United States military tests SpaceX Starfall capsule for rapid space resupply

The United States Air Force Research Laboratory tested a SpaceX Starfall capsule carrying survival equipment to evaluate rapid military supply delivery, Defence Industry Europe and 19FortyFive reported. The United States Department of War disclosed the test on October 20, identifying the capsule as one of several payloads aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket, according to Defence Industry Europe. [1][6]

The test aims to evaluate whether supplies survive launch, space, and reentry, 19FortyFive reported. Defence Industry Europe reported that the concept involves placing supply capsules in Earth orbit and directing them to specified locations when personnel need urgent assistance. Defence Industry Europe added that the tested Starfall capsule carried electronics, a satellite communications locator, batteries, and a reverse osmosis water purification unit. [1][6]

The test supports the Rocket Cargo program, Defence Industry Europe reported. As FTMQ Space reported earlier, the uncrewed experiment launched on October 20, 2026, from Cape Canaveral aboard a Falcon 9 rocket on the 32 payload Bandwagon 5 rideshare mission. The Starfall capsule weighs 2,100 kilograms and was making its second flight, FTMQ Space reported previously. [1][12][13]

Starfall is an uncrewed space capsule class designed by SpaceX to return payloads to Earth from orbit by providing atmospheric reentry and recovery, building on Dragon and Starship technologies, according to Wikipedia. Wikipedia and Grokipedia state that Rocket Cargo is a United States Space Force initiative run through the Air Force Research Laboratory that was announced in 2021 to rapidly deliver supplies globally using reusable rockets. [9][10][11]