Elon Musk Wants Rockets To Replace Air Travel

Elon Musk Wants Rockets To Replace Air Travel

Video: SpaceX’s BFR is a rocket that can travel into orbit over and over again, and to the Moon and to Mars. But that same massive rocket, SpaceX founder Elon Musk says, could also transport humans around the planet, from capital city to capital city. Most trips would take under half an hour, and you could reach anywhere on the globe from anywhere else in under an hour.

Speaking at the International Astronautical Congress 2017 in Adelaide to introduce more details on SpaceX’s ambitions for the BFR, including missions in 2022 and 2024 to Mars, Musk also had a “one more thing” to present: his idea for BFR trips between cities like New York and Shanghai, Sydney and London, Melbourne to Singapore… almost anywhere around the planet in less than half an hour. No trip using a rocket would take more than an hour, reaching speeds of up to 27,000km/h.

We’ve been thinking about names for SpaceX’s new city-to-city passenger business, and we’re thinking maybe Planet Express is a good choice… or maybe PlaneX? SpaceAir?

Watch the relevant part of Musk’s speech here or below, and the full speech here. [YouTube]


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