Facepalm: If you happen to’re an astronaut sitting in a rocket ready to blast into house, you’d need the reassurance of figuring out {that a} sturdy and dependable car will carry you to security ought to the launch encounter issues. This activity is often carried out by a closely armored army personnel provider, however for the upcoming SpaceX Crew-13 mission, rescue duties will probably be carried out by the Cybertruck, a car that has been topic to 11 NHTSA recall campaigns.
Making a hasty exit away from the launch pad ought to one thing go improper is vital, clearly, however given the doubtless damaging energy of a rocket, the car coming to astronauts’ support additionally must be sturdy.
NASA makes use of Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected automobiles (MRAP) on this function. The company beforehand stated these automobiles’ armor is so thick that every door weighs 600 kilos, giving them the sound and really feel of a financial institution vault. Because of this even when they don’t seem to be shifting, they will nonetheless act as a bunker.
However for the 4 astronauts of SpaceX’s Crew-13 mission, their security will probably be put within the arms of a Cybertruck. NASA’s Richard Jones stated that utilizing the EV means NASA does not have to arrange an MRAP and its crew for the launch. He additionally famous that this avoids any battle over assets – SpaceX had been making ready to launch Crew-12 on the similar time NASA was making ready a launch try for Artemis II.
SpaceX does use Cybertrucks throughout its personal launches. Jones admitted that the automobiles are a lot faster than MRAPs for shifting astronauts out of hazard. They’re additionally simpler to drive whereas carrying gloves.
However Cybertrucks cannot precisely compete with MRAPs in relation to sturdiness. Elon Musk as soon as stated that irs Armor Glass might survive baseball-sized hail, however the well-known on-stage demo by which a metallic ball shattered a window did not encourage confidence – Musk later claimed hitting the automobile’s physique with a sledgehammer in earlier demo weakened the home windows. Jones stated no modifications had been made to the Cybertruck.
The Cybertruck has been topic to 11 separate US NHTSA safety-recall campaigns for causes that embrace an accelerator pedal that would change into trapped, wheels that would separate, and drive-inverter failure, none of which you’d need to expertise whereas attempting to flee an exploding rocket.
The Crew-13’s crew is made up of NASA’s Jessica Watkins and Luke Delaney, plus the Canadian House Company’s Joshua Kutryk and Roscosmos cosmonaut Sergey Teteryatnikov. The launch will happen no sooner than 12 September 2026.
The crew will be a part of Expedition 75 aboard the ISS, the place it should conduct scientific investigations and know-how demonstrations supposed to help future missions to the Moon and Mars. Expedition 75’s analysis contains in-space manufacturing, AI- and augmented-reality-assisted well being checks, and bioprinting human tissue.
