Updated September 2026
Almost 60 years ago, a rocket brought man to the moon for the first time. Soon, rockets might be able to get freight across the world in hours.
Before the Idea of Shipping Freight by Rocket…
There was the Concorde.
The Concorde was the first supersonic commercial airplane. Built jointly by Great Britain and France, it completed its first transatlantic crossing in 1973. It flew to destinations around the world for several decades. However, tickets were thousands of dollars, which left the airplanes half empty for most of their journeys. The upkeep of the planes was also costly, and eventually the Concorde ceased operations in 2003.
Even though the Concorde became seen as a failure, it opened the doors to other conversations about how high-speed transport may benefit the logistics industry. Shipping freight across the world may take days to weeks currently, which affects disaster relief and government aid when it’s most needed. But shipping freight by rocket may cut down the time exponentially.
SpaceX’s Plans for Shipping Freight by Rocket
A leading pioneer in the future of freight transport is SpaceX. In 2017, plans were first announced for a cargo rocket that could potentially land on Mars by 2022. However, those plans have not been fully realized as of 2026, but that doesn’t mean it’s time to give up. SpaceX has continued developing and testing its rockets, using the information from its successes and failures to move forward.
Starship Rocket
SpaceX’s Starship System Rocket is planned to be the next generation of global logistics and will potentially create a new standard for same-day delivery. Starship will be a reusable rocket meant to carry cargo and crew around Earth, and on to the Moon and Mars. It would be able to hold cargo up to 30 feet wide and 72 feet high.
They began testing their Starship System Rocket in 2023. The first test flight exploded minutes after takeoff. Between 2023 and 2025, 11 more test flights were conducted, some with success and others with failures. Two more tests occurred in 2026, one on May 22nd and the other on July 24th. The 14th test flight, scheduled for September 28th, 2026, will be the first orbital flight.
Starfall
SpaceX has announced plans for its Starfall capsule, which will serve a different purpose than the Starship rockets. Where Starship will bring humans and cargo to space, Starfall will only bring cargo from one side of the world to the other and from space back to Earth. The capsule will be compact and disk-shaped, stand around 2.5 feet tall and have a diameter of 10.2 feet, and will be able to carry a payload of up to 2,200 pounds. It isn’t a rocket on its own but is instead a payload that can be placed on a Falcon 9 rocket or a Starship rocket.
Starfall’s development was kept quiet until it was first tested alongside a Falcon 9 rocket on June 23rd, 2026. After the test, it became clear that Starfall would be useful in the future for one main problem within the logistics and shipping industry: fast emergency freight transport.
The U.S. Government’s Ventures
The U.S. Air Force and Space Force have taken an interest in shipping freight by rocket. In 2021, the Air Force announced plans for their Rocket Cargo Vanguard Program. It was originally an experimental program but has since changed. The program, in its current state, is meant to study and understand if reusable rockets are possible, and if they could eventually move freight from one side of the world to the other within an hour or two.
In August of 2025, the Air Force granted Blue Origin, an aerospace manufacturer, a $1.3 million award to have them examine whether their vehicles could adapt to the Air Force’s plans. Since then, the Air Force has awarded them almost $12 million more in grants to further their research.
Blue Origin is not the only company that’s been awarded grants towards researching transporting freight by rocket. Anduril Industries, Rocket Lab, Sierra Space, and SpaceX have all signed research agreements to help the Air Force develop and research reusable rockets and point-to-point transportation. With these aerospace companies partnering with the Air Force, it’s proven that they no longer see shipping by rocket as theoretical but as an industry-defining idea.
Other Companies’ Research and Development
While SpaceX is at the front lines of researching freight by rocket, other companies have begun experimenting on their own.
One company, Hop Aero, debuted Rook, their autonomous suborbital rocket. Rook is meant to launch with cargo from one destination and land at a destination several hundred miles away in minutes. Rook Two, their first product, will stand about 20 feet tall and will be able to carry about 550 pounds of cargo over 450 miles. The company has already completed several tests since its founding in 2024.
Outpost, an aerospace company, has begun developing reusable, container-sized spacecraft called Carryall. It will be the same size as a standard shipping container and will be able to hold 10 tons of cargo. The original plan for their product is that it will make it easier for products that are tested and manufactured in space to return to Earth. It will also serve as a way for emergency freight to be brought to locations around the world within an hour.
Complications of Shipping Freight by Rocket
There are a few complications of shipping freight by rocket that aerospace companies need to remember as they develop these rockets.
The high G-forces and vibrations that rockets experience during takeoff would potentially endanger the cargo they might carry. Sensitive and delicate freight would be crushed or damaged immediately. Since most freight that would need to be transported around the world and into space is delicate, finding a solution is important. Companies are also finding new ways to deal with the intense heat that’s generated when a rocket re-enters the atmosphere.
Logistically, these companies must think about the ground infrastructure needed. In order to have rockets take off and land successfully, there need to be dedicated launchpads and fueling systems. The return logistics of reusable rockets would also need to be considered, such as how much fuel each location needs to get the rocket back in the air.
There are a thousand more logistical challenges that aerospace companies will need to encounter and solve during development to make the product viable. However, most companies have already taken these challenges into account and are prepared to solve them.
The Future of Freight Transport
Over a century ago, freight was moved by ships and trains. In the future, freight may be moved across the world by rockets.
Freight transported by rocket is no longer a dream; instead, it’s slowly moving towards being a reality. While most companies are still in development or experimental stages, the progress is evident. However, that doesn’t mean it won’t come with challenges or that traditional methods of transportation will disappear overnight.
Skeptics across the world wonder how rockets will or won’t change the logistics industry. As it stands, rockets will only move freight for emergencies where time is crucial, such as a humanitarian crisis or military aid. Day-to-day freight won’t be moved by rocket just yet but will instead continue to rely on trucks, trains, planes, and cargo ships. The cost of transporting freight by rocket may deter companies from using the method at first once the technology becomes widely available. But decades down the line, the costs may lower, and more companies will begin to participate in shipping freight by rocket.
While testing rockets continues, companies around the world should keep an eye on progress. It may be years before the first successful rocket launch, but companies can watch and prepare. Certain industries will benefit from shipping freight by rocket, and if they wait till the first launch, they’ll already be behind. The future of freight transport is changing fast, and it’s best to stay informed before it happens.
