Mississippi company working with SpaceX to create floating launch pad for Mars vehicle

Published 1:21 pm Sunday, June 6, 2021

Elon Musk is converting two oil rigs into floating launch pads for his SpaceX program — and work on one is being done in Mississippi.

The Sun Herald reports that ST Engineering Halter Marine & Offshore Inc. in Pascagoula is involved in a six-month project to remove drilling equipment from the semi-submersible rig, Phobus.

Phobus will be used as a launching and landing pad for Starship, a SpaceX vehicle that Musk plans to send to Mars.

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Jeffrey Gehrmann, ST Engineering’s vice president of operations, said the rig was towed in from Galveston. A nondisclosure agreement with SpaceX prevents Gehrmann from disclosing details about the project.

SpaceX is working on reusable spacecraft that have potential to take people to Mars and other destinations in outer space.