Follow us on social

SpaceX, DoD want to send soldiers on spaceships for rapid response missions

SpaceX, DoD want to send soldiers on spaceships for rapid response missions

Elon Musk's space enterprise wants to transport U.S. troops to any point on Earth in less than an hour. But its sci-fi pitch doesn't hold up to scrutiny.

Analysis | Military Industrial Complex

Imagine a group of gunmen are surrounding a U.S. embassy in a far-off country. The attackers are minutes from breaking through the building's walls, and they don't have good intentions.

Suddenly, a loud noise breaks through the shouts and gunshots coming from outside and the desperate calls for help coming from inside. A rocket lands in a nearby field, and American special forces pour out of the hatch. The soldiers quickly push back the militants and secure the embassy, saving our diplomats from likely doom.

This scenario may sound a little far-fetched. But, according to a 2021 report obtained by The Intercept, it's something that the Pentagon really wants to try. The document came out of a partnership between the Department of Defense and SpaceX, an Elon Musk company that aims to commercialize space travel and shipping. The embassy-saving example is perhaps the most striking of the "use cases" laid out in the report — and the least likely to work in practice.

"If a mob’s attacking an embassy and they dial up their handy SpaceX spaceship, it’s still going to take a while to get there," Bill Hartung of the Quincy Institute told The Intercept. "It’s almost like someone thinks it would be really neat to do stuff through space but haven’t thought through the practical ramifications."

Kaitlyn Johnson of the Center for Strategic and International Studies also had her doubts. "If it’s in a city, it’s not like they can land [a] Starship next to the embassy," Johnson told The Intercept.

The proposal, which DoD says is "explorative in nature" but could become a reality within 10 years, risks being the latest in a long string of botched attempts to bring sci-fi ideas to life. If it follows the path of President Ronald Reagan's "Star Wars" initiative, it could end up being a massive waste of money. And if it follows the path of the V-22 Osprey — a Marine aircraft that can take off like a helicopter and fly like a plane — it could have deadly consequences.

The report suggests two other potential uses for SpaceX rockets that are less over-the-top, though experts say neither has a great chance of bearing fruit. First, the rockets could quickly deliver supplies to troops in the Pacific in case of a conflict in the region. Second, Musk's starships could deliver "deployable air base systems" that would allow the military to rapidly set up temporary air bases anywhere in the world.

Even if the military is somehow able to make these ideas a reality, a major question remains: How will the U.S. stop other countries from doing the same, leading to an arms race in space? On this point, the report gives no answer.


(shutterstock/delcarmat)|Editorial credit: Sundry Photography
Analysis | Military Industrial Complex
Nato-scaled
Official Opening Ceremony for NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Summit 2018 in Brussels, Belgium. (Shutterstock/ Gints Ivuskans)
Official Opening Ceremony for NATO (North Atlantic Treaty Organization) Summit 2018 in Brussels, Belgium. (Shutterstock/ Gints Ivuskans)

The 17 Ukraine war peace terms the US must put before NATO

Europe

In the run up to the NATO Summit at The Hague next week, June 24-25, President Donald Trump and his administration should present a clear U.S. plan for peace in Ukraine to the European and Ukrainian governments — one that goes well beyond just a ceasefire.

While it is understandable that Trump would like to walk away from the Ukraine peace process, given President Vladimir Putin’s intransigence and now the new war in the Middle East, he and his team need to state clearly the parameters of a deal that they think will bring a lasting peace. Walking away from the effort to end the war prematurely leaves Washington in continued danger of being drawn into a new crisis as long as the U.S. continues to supply Ukraine with weapons and intelligence.

keep readingShow less
Benjamin Netanyahu Donald Trump
Benjamin Netanyahu Donald Trump at the White House in April 2025 (White House/Flickr)

Israel is luring the US into a trap

Middle East

Joining in Israel’s aggression against Iran would hurt, not advance, U.S. interests and international security.

This should not be surprising, given that support for U.S. interests and international security was not what led to Israel’s launching of the war. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu argues that Iran’s nuclear program poses a threat to America and not just Israel, but the nuclear issue was not the main motivation behind Israel’s attack, as reflected in a target list that goes far beyond anything associated with Iran’s nuclear program.

keep readingShow less
Michael Jensen
Top image credit: April 2014 - U.S. Air Force Maj. Michael Jensen, 26th Special Tactics Squadron commander smiles after assuming command of the squadron. The 26 STS, formerly Detachment 1 of the 720th Special Tactics Group, Hurlburt Field, Fla., is a newly activated squadron based at Cannon. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Eboni Reece)

Former Air Force commando takes top LatAm job at NSC

Latin America

After months of speculation, Reuters reported earlier this month that retired Air Force lieutenant colonel Michael Jensen has been appointed as senior director for the Western Hemisphere at the National Security Council (NSC), according to two U.S. officials.

Jensen’s appointment marks the first time in recent memory that a president has nominated a special forces operative — let alone a career military officer — to oversee U.S. policy toward Latin America at the NSC.

keep readingShow less

LATEST

QIOSK

Newsletter

Subscribe now to our weekly round-up and don't miss a beat with your favorite RS contributors and reporters, as well as staff analysis, opinion, and news promoting a positive, non-partisan vision of U.S. foreign policy.