Pentagon in discussions with SpaceX about buying a Starship outright for military missions
The Pentagon is negotiating with SpaceX the idea that in certain cases where it deems it legally necessary it will buy outright full ownership of a SpaceX Starship/Superheavy launch rocket in order to fly some military missions.
The idea is similar to how the Air Force moves cargo. At times, the service contracts with private carriers to deliver cargo, but for certain critical missions it uses service “gray tail” aircraft. In this hypothetical case, the military could take a Starship off the line for a specific mission and return it to SpaceX after it is complete.
I suspect such situations involve very risky wartime missions that carry liabilities that a private company cannot accept. The military takes over ownership, relieving the company of risk, and then returns ownership afterward. Such a plan requires the company to agree to it, and the military to pay extra for these temporary rights. According to the article at the link, SpaceX is presently exploring its options.
That the Pentagon is discussing this with SpaceX at all tells us that it sees Starship/Superheavy as having a lot of value. It wants to buy its services, one way or the other.
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The Pentagon is negotiating with SpaceX the idea that in certain cases where it deems it legally necessary it will buy outright full ownership of a SpaceX Starship/Superheavy launch rocket in order to fly some military missions.
The idea is similar to how the Air Force moves cargo. At times, the service contracts with private carriers to deliver cargo, but for certain critical missions it uses service “gray tail” aircraft. In this hypothetical case, the military could take a Starship off the line for a specific mission and return it to SpaceX after it is complete.
I suspect such situations involve very risky wartime missions that carry liabilities that a private company cannot accept. The military takes over ownership, relieving the company of risk, and then returns ownership afterward. Such a plan requires the company to agree to it, and the military to pay extra for these temporary rights. According to the article at the link, SpaceX is presently exploring its options.
That the Pentagon is discussing this with SpaceX at all tells us that it sees Starship/Superheavy as having a lot of value. It wants to buy its services, one way or the other.
Readers!
Please consider supporting my work here at Behind the Black. Your support allows me the freedom and ability to analyze objectively the ongoing renaissance in space, as well as the cultural changes -- for good or ill -- that are happening across America. Fourteen years ago I wrote that SLS and Orion were a bad ideas, a waste of money, would be years behind schedule, and better replaced by commercial private enterprise. Only now does it appear that Washington might finally recognize this reality.
In 2020 when the world panicked over COVID I wrote that the panic was unnecessary, that the virus was apparently simply a variation of the flu, that masks were not simply pointless but if worn incorrectly were a health threat, that the lockdowns were a disaster and did nothing to stop the spread of COVID. Only in the past year have some of our so-called experts in the health field have begun to recognize these facts.
Your help allows me to do this kind of intelligent analysis. I take no advertising or sponsors, so my reporting isn't influenced by donations by established space or drug companies. Instead, I rely entirely on donations and subscriptions from my readers, which gives me the freedom to write what I think, unencumbered by outside influences.
You can support me either by giving a one-time contribution or a regular subscription. There are four ways of doing so:
1. Zelle: This is the only internet method that charges no fees. All you have to do is use the Zelle link at your internet bank and give my name and email address (zimmerman at nasw dot org). What you donate is what I get.
2. Patreon: Go to my website there and pick one of five monthly subscription amounts, or by making a one-time donation.
3. A Paypal Donation or subscription:
4. Donate by check, payable to Robert Zimmerman and mailed to
Behind The Black
c/o Robert Zimmerman
P.O.Box 1262
Cortaro, AZ 85652
You can also support me by buying one of my books, as noted in the boxes interspersed throughout the webpage or shown in the menu above.
If they use Starship to deliver people or supplies near a battle zone, getting it back will be challenging.
Will the Pentagon be able to put pressure on the FAA to stop dragging its feet? According to this article, SpaceX expects approval of the third test launch in February. What say you, Mr. Zimmerman?
https://www.space.com/spacex-starship-third-test-flight-february-2024
“SpaceX’s massive, reusable Starship rocket made two test flights in 2023, the first in April and a second in November, and company representatives now say the third such mission could come as soon as February 2024.
“During a media teleconference on Tuesday (Jan. 9) that was held to discuss updates to NASA’s Artemis moon program, SpaceX Vice President of Customer Operations and Integration Jessica Jensen said the company is already seeking approval for Starship’s third flight. “From a hardware readiness perspective, we are targeting to be ready in January. And then, from an FAA licensing perspective, we’re getting a license for flight three,” Jensen said, referring to the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration
Paul Revere: I don’t think you are aware, but this quote from Jensen was posted here by me three weeks ago, with commentary. See: SpaceX: Ready to launch Starship/Superheavy by end of January but it won’t. As I commented then:
Right now is the optimal time for launching from Boca Chica. Winter/Spring in Deep South Texas has many days where the winds are calm, and sometimes even blowing out of the WNW, perfect for the launch setup SpaceX has down there. But, as usual, the Bureaucrats are killing progress and innovation.
“Use well the days!”
A rocket and its launch infrastructure are joined at the hip. They are all part of the same specialized system that only the launching organization can run. For the most part, your infrastructure cannot support my rocket and my infrastructure cannot support yours. It’s not like an airplane and an airport. It’s more like a skyscraper and it’s steel frame. You cannot really separate the two. SpaceX may temporarily avoid ownership of the vehicle itself, but that may not mean much if it runs the vast bulk of the operation. Does anyone here know anything about the relevant law?
At some point, inland launch facilities need be had.
Area 51 is perfect… protestors shot on sight.
The only thing I can see the military needing starship for would be a space mission like attacking and taking a space station or moon base.
Everything else can be done faster and cheaper with what we have now.
Carriers take a week to get to some areas —that’s telegraphing your punches
One the government has one then everyone will have the plans.
Pretty sure the Chinese are very interested. Our current military would probably accommodate them.
Jeff
Not all transport could be done by carrier alone.
In gulf one a lot of the transportation was done by commercial carriers. Then by military carriers for the last leg into the hot zones.
Plus we have established and allied bases all over the world now. Hours from anyplace on the planet.
Using a starship to put troops or cargo into any hot zone is the same as just burning it when it gets unloaded. Because that is what will happen so our enemies do not get a chance to copy any of its technology. Going from safe zone to safe zone can now be done with what planes and ships we have now.
What vehicle will carry it back to the coast so a ship can carry it back to Texas? Out of a hot zone.