Special deliveries may soon be made by rocket-launched vehicles, with the aid of the U.S. Air Force. During a recent commercial rideshare launch from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) assessed the point-to-point delivery capabilities of their Rocket Cargo project.

The experiment involved a SpaceX capsule designed for various loads and equipped with instrumentation to measure temperature, shock, and vibration (see image above). The capsule included a tracker to check the continuity of satellite communications during the voyage and throughout the capsule’s atmospheric re-entry. 

AFRL commander General Douglas P. Wickert observed, “Any day you launch a rocket is a good day, but today was more than just another big rocket launch. Today's launch was another demonstration of how [the lab] is partnering with industry to [eliminate] risk, collect hard data, and deliver war-winning technologies for the operational force.”

The launch enabled AFRL to monitor payload integrity in flight and to determine potential capsule additions for trouble-free deliveries.

Adam Remaly, the AFRL’s Technology Transition Office director, noted, “This was a critical achievement to demonstrate the potential of Rocket Cargo delivery for point-to-point rapid global mobility for the future force. The cross-discipline collaborations and ability to unleash the speed of our defense industrial base are key to maximizing capability and winning the future.”