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Miguel Jorge
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In late February, satellite imagery revealed something not previously public: Washington was rebuilding the Pacific base used to launch the atomic bombing of Japan. The move signals U.S. preparations for a possible scenario. New images from another part of the Pacific reinforce the theory of U.S. rearmament—an atoll transformed into a kind of “Amazon” for shipping artillery worldwide.
Project Rocket Cargo. The U.S. Space Force has approved plans to reactivate Johnston Atoll, a remote Pacific island with a history of nuclear testing and chemical weapons storage. The goal is to convert it into a rocket cargo test site as part of the Rocket Cargo Vanguard program, which aims to develop the capability to deliver military supplies anywhere on the planet within hours using high-capacity rockets.
A recent Notice of Intent from the Department of the Air Force confirms plans to construct two landing pads and conduct up to 10 landing tests per year for four years. Testing could begin this year, pending the results of an ongoing environmental review.
Why this island? The Department of the Air Force identified Johnston Atoll as the only suitable location for this type of testing. Other evaluated sites, including Kwajalein Atoll, Midway Island, and Wake Island, were ruled out due to operational constraints.
Johnston Atoll was selected for its remoteness, U.S. government control, sea and air access, and ability to receive and store missile-related equipment.
Its location also makes it less vulnerable to extreme weather events—a key concern after storms severely damaged Kwajalein last year.
A dark past. Johnston Atoll has a controversial military history. The U.S. previously used it as a naval refueling base, an airstrip, and a site for nuclear, biological, and chemical testing. Among the most notorious events were atmospheric nuclear tests conducted between 1958 and 1975, including the 1962 Starfish Prime test, the largest nuclear explosion ever carried out in space. The island also served as a storage and disposal site for chemical and biological weapons until 2003, when the U.S. Army completed cleanup efforts and abandoned it.
Despite its designation as a National Wildlife Refuge and part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, satellite imagery shows abandoned military infrastructure remains, including a 1.67-mile runway and other repurposed facilities.
A revolution in military logistics. The Rocket Cargo Vanguard program, led by the Air Force Research Laboratory, aims to test whether commercial rockets can rapidly transport military supplies worldwide. Since at least 2020, the Pentagon has explored this technology to reduce delivery times from days or weeks to just hours.
The concept relies on reusable rockets capable of transporting up to 100 tons of cargo—or even personnel—to strategic locations using orbital or suborbital trajectories.
SpaceX and the potential use of Starship. One major player in the program is SpaceX. In 2022, the company secured a $102 million contract to provide flight data and test technologies for cargo transportation and humanitarian aid.
SpaceX’s Starship, the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, is a leading candidate for the initiative. However, testing has yielded mixed results, with multiple explosions during launch attempts. Despite these setbacks, the Pentagon remains highly interested in acquiring SpaceX’s launch systems for sensitive and high-risk missions.
Gen. Philip Garrant, commander of Space Systems Command, said in November that Starship is one of the most logical choices for the rocket cargo program, largely due to its large payload capacity and reusable design.
Prospects and expansion. If the environmental review is approved next month, Rocket Cargo Vanguard testing could begin, and Johnston Atoll could be fully reactivated as a landing site for other reusable spacecraft.
Few locations in the U.S. can accommodate rocket landing operations of this scale. Johnston Atoll could become a critical strategic asset for the U.S. Space Force, supporting the development of a reusable space infrastructure. This transformation would create a global, ultra-fast logistics hub capable of resupplying ordnance in record time at the onset of any modern conflict.
Images | NASA | Google Maps
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