Tesla’s Roadster thrusters echo Lockheed Martin’s cancelled missile interceptor work

Tesla says its reintroduced Roadster can perform controlled jumps, falls and flips using compressed-air thrusters, though it cannot fly like a conventional aircraft. The idea has a long-established parallel in missile defence technology, where thrusters help guide vehicles towards their targets.

The Roadster has two high-pressure air tanks and ten nozzles in its Rocket trim; Tesla says the system is not approved for public roads. Lockheed Martin’s Multiple Kill Vehicle project, begun in 2004 under a $760 million US contract, aimed to destroy several ballistic missile threats with one launch, but was retired in 2009 amid budget cuts. Unlike Tesla’s cold-gas system, the MKV reportedly underwent hot-fire tests, suggesting some propulsion involved burning fuel.