CEO of SpaceX Elon Musk presented the revised plans to travel to the moon and to Mars, at a conference on the space industry. However, he concluded his speech Masks a very unexpected gesture. He promised to use the same Falcon 9 interplanetary missile system for long-distance travel on Earth. Musk demonstrated the idea using the presentation, claiming that this type of movement will allow passengers to make «the long trip» on Earth in just 30 minutes and hit «anywhere on Earth in less than an hour», not paying more than the standard flights.
Musk has proposed the use of future mega-rocket of SpaceX (codenamed Big Fucking Rocket, or BFR for short) to raise the giant spacecraft in Earth’s orbit. Then the ship will land on one of the floating landing sites that will be located near large cities. And the new rocket and spacecraft are currently purely theoretical development, although Musk said he hopes to begin construction of such missiles in the next 6-9 months.
In the video of SpaceX, which illustrates the idea that passengers get to the rocket launcher located on a floating platform, using a large boat. Then they are placed in the rocket, but instead to go to Mars is leaving Earth orbit and flying a certain distance, landing in Shanghai. The entire flight is about 7,000 miles is just 39 minutes, but this is only one route. So, for example, to cover the distance between Hong Kong and Singapore will only take 22 minutes between London and Dubai or new York – 29 minutes, and between Los Angeles and Toronto is 24 minutes. According to preliminary estimates the spacecraft will be able to carry from 80 to 200 people, reaching speeds of 18,000 miles per hour.
The idea, Musk, undeniably attractive, but skeptics have managed to puzzle all new questions. 16 despite the successful landings in a row of rockets , the Falcon 9 (both at sea and on land) — all missiles were flying virtually empty. Will I lose the accuracy and reliability of the rocket, given that the flights will be operated at full load? How affordable will the flight on this rocket? The suitability of the missile for multiple and frequent use? As the use of missiles will affect the atmosphere? Questions, as you can see, a lot, but the answers to them yet. Surely Elon musk, they also worry. Let’s wait for new ideas and new presentations SpaceX.
