The Pentagon's plan to put robot Marines in space

Dont know if anyone's seen this as of today, but I found this posted on drudge a few minutes ago...

Roosevelt Lafontant had a dream. A Marine Corps officer assigned to the National Reconnaissance Office at the Pentagon, Lafontant had a back-row seat in late 2001 as the Marines spearheaded the invasion of landlocked Afghanistan. To reach Kandahar from their assault ships, the Marines had to fly more than 400 miles over Pakistan in rickety, heavy-lift helicopters. "There's got to be a better way," Lafontant recalled thinking.

theweek.com... an-to-put-robot-marines-in-space

Im seriously wondering if this hasn't already been physically completed in one form or fashion o.O maybe that green light has something to do with this that people have been spotting? Zaphod, you have any input?

a reply to: kingofyo1

Lafontant's original dream, now on hold, was to land squads of troops from near-orbit, using a vehicle he called Sustain, short for "Small Unit Space Transport and Insertion."

SpaceShipTwo flies free for first time

Lafontant's space-plane got close to becoming reality, albeit in a very different form than he had first imagined. In 2008, the Marines teamed up with the Air Force and Special Operations Command to begin turning Sustain into a platform for deploying unmanned systems, anywhere in the world, on short notice.

In that way the Sustain lander, launched by a mothership, might itself have become a mothership used to deploy robotic aircraft from very high altitude over enemy territory. The lander would then spiral down to a landing in a nearby friendly country while the UAV completed its "suicide" mission.

Death from above...

More than 300 would-be passengers have already put down more than $45 million in deposits for $200,000-a-seat rides on the plane. The experience will include a roller-coaster rocket ride to a spaceworthy altitude of more than 65 miles, several minutes of weightlessness, a picture-window view of the curving Earth beneath the black sky of space ... and spaceflight bragging rights for years afterward.

Then in April 2013, the civilian SpaceShipTwo flew for the first time after dropping from the belly of its WhiteKnightTwo mothership. SpaceShipTwo could begin commercial operations into near-orbit as early as December. Inasmuch as Sustain is a militarized SpaceShipTwo, then at least the concept of robotic Space Marines is still viable … and Lafontant's dream lives on.

a reply to: kingofyo1

Oh yeah Space Marine drop pod assault! Somebody is a fan of Warhammer 40K.

Drop Pods are atmospheric assault transports that are primarily used by the Adeptus Astartes and their Chaos Space Marine counterparts for orbital insertion and planetary assaults where achieving tactical surprise is often an important factor.
WarHammer 40K

Actually seems like a good idea. I say go for it.

Dammit no. This is how Star Wars meets Halo and Starship Troopers, people.

We don't need the next major war to be based off-world.

a reply to: kingofyo1

It's not the green light that has been seen. Beyond that, I won't say.

a reply to: Zaphod58




OH YOUUUU! This means that its been attempted at least in a basic format of sorts, and may already be in implementation somehow somewhere... Its just a matter of time before we see anything about it. Im guessing around 20 years?

a reply to: kingofyo1

Unless of course I meant I wouldn't say more about what the green light was, other than not being related to this.

a reply to: yourmaker

I don't know about you but I would MUCH rather the next major war not be on earth. By all means please take Uncle Sam's Misguided Children "space marines" off planet to do what they do best as I enjoy my steak from the local farm and the potatoes from my garden... Here on earth.

And when I say off planet...I mean out of orbit...preferably out of the moons orbit as well.

a reply to: kingofyo1
The marines will make sure the robots are not pink or wimpy looking. They most likely look like Darth Vader's helmet.

a reply to: Zaphod58

then do you know what if anything is going on with this?

a reply to: kingofyo1

I can neither confirm or deny that I may or may not know something about the article in question, or anything else you question me about.

a reply to: Zaphod58

of course not.. Why would I think that for a second you'd actually mention something of value! lol good lookin out zaph

a reply to: kingofyo1

Hasn't there already been discussion about Space Marines and the Navy Space Command here on ATS?

Navy Space Command
www.abovetopsecret.com...

Space Marines
www.abovetopsecret.com...

These are two of several threads...

a reply to: kingofyo1

I'm practicing for my new job as a government spokesperson.

Robot Marines? Little Green Men, anyone?!

I've often considered UFO's/Flying Saucers could be secret Earthly technology. But reading your title marks the first time I've considered 'aliens' could be robots.

Think about it... Area 51 and the famous (alleged) downed saucer with aliens on board. Perhaps the US shot down a German craft to reverse engineer the craft AND the robots.

originally posted by: yourmaker
Dammit no. This is how Star Wars meets Halo and Starship Troopers, people.

We don't need the next major war to be based off-world.

Actually... that sounds awesome.

a reply to: kingofyo1

Please post or message me some links about these green lights of which you speak.

This was a pretty cool article. I find it fascinating that more top military commanders weren't on board with this project no matter how far out there the idea seamed at first.

I bet there are a few of the launchable "motherships" already being tested in a smaller form if not already in their final format.

originally posted by: Sparkymedic
a reply to: yourmaker

I don't know about you but I would MUCH rather the next major war not be on earth. By all means please take Uncle Sam's Misguided Children "space marines" off planet to do what they do best as I enjoy my steak from the local farm and the potatoes from my garden... Here on earth.

And when I say off planet...I mean out of orbit...preferably out of the moons orbit as well.

I like your point much better as it makes waaay more sense than what I was thinking. Like there would be no war lol.

Hell yeah. Have your wars in space away from Earth. I agree.

a reply to: Timing

www.abovetopsecret.com...

Nothing to do with space or robots though.

a reply to: Zaphod58

Thanks.

I see Kingofyo1 was trying to trick you into giving up some info, lol!