July 11, 2018, 02:00 PM 
On July 10, the three-day long rescue operation of the Wild Boars football team and their coach ended with the successful extraction of all 13 individuals from the Tham Luang cave complex.
Amidst the joy and jubilation of the operation's success and the end of the team's ordeal, questions have begun emerging about the usefulness of the submarine that Tesla CEO Elon Musk personally brought down to the rescue site.
Just returned from Cave 3. Mini-sub is ready if needed. It is made of rocket parts & named Wild Boar after kids’ soccer team. Leaving here in case it may be useful in the future. Thailand is so beautiful. pic.twitter.com/EHNh8ydaTT
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 9, 2018
elon musk's thai cave submarine is... absurd. it doesn't make any goddamn sense pic.twitter.com/ntZo2Tghv1
— Christopher Hooks (@cd_hooks) July 9, 2018
Is Elon Musk really using the Thai cave rescue operation as a PR stunt.
— Sean Lightbown (@NotLightbrown) July 10, 2018
It all began with Musk's offer to help
Prior to the commencement of the rescue operation on July 8, Musk had tweeted on July 4 that he was happy to help with the rescue of the Wild Boars and their coach.
I suspect that the Thai govt has this under control, but I’m happy to help if there is a way to do so
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 4, 2018
At that time, the mode of rescue had not yet been decided upon as diving to extract the boys out had been considered an extremely risky move.
The uncertainty was exacerbated when an ex-Thai Navy Seal diver, Saman Kunan, died on the early morning of July 6 after placing oxygen tanks in the cave complex.
On the same day, Musk tweeted that engineers from two companies he founded -- SpaceX and The Boring Company -- would head out to Thailand to look at coming up with a potential solution:
SpaceX & Boring Co engineers headed to Thailand tomorrow to see if we can be helpful to govt. There are probably many complexities that are hard to appreciate without being there in person.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2018
Initial plan was an "air tunnel underwater"
It should be noted that before coming up with the idea of a submarine, Musk first floated the idea of inserting a tube with air into the cave.
Maybe worth trying: insert a 1m diameter nylon tube (or shorter set of tubes for most difficult sections) through cave network & inflate with air like a bouncy castle. Should create an air tunnel underwater against cave roof & auto-conform to odd shapes like the 70cm hole.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 6, 2018
The next day, however, Musk tweeted two different plans based on "feedback from cave experts in Thailand."
The new plans were an "escape pod design" and "an inflatable tube with airlocks".
Some good feedback from cave experts in Thailand. Iterating with them on an escape pod design that might be safe enough to try. Also building an inflatable tube with airlocks. Less likely to work, given tricky contours, but great if it does.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 7, 2018
Submarine is developed and tested while rescue operation begins
Eventually, Musk decided on developing the escape pod design into a submarine christened as the "Wild Boar".
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
He subsequently began tweeting videos of the device being tested in a swimming pool on July 9:
https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1016029967270928384
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 8, 2018
Simulating maneuvering through a narrow passage pic.twitter.com/2z01Ut3vxJ
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 9, 2018
According to CNBC, the submarine is made from the liquid oxygen transfer tube of a SpaceX Falcon rocket and weighs 40kg when it is dry.
Musk added that the aluminium hull of the tube-turned-submarine had high thermal conductivity, which would allow heat to easily pass through it, thereby providing insulation to the person inside.
The idea of installing a music player to help the boys cope with their anxiety was also toyed with.
Yeah, that sounds cool. Music makes things better. Calms the mind. Adding padded wall pockets for a hand radio & phone/music player.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 8, 2018
Submarine arrives midway through the rescue operation
Meanwhile in Thailand, on July 8, the Thai rescue team started their large-scale operation to extract the group.
On July 9, Musk tweeted that the submarine would arrive in about 17 hours and that it would be "hopefully useful".
Mini-sub arriving in about 17 hours. Hopefully useful. If not, perhaps it will be in a future situation.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 8, 2018
Subsequently, NBC reported that Musk showed up with his submarine at Tham Luang on Monday night. By that time, eight members of the Wild Boar team had already been rescued.
Musk then left his submarine at the rescue site "in case it maybe useful in the future". A video of the cave was also uploaded onto Instagram.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BlBr_mAA9n3/
Submarine deemed impractical, Musk gets defensive
The submarine was never put into use for extracting the remaining members of the Wild Boar team.
Narongsak Osotthanakorn, the commander of the rescue operation, said to the BBC:
"The equipment they brought to help us is not practical with our mission. Even though their equipment is technologically sophisticated, it doesn't fit with our mission to go in the cave."
The statement elicited a defensive tweet from Musk with a screenshot of an email from Richard Stanton (whom he calls Dick Stanton) about how he was urged to keep working on the design.
The former Thai provincial governor (described inaccurately as “rescue chief”) is not the subject matter expert. That would be Dick Stanton, who co-led the dive rescue team. This is our direct correspondence: pic.twitter.com/dmC9l3jiZR
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 10, 2018
Musk also insinuated that Osotthanakorn was in no position to judge his plan since he was "not the subject matter expert", further adding that the submarine could definitely do the journey in the cave and that he was ready to demonstrate anytime.
Moreover, based on extensive cave video review & discussion with several divers who know journey, SpaceX engineering is absolutely certain that mini-sub can do entire journey & demonstrate at any time.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 10, 2018
Even so, Musk still received a thank you from the Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-O-Cha, stating that he was "highly appreciative" and "very inspired by Mr. Musk's kindness and genuine determination to help".
Spokesman for Thai junta chief Prayut Chan-O-Cha thanks @elonmusk for his offer of help over trapped cave boys (though you kinda get the feeling the subtext is, thanks, but we got this) pic.twitter.com/qMORj3df51
— Jerome Taylor (@JeromeTaylor) July 10, 2018
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Musk has since gone on to say that the submarine could find other uses such as rescuing "vulnerable patients in dangerous environments".
Good for rescuing vulnerable patients in dangerous environments, particularly if water, toxic gas or dangerous bacteria/viruses present, as patient would remain dry & at std air pressure entire time.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 10, 2018
Top image from Chris Hooks Twitter
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