Newly released Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) records provide a detailed look at both the operational planning and environmental review efforts surrounding the U.S. military’s Rocket Cargo initiative and proposed activities at Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

The documents were released in response to two FOIA requests filed by The Black Vault in July 2025 seeking records related to discussions, planning, contracts, technical proposals, environmental reviews, and communications involving SpaceX and the Department of the Air Force concerning Rocket Cargo and other point-to-point rocket logistics concepts. Together, the releases reveal coordination between the Air Force, SpaceX, environmental regulators, and other federal agencies as officials evaluated Johnston Atoll as a potential location for future Rocket Cargo-related operations.

In the first release, according to the Air Force’s April 2026 response letter, officials located hundreds of responsive pages. While hundreds of pages of the material was withheld, hundreds more were released, mostly partially redacted under various FOIA exemptions. The release includes correspondence, planning documents, and environmental coordination records.

The Air Force stated that no classified documents were found during its search.

The documents show SpaceX conducting a site survey of Johnston Atoll in early 2024 at the request of the Air Force under an existing contract. According to one email, the survey was intended to assess runway and taxiway conditions, conduct aerial mapping of the island, and perform sonar mapping of harbor areas.

Other records identify the activities as supporting the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Rocket Cargo Vanguard program. One planning document noted that SpaceX personnel with expertise in rocket landing operations would participate in the survey effort.

The release also reveals extensive coordination with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Because Johnston Atoll is both a National Wildlife Refuge and part of the Pacific Remote Islands Marine National Monument, proposed activities required environmental reviews and consultation regarding potential impacts to wildlife and habitat.

Many of the records most likely to contain detailed technical or contractual information remain withheld under exemptions protecting commercial information and internal deliberations.

A second FOIA release obtained from the Air Force offers additional insight into the environmental review process surrounding proposed Rocket Cargo activities at Johnston Atoll.

Unlike the first release, which focused largely on site surveys and coordination between the Air Force, SpaceX, and other agencies, the newly released records center on environmental compliance efforts, consultations with federal wildlife regulators, and concerns about the potential impact of future operations on the atoll’s ecosystem.

The records show extensive coordination between the Department of the Air Force, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) as officials worked through environmental requirements associated with the proposed project.

One February 2025 email highlights what officials viewed as a significant challenge.

The reference was to the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), a federal law protecting migratory bird species. The same email indicates the Air Force was pursuing regulatory options to address potential impacts from future activities at Johnston Atoll, including “requesting a Special Use – Miscellaneous MBTA take permit” and potentially seeking “a Military Readiness Activity exemption permit as well.”

The records also show the Air Force conducting formal consultations under Section 7 of the Endangered Species Act. Correspondence references reviews involving protected species that inhabit or utilize the Johnston Atoll area, including green sea turtles, hawksbill sea turtles, and Hawaiian monk seals.

Another set of emails reveals that environmental review documents remained under active revision throughout late 2024. In one exchange regarding the Johnston Atoll Rocket Cargo Environmental Assessment, an Air Force environmental official emphasized that the document was “in no way ‘Final'” despite being circulated among agencies for review and comment.

Much of the release consists of draft review discussions, comment adjudication, permitting questions, and coordination with environmental regulators. Although the records contain little new information about the technical aspects of Rocket Cargo itself, they provide a clearer picture of the regulatory and environmental challenges facing any effort to conduct rocket landing operations at Johnston Atoll.

Note: You will find the entire release package of material below. The PDF also has bookmarks embedded within it to show you the various file names, as they were released by the Air Force. The documents were combined into a single file for easier viewing.

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Document Archive

2025-06383-F Release Package [822 Pages, 43.8MB]

2025-06382-F Release Package [73 Pages, 6.52MB]

The post FOIA Release Provides Glimpse Into Air Force, SpaceX Efforts to Advance Rocket Cargo Program first appeared on The Black Vault.

In April 2021, during the Crew-2 mission’s historic journey to the International Space Station (ISS), SpaceX’s Crew Dragon capsule was briefly thought to be on a collision course with an unidentified object. NASA’s preliminary assessment categorized this event as a potential conjunction, prompting astronauts to suit up for extra safety. However, after a detailed investigation, it was labeled a false alarm, sparking intrigue about the nature of the incident and raising questions on the identification and tracking of space debris.

