Technology
SpaceX is building an offshore rocket launch facility
SpaceX plans to launch rockets from a new facility several miles offshore.
A SpaceX job posting went up asking for an engineer to help “design and build an operational offshore rocket launch facility.” On Twitter, CEO Elon Musk said SpaceX was building “superheavy-class spaceports” to launch craft to Mars and the moon, and for “hypersonic travel around Earth.”
The job is based in Brownsville, Texas, near where SpaceX already has a land-based launch center in Boca Chica. The post also asks for “previous experience living or working offshore, or professional experience in the marine/offshore industry.”
We reached out to SpaceX for more details on the project, but didn’t immediately hear back.
Musk further explained on Twitter that the spaceport would need to be far enough from land to not disturb people (and presumably nature and wildlife) during launches and landings. The job also says you have to be willing to “work on an offshore platform.”
We need to be far enough away so as not to bother heavily populated areas. The launch & landing are not subtle. But you could get within a few miles of the spaceport in a boat.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 16, 2020
And in true Musk fashion, he teased a short turnaround for Earth-to-Earth test flights: two to three years.
-
Business6 days ago
Bluesky launches Ozone, a tool that lets users create and run their own independent moderation services
-
Entertainment5 days ago
‘The Gutter’ review: The right kind of stupid
-
Entertainment6 days ago
What’s going on with Boeing planes? Safety concerns prompt flyers to change their flights.
-
Entertainment5 days ago
SpaceX’s Starship just had fantastic firsts for spaceflight
-
Entertainment7 days ago
‘Manipulated’ photo of Kate Middleton pulled by media agencies. Why?
-
Business5 days ago
Paramount Global to sell stake in India’s Viacom18 to Reliance for over $500M
-
Entertainment3 days ago
‘The American Society of Magical Negroes’ review: A satirical near-miss
-
Entertainment5 days ago
‘Grand Theft Hamlet’ review: ‘Grand Theft Auto’ meets Shakespeare in this video game documentary