The Era of Rockets for Military Shipments Is Beginning

Metaverse Planet July 10, 2025Last Updated: November 3, 2025

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The U.S. Air Force is developing a new transportation system called Rocket Cargo to move cargo and personnel, instead of relying on aircraft. This rocket system aims to reach any point in the world within 90 minutes.

The U.S. Air Force is investing in a revolutionary project that will push the boundaries of logistics transportation. This initiative, named “Rocket Cargo,” aims to deliver up to 100 tons of cargo or personnel to anywhere in the world in less than 90 minutes. While the first test flights are not expected before 2026, preparations are advancing rapidly.

The Rocket Era in Military Logistics

The project is being developed as part of the Rocket Experimentation for Global Agile Logistics (REGAL) program, and it aims to create not just a rocket, but a fully integrated military logistics system.

The Rocket Cargo system plans to launch reusable commercial rockets into sub-orbital trajectories, functioning much like a cargo plane but with significantly greater speed. The ultimate goal of this system is to match the carrying capacity of C-17 Globemaster III heavy cargo aircraft, which means approximately 77 tons of payload per trip. With the system being developed under this project, the aim is to land anywhere in the world within 60 to 90 minutes.

However, the challenge isn’t just about building a large rocket. The REGAL program plans to integrate and sustain this technology as an operational system on par with a military air transport fleet. As a first step in this vision, the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has signed a significant agreement with Rocket Lab USA. Under this agreement, the company’s developed reusable rocket named Neutron will be used for a test planned for 2026 or later.

The Neutron rocket, with a carrying capacity of 13 tons, will be placed into an orbit similar to a potential cargo mission and will re-enter the atmosphere in a controlled manner. During the flight, detailed telemetry data regarding temperature, pressure, acceleration forces, heat flux, and structural effects will be collected. This data will enable the safe and efficient design of future rockets for both payload transport and crewed missions.