Cybertrucks are replacing NASA’s military escape vehicles at SpaceX launches

In the near future, Tesla's Cybertrucks will be seen at NASA's space launches, acting as backup emergency escape vehicles. This change comes as NASA prepares for the Crew-13 launch, scheduled for September. Traditionally, NASA has relied on Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) military vehicles for emergency evacuations around launch sites, providing a safe route for crew members and ground personnel to swiftly depart the area in case of an emergency.

However, NASA has decided to replace these vehicles with Cybertrucks for the upcoming launch. Richard Jones, deputy director of NASA's commercial crew office, expressed excitement about this improvement, stating that Cybertrucks will quickly get everyone out of the dangerous blast area. This move frees up MRAP vehicles for other tasks.

NASA's spokesperson clarified that it was SpaceX, not the agency, that decided to use Cybertrucks. Though questions remain about whether Cybertrucks meet the same safety standards as MRAPs, NASA has not provided further details on the specific requirements. SpaceX has used Teslas in the past for transporting astronaut crews before liftoff.

The shift to Cybertrucks for this purpose follows Tesla's recent sale of over $100 million worth of Cybertrucks to SpaceX. Both companies, owned by Elon Musk, have a close relationship. NASA is not the first government agency to consider using Tesla vehicles; the State Department briefly toyed with the idea last year, and the Air Force has also shown interest in the Cybertrucks. However, SpaceX did not respond to requests for comment.