National Harbor, Md. – September 14, 2026 -- Radia is presenting WindRunner, the world's largest aircraft by volume, as a fix for a growing bottleneck in space logistics: transporting fully assembled rockets, boosters and oversized satellites that have outgrown existing roads, ports and cargo aircraft. The aircraft maker unveiled the capability ahead of the Air & Space Forces Association's Air, Space & Cyber Conference, running Sept. 14-16 at National Harbor, Md.
WindRunner cuts transport time from days to hours for oversized rocket hardware
Mark Lundstrom, Founder and CEO of Radia, said the aircraft can move a fully assembled booster, a recovered launch vehicle or a next-generation satellite intact, eliminating disassembly and reassembly cycles. He attributed the design to a low cargo deck height, a nose door and a dedicated cargo loading system built to speed handling of outsized space hardware.
Aircraft targets satellites roughly twice the size of today's transportable envelope
Radia said WindRunner can accommodate spacecraft with roughly double the dimensional envelope of what can currently be shipped fully assembled, opening design options for national security, communications, Earth observation and ISR satellite programs. The aircraft is also built for short takeoff and landing from unpaved runways of approximately 1,800 meters, giving it access to emerging spaceports and austere sites beyond the reach of conventional cargo planes.
Roll on/roll off design avoids specialized infrastructure at launch and recovery sites
The aircraft is designed to operate with standard cargo handling equipment and conventional airfield infrastructure rather than requiring bespoke facilities, according to Radia. The company is positioning WindRunner as a complement to existing launch infrastructure and strategic airlift rather than a replacement, aimed at connecting manufacturing, integration, launch, recovery and sustainment operations under a single logistics architecture.
Service entry targeted for the early 2030s under a transport-as-a-service model
Radia said WindRunner is being developed with proven components and known certification processes, targeting entry into service in the early 2030s. The company plans to offer the aircraft as surge logistics capacity for government and commercial customers under a flexible transport-as-a-service model.
At the conference, Radia representatives will meet with officials from the Department of Defense, U.S. Space Force, allied governments and commercial launch providers to discuss the program's development and expanding defense and space applications. Radia will exhibit at Booth #551 at the Gaylord National Resort & Convention Center.