- The U.S. military is teaming up with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to build a rocket capable of delivering weapons around the world at a speed of 7,500 miles per hour.
- The plan calls for a rocket that can carry 80 metric tons of cargo into space and anywhere in the world in about an hour.
- SpaceX will now evaluate the project’s costs and technical challenges, while preliminary tests are expected in 2021.
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Elon Musk’s SpaceX and U.S. military plan to build a rocket capable of delivering 80 metric tons of cargo anywhere in the world in 60 minutes.
Under the new agreement, SpaceX will evaluate the cost and technical challenges of the project, while preliminary tests are likely to be conducted in 2021, General Stephen Lyons, head of US transportation command, told a virtual conference on Wednesday.
According to the Times, a 7,652-mile journey from Florida to Afghanistan could be completed in about an hour with such a high-speed rocket, which could travel at 7,500 miles per hour.
In comparison, the US C-17 Globemaster, a military transport aircraft with a maximum speed of 8,218 million 590 miles per hour, will complete the voyage in about 15 hours.
“Think of moving anywhere in the world in less than an hour, the equivalent of a C-17 payload,” Lance said.
“I can tell you that SpaceX is moving very fast in this area. I’m really excited about the team working with SpaceX.”
Another aerospace company called Exploration Architecture Corporation will also be part of the research program.
Founded in 2002 by Elon Musk, SpaceX has developed the Falcon 9, a reusable rocket designed to carry 22 metric tons of cargo and land to a controlled descent.
The plan follows Spentax’s 14 9,149 million contract to build missile-tracking satellites for the Pentagon, an indication that the aerospace firm is expanding its military contracts.
As part of the deal, SpaceX will build four satellites equipped with a wide-angle infrared missile-tracking sensor at its assembly plant in Washington, where Pay is building satellites for its Starlink Internet project.
In August Gust, SpaceX won 40% of the 1 billion deal with the Department of Defense to launch a new rocket for the Space Force. The remaining 60% went to the United Launch Alliance.
