However, Rook hasn’t flown yet, and Hop Aero's only government funding is a single $1.25 million Air Force contract that expires in October. Introducing Rook by @Hop_Aero (YC S26): an autonomous hypersonic cargo rocket that delivers 550 lbs up to 450 miles in ~15 minutes.It launches from a standard 40-foot shipping container and lands on unprepared surfaces—no runways or fixed infrastructure required. The ballistic coast alone accounts for about six-to-seven minutes, leaving around eight of the claimed 15 minutes for boost, reentry, and landing. The Air Force Research Laboratory made Rocket Cargo a Vanguard program in June 2021 and awarded SpaceX $102 million in January 2022 to work on the concept with Starship. At the time of writing, no company has yet flown a licensed commercial point-to-point cargo delivery.