Now, newly released documents rom Space Command (SPACECOM), obtained through a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request originally filed by The Black Vault, offer a deeper insight into the complexity and urgency of this event. Communications between NASA officials, the U.S. Space Force, and SpaceX reveal the scramble to understand and respond to the potential hazard. The detailed internal emails and operational reports included in the release show that the initial warning stemmed from an analyst satellite that remained in the system after the Crew-2 capsule’s launch.

Further complicating matters, analysts had not fully briefed all crew members or relevant NASA personnel about the object, leading to confusion during the critical hours when the potential conjunction was reported. Due to this incomplete information, the Crew-2 capsule was mistaken for a separate object, which heightened the perceived danger of a collision. The result was a series of frantic communications where NASA directed SpaceX astronauts to suit up as a precautionary measure.

The newly declassified documents also highlight how the chain of communication failed to ensure timely and accurate information flow.

These documents are also heavily redacted, raising questions about why the Department of Defense (DoD) insists on keeping so much information confidential when the event was ultimately a false alarm. Rear Admiral William P. Pennington, USSPACECOM Chief of Staff, determined that these redactions fall under several exemptions, including classified national security information, proprietary data, pre-decisional communications, and personal privacy concerns. Still, the redactions evoke curiosity regarding the need for such secrecy in an incident supposedly rooted in a harmless miscommunication.

The redactions used are primarily FOIA exemptions (b)(4) and (b)(5). These exemptions provide the legal basis for withholding sensitive information, classified or not, but the sheer volume of redactions raises concerns about transparency and excessive secrecy.

Exemption (b)(4) protects “trade secrets and commercial or financial information obtained from a person and privileged or confidential.” In this case, the redaction is likely invoked to protect SpaceX’s proprietary data regarding spacecraft systems, operational protocols, and other sensitive technical information that could be exploited by competitors or adversaries.

Exemption (b)(5) covers “inter-agency or intra-agency memorandums or letters which would not be available by law to a party other than an agency in litigation with the agency.” Often referred to as the “deliberative process privilege,” it allows government agencies to keep internal discussions, draft documents, and advisory opinions private to encourage open dialogue and protect decision-making processes. This exemption applies to many internal communications regarding the investigation and the resulting Operational Review Board findings. While safeguarding the integrity of decision-making processes is essential, the extent of the redactions raises questions about over use of the exemption and the secrecy behind it. The public has a right to understand how government agencies manage such incidents to improve future transparency and accountability.

Additionally, one page was classified under Exemption (b)(1), which applies to information specifically authorized to be kept secret in the interest of national defense or foreign policy. This sole classified SECRET page likely contains national security information about space situational awareness operations that should remain confidential, and is largely withheld.

Also within the redacted sections, various emails and internal reports emphasize the significant pressure faced by personnel in charge of space traffic management. The 18th Space Control Squadron (18 SPCS) (now known as the 18th Space Defense Squadron) ordered an Operational Review Board (ORB) to investigate the false conjunction. The ORB’s findings pointed to a failure in crew changeover, inadequate analysis procedures, and a lack of comprehensive pre-mission planning. Steps have since been implemented to improve the accuracy of conjunction assessments and bolster communication between the U.S. Space Force, NASA, and SpaceX. These measures include revising internal procedures and increasing staff training to ensure effective identification of objects and thorough analysis of collision risks.

The FOIA-released documents shed light on an event that, though non-threatening, could have had more severe implications if mishandled. Ultimately, they highlight the urgency of enhancing collaboration among space agencies and improving the technologies and protocols required to safely navigate and operate in space.

But, why all the redactions?

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Document Archive

On May 10, 2024, Space Command released more than 160 pages of material on the above incident.

 SPACECOM Released Documents [168 Pages, 25.2MB]

The post SpaceX’s “False Alarm” Encounter with an Unknown Object: An Analysis of the Latest FOIA Release from SPACECOM first appeared on The Black Vault.