Space Cargos are particular ships to pilot. Optimized to carry heavy loads, almost like a space train. And the Alien attack left us with mostly old models, old technology.
But if you really need it, press B button on your gamepad for super performant space engines. They are 20x more powerful than our more common old engine most of us have to contend with.
And if you find it is a very nervous beast to master, use our second assist. Press Y button on your gamepad to have the thrusters stabilize the ship and slow it down. It's perfect when you start to get into a death spiral.
On certain districts, these assists will be likely necessary to rescue all pods. But if you are a skilled and patient pilot, know that you get a big score bonus if you complete a level without using any assist.