Marines Want to Develop Drop-Ship...errr....Spaceplane
Unlike the Air Force, Navy and Army, all three of which sponsor expensive satellite programs, the cash-strapped Marines are pushing just one space concept. It's called Small Unit Space Transport and Insertion, or SUSTAIN, and it's a reusable spaceplane meant to get a squad of Marines to any hotspot on Earth in two hours -- then get them out. The idea is to reinforce embattled embassies, take out terrorist leaders or defuse hostage situations before it's too late. "The Marine Corps needs [this] capability," Brig. Gen. Richard C. Zilmer told Congress in 2004.
"The Corps has always been an expeditionary force, a force of readiness, a 911 force," Wassink says. "All SUSTAIN is, is a requirement to move Marines very rapidly from one place to another. Space lends itself to that role."
Freakin' Awesome.
(Sorry for the geek stuff, Kim, I can't help myself).
10 comments:
Ya know, if they'd told me I could fly in space for two hours and come crashing down like a meteor just to go kick the crap out of some random stranger, I'd have signed up in a heartbeat.
Fuckin' a.
Semper Fi.
Where do I sign up?
Heh, yet another idea right out of 'Starship Troopers'
Cna you see the recruiting ads?
"Fly in space. Kick Butt. Be home for dinner."
Semper Fly.
And if the heat tiles fall off, it'll be Semper Fry.
And then we will all Semper Cry.
Is this starting to feel like The Princess Bride to anyone else, or is it just me?
INCONCEIVABLE.
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