinking water, a satellite-enabled tracking device, replacement batteries and other field equipment. The AFRL team also performed a fit assessment on a UNI-PAC III life raft to determine whether it could be accommodated within the Starfall capsule for potential future missions.
The test validated Rocket Cargo's point-to-point delivery (P2D) functionality, which aims to enable resupply operations to virtually any location worldwide. The system's strategic value lies in its ability to move supplies without exposing conventional delivery platforms—such as transport aircraft and their crews—to risk, particularly in regions experiencing active hostilities.