Days after Elon Musk sent a team of SpaceX and Boring Company engineers to help rescue the Thai soccer team trapped in the Tham Luang cave complex, the tech leader tweeted an updated rescue plan. The plan involves building a “kid-size submarine,” which he plans to fly to Thailand.
Got more great feedback from Thailand. Primary path is basically a tiny, kid-size submarine using the liquid oxygen transfer tube of Falcon rocket as hull. Light enough to be carried by 2 divers, small enough to get through narrow gaps. Extremely robust.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 7, 2018
Musk says the submarine is perfect for a kid or small adult to minimize open air, and it uses the liquid oxygen transfer tube of the Falcon 9 rocket as its hull. This “kid-size submarine” includes four handles on the front and rear and several air tank connections.
When asked about the timeline, Musk replied it would take around 8 hours to complete the submarine and another 17 hours to fly to Thailand.
Construction complete in about 8 hours, then 17 hour flight to Thailand
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 7, 2018
Last week, rescue divers found the 12 boys and their coach alive. Although they are currently safe, the situation is dangerous. It takes a risky, six-hours dive to reach the chamber where they’re trapped. Besides, the coming rainy season has also raised a concern that not all the children can swim, and they should be brought out one by one by divers. Under the circumstances, this submarine could be a relatively safe option, though it didn’t get proper testing before entering service.
