The U.S. Air Force wants to use rockets to deliver cargo from the skies at a fraction of the time it takes for regular transportation, and a recent test brought the concept one step closer to reality.
The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) recently used SpaceX’s Starfall reentry capsule to study how survival equipment fares during the journey to space and back. The test is part of a broader effort to develop military supply deliveries from space to remote locations that may not have roads or runways.
Cargo drop-off
On October 20, SpaceX launched its Starfall capsule on board a Falcon 9 rocket as part of the company’s Bandwagon-5 rideshare mission. Starfall is a disk-shaped reentry vehicle designed to perform research and development in the microgravity environment, as well as provide point-to-point cargo delivery.
The capsules can carry up to 2,205 pounds (1,000 kilograms) and are equipped with a heat shield designed to withstand the scorching temperatures of the fiery descent through the atmosphere. Using a single main parachute, along with pilot and drogue parachutes, Starfall is designed to perform a relatively soft landing after it survives the journey from orbit.
For the recent demonstration, researchers from AFRL loaded the capsule with experimental cargo pods. Each pod carried equipment for a specific mission, as well as environmental sensors to measure shock, temperature, and vibration during the journey to space.
The team was particularly interested in measuring the durability of electronics and survival equipment, including batteries, a satellite communications-enabled tracker, a reverse-osmosis water desalination system, emergency medical supplies, and survival gear, according to AFRL.
The engineers also checked whether a UNI-PAC III life raft can fit into the Starfall capsule for future tests. The air-droppable raft can fit 20 people and includes a 72-hour survival kit for each person with items like bottled water, food, duct tape, space blankets, matches, and a flashlight.
Rocket delivery
The recent test is meant to help researchers understand how to protect sensitive equipment during rocket launches and atmospheric reentry. Results from the demonstration will help inform the development of orbital delivery systems as part of AFRL’s Rocket Cargo program.
“Any day you launch a rocket is a good day, but today was more than just another big rocket launch,” Brigadier General Douglas P. Wickert, commander of AFRL, said in a statement. “Today’s launch was another demonstration of how AFRL is partnering with industry to burn down risk, collect hard data and deliver war-winning technologies for the operational force.”
The orbital delivery system is not meant to replace conventional modes of transport altogether. Instead, the military envisions using the cargo pods to support missions in contested environments, provide rescue and disaster relief, and provide rapid responses to chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear hazards.
Eventually, the U.S. Air Force wants to have several space launch companies on deck, ready to deliver tons of supplies anywhere on Earth from space.
