Key Takeaways
- SpaceX will use Tesla Cybertrucks instead of armored military MRAPs to carry astronauts off the launch pad in an emergency, starting with the Crew-13 mission.
- NASA said SpaceX, not the agency, made the decision, and that the two assessed the Cybertruck and found it met NASA's emergency requirements.
- The switch follows a sale of more than $100 million worth of Cybertrucks from Tesla to SpaceX, both companies owned by Elon Musk.
SpaceX will use Tesla Cybertrucks instead of armored military MRAPs to carry astronauts off the launch pad in an emergency, starting with the Crew-13 mission to the International Space Station. NASA confirmed the change on August 3, 2026, for a launch targeted for September 12.
What NASA and SpaceX said about the Cybertruck egress plan
The Crew-13 launch is targeted for September 12 at 6:30 pm ET. The crew is NASA's Jessica Watkins, the commander, and Luke Delaney, the pilot, with Joshua Kutryk of the Canadian Space Agency and Sergey Teteryatnikov of Roscosmos. Watkins flew on Crew-4 in 2022 and will be the first NASA astronaut to fly twice on a Crew Dragon.
At the launch pad, SpaceX had used Mine-Resistant Ambush Protected vehicles, or MRAPs, the armored transports the military built to survive blasts. For Crew-13 it will use Cybertrucks instead. SpaceX has long used Teslas at its launches, including to drive crews to the pad before liftoff. Richard Jones, the deputy director of NASA's commercial crew office, said the appeal is speed. "Cybertrucks will get them out of that blast danger area quickly in a very, very good fashion, so looking forward to that improvement," Jones said. He added that using the Cybertrucks frees the other vehicles for separate work.
The shift to Cybertrucks comes after Tesla recently sold more than $100 million worth of Cybertrucks to SpaceX. Both companies are owned by Elon Musk.
Why a faster launch-pad escape matters for the Crew-13 astronauts
The people most directly affected are the four astronauts who would ride a Cybertruck away from a failing rocket. A faster vehicle shortens the time between an alarm and a safe distance, and that is the case NASA and SpaceX make for the change. Crew-13 is the first Crew Dragon launch to make the switch.
The decision also raises a question about standards. A NASA spokesperson told Fast Company that it was SpaceX, not the agency, that chose the Cybertrucks, and that commercial crew providers are encouraged to bring alternatives to the MRAP that meet NASA's requirements. The spokesperson said SpaceX and NASA "assessed the capability of the vehicle for all situations that would be encountered in an emergency and found that the Cybertruck met NASA's requirements." The agency was vague about what those exact requirements are. Tesla and SpaceX share one owner, so the sale that preceded the switch places a consumer vehicle, bought from a sister company, in a role once held by a purpose-built military truck.
People Also Ask
Why is SpaceX using Cybertrucks for Crew-13?
SpaceX is using Tesla Cybertrucks for Crew-13 to carry astronauts away from the launch pad faster in an emergency. NASA's Richard Jones said the speed at which a Cybertruck can leave the blast danger area is one reason SpaceX chose them, and that the move frees other vehicles for separate work.
Did NASA certify the Cybertruck?
A NASA spokesperson said SpaceX, not the agency, made the decision to use the Cybertrucks. The spokesperson said SpaceX and NASA assessed the Cybertruck for all situations that would be encountered in an emergency and found that it met NASA's requirements, though the agency was vague about what those requirements are.
Who is on the Crew-13 mission?
Crew-13 carries NASA's Jessica Watkins as commander and Luke Delaney as pilot, with Joshua Kutryk of the Canadian Space Agency and Sergey Teteryatnikov of Roscosmos. The launch to the International Space Station is targeted for September 12 at 6:30 pm ET.
How much did SpaceX pay for the Cybertrucks?
The switch to Cybertrucks for Crew-13 came after Tesla sold more than $100 million worth of Cybertrucks to SpaceX. Tesla and SpaceX are both owned by Elon Musk, so the vehicles came from a company under the same ownership.
Sources: SpacePolicyOnline, Fast Company.