Cybertrucks will soon make an appearance at NASA space launches.
At a recent news conference in advance of a launch to the International Space Station, NASA officials said the space agency will use the iconoclastic Tesla electric pickup trucks as backup emergency escape vehicles. These are vehicles typically deployed around a launch site, and they’re meant to ensure that crewmembers and ground personnel can quickly leave the area in the event of an emergency.
The space agency has long deployed mine-resistant ambush protected military vehicles (MRAP) for this purpose, but for the Crew-13 launch, which is being facilitated by SpaceX, they’ll be using Tesla Cybertrucks instead. The launch is expected to take place in September.
“Cybertrucks will get them out of that blast danger area quickly in a very, very good fashion, so looking forward to that improvement,” said Richard Jones, the deputy director of NASA’s commercial crew office, which oversees the agency’s relationship with private spaceflight companies. Speaking on a recent call with reporters, Jones said that using the Cybertrucks means those other vehicles can be used for something else.
The move does, however, raise questions about whether the Cybertrucks meet the same safety standards as the military vehicles—though NASA was vague about what those exact requirements are. Asked about the plan to use the Cybertrucks, a NASA spokesperson tells Fast Company that it was SpaceX that made the decision to use the Cybertrucks, not the agency. Commercial crew providers are encouraged to bring alternatives to the MRAP that meet NASA’s requirements, the person says, adding that SpaceX and NASA “assessed the capability of the vehicle for all situations that would be encountered in an emergency and found that the Cybertruck met NASA’s requirements.”
SpaceX has long used Teslas during the company’s launches, including to transport astronaut crews before liftoff. The shift to Cybertrucks for this purpose comes after Tesla recently sold more than $100 million worth of Cybertrucks to SpaceX. (Notably, both companies are owned by Elon Musk).
NASA isn’t the first government agency to at least consider using Tesla vehicles. The State Department last year seemed to briefly consider using Tesla vehicles as part of an effort to deploy electric vehicles, though officials and Musk later denied those plans. The Air Force has also expressed interest in Cybertrucks. SpaceX did not respond to a request for comment.
