Elon Musk Building ‘Kid-Sized’ Submarine In Eight Hours Using SpaceX Rocket Parts To Rescue Thai Soccer Team

Elon Musk has wasted no time in thinking up a solution to the boys soccer team trapped in a cave in Thailand.

With time running out to get the trapped boys through a treacherous cave back to safety, the billionaire and his team have come up with an idea for a “kid-sized” submarine using parts from a SpaceX rocket as the hull, Engadget reported. Musk had previously announced that his companies would offer whatever support they could, and it only took hours for the engineers to devise what they thought could be a solution.

As The Verge reported, Musk has been working frantically to find a solution for the boys, who went exploring in the cave with their coach and became trapped by fast-rising waters after a rain. The team has been pushed back deeper into the cave, and their path out now includes swimming through narrow and dangerous passageways.

As the report noted, Musk said it would take eight hours for the submarine to be completed.

“Musk replied to questions from Twitter users, saying that the vehicle is ‘fitted for a kid or small adult to minimize open air,’ with compartments to add weights to account for buoyancy,” the report noted. “He also noted that the pod has handles on the front and rear, as well as tank connectors to attach up to four tanks. In followup tweets this afternoon, Musk explained that the SpaceX team is currently working on the vehicle, and that he anticipates that it would be complete in eight hours, before being flown to Thailand.”

Elon Musk Thinks a Minisubmarine Could Help in Thai Cave Rescue https://t.co/dhKjd3mH4k

— The New York Times (@nytimes) July 7, 2018

There are still questions about the safety or effectiveness of Elon Musk’s tiny submarine, as many on Twitter have questioned whether it can be safely completed and tested in such a short amount of time. And Engadget noted that the Thai government has not said if it plans to use the vehicle in its attempt to rescue the boys.

A team of highly trained Navy SEALs were able to locate the team and bring some much-needed supplies, but recent reports said they are running low on oxygen and would need to move quickly. A former Thai Navy SEAL has already died while attempting to navigate the now-underwater cave and deliver supplies. With more rain on the way, officials have said they need to move quickly to get the boys out of the cave or else they could have to wait months before they get another chance.