{"id":42976,"date":"2018-08-02T17:24:53","date_gmt":"2018-08-02T17:24:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2018\/08\/02\/one-possible-job-for-spacexs-bfr-taking-the-air-forces-cargo-in-and-out-of-space\/"},"modified":"2026-08-07T23:34:02","modified_gmt":"2026-08-07T23:34:02","slug":"one-possible-job-for-spacexs-bfr-taking-the-air-forces-cargo-in-and-out-of-space","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/space\/2018\/08\/02\/one-possible-job-for-spacexs-bfr-taking-the-air-forces-cargo-in-and-out-of-space\/","title":{"rendered":"One possible job for SpaceX\u2019s BFR rocket? Taking the Air Force\u2019s cargo in and out of space."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

WASHINGTON \u2014 In the near future, sending military cargo in and out of space may not only be the realm of science fiction and fantasy pop culture like Star Trek and Star Wars.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In fact, Air Force Gen. Carlton Everhart<\/a>, who heads Air Mobility Command<\/a>, believes it could happen within the next five to 10 years, he told reporters on August 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Everhart visited the headquarters of SpaceX and Virgin Orbit last week \u2014 he hopes to get to the Jeff Bezos\u2019-owned Blue Origin sometime soon \u2014 to talk about how emerging space technologies could be used by the Air Force\u2019s air mobility fleet<\/a>, which transports people, cargo and fuel all over the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

SpaceX executives \u201ctell me that they can go around the globe in 30 minutes with a BFR,\u201d Everhart said, referencing the next-generation, reusable rocket under development by the company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThink about this. Thirty minutes, 150 metric tons, [and] less than the cost of a C-5,\u201d he continued. In comparison, it would take the service\u2019s cargo aircraft take anywhere from eight to 10 hours to get to the other side of the world.<\/p>\n\n\n\t