US Air Force Lab Tests SpaceX Starfall Capsule for Cargo Delivery

The US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has tested a way of moving cargo from one point on Earth to another by sending it out of the atmosphere and back. The trial used Starfall, SpaceX's disc-shaped cargo capsule, which launched on a Falcon 9 rocket on October 20.

The main appeal of space delivery is reach. A capsule can bring supplies to places without roads, runways or other transport infrastructure.

What was inside

Starfall carries a heat shield to protect its contents during atmospheric re-entry and can hold up to 1,000 kg of cargo. It lands under parachutes, which makes for a relatively soft touchdown.

For the AFRL test, the capsule was loaded with batteries, a satellite communications tracker, a reverse-osmosis seawater desalination unit, an emergency medical kit and other survival tools. Engineers also checked whether the military's UNI-PAC III life raft would fit inside. The raft holds up to 20 people and includes a 72-hour survival kit with drinking water, food and blankets. Despite the name, Starfall is far from small, at roughly 3 meters wide.

Why it matters

The key goal was to learn whether cargo survives the trip and still works afterward, and how best to protect it. To measure the strain, the capsule also carried instruments recording shock, temperature and vibration.

The approach is meant as an additional transport option, not a replacement for existing ones. The aim is to support military missions during conflict, assist in life-saving efforts after natural disasters, and respond quickly to missions involving chemical, biological, radiological or nuclear hazards.