NASA keeps last operational Super Guppy flying for oversized mission needs

Five Super Guppies were built: one prototype and four production versions known as Super Guppy Turbines (SGT), powered by Allison turboprop engines and featuring an enlarged cargo section. Of these, only one remains in service today with NASA.

This remaining Super Guppy supports not only NASA's space missions but also assists the Department of Defense and government contractors in moving large components around North America, including CV-22 Osprey tiltrotors. According to NASA, "NASA was able to acquire SGT number 4 to replace the aging Super Guppy under an International Space Station barter agreement with the European Space Alliance."

The aircraft is based at El Paso International Airport. Its internal dimensions—25 feet in diameter by 111 feet in length—allow it to transport items that do not fit inside other cargo planes. As NASA states, "The Super Guppy can carry items that are virtually impossible to fit inside other cargo aircraft." The plane also features a hinged nose that opens 110 degrees for frontal loading.

Other modern outsized cargo aircraft include Boeing’s Dreamlifter and Airbus’s BelugaXL, but few match the unique capabilities of the Super Guppy’s interior space or its loading mechanism.

Despite being listed as 28 years old since acquisition from Airbus, some parts of this specific airframe date back to a KC-97G Stratotanker built in 1953. Data shows that while flights have become infrequent—the last recorded flight occurred on July 10, 2024—the aircraft remains available for special missions.

NASA operates several other historic or unique aircraft for specialized roles, such as F-15s and F/A-18s used as chase planes and Lockheed ER-2 airborne laboratory jets derived from U-2 spy planes. It also maintains three RB-57F Canberra reconnaissance planes no longer used by any other operator.

While there is no clear timeline for retiring this final operational Super Guppy or identifying a direct replacement with similar capabilities, it continues serving critical transport needs within NASA’s diverse fleet.