71–80 of 277 posts
can anyone think of scenarios where somebody has to be somewhere in an hour? what about making one of those the new airforce one?
Um, let me think about that for, no, wait. I'll take the hour, please.
wait and what's the energy usage of that thing? Carbon footprint?
EDIT: I forgot the fact that CH4 is being burned, not released as-is in the atmosphere. Original comment: Carbon footprint is just one way of measuring the impact on climate, but that's only because CO2 is the biggest pollutant. However, methane (CH4) is much much much better in trapping heat. 19 times more potent over a 5 year period, or 4 times more over a 100 year period (source: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/anim…
The security protections on the launch pads alone would have to be incredibly high. Looks vulnerable at sea like that.
Like the security precautions at airports? Any airport that I'm familiar with has access roads and roads around it that are accessible to the public from where any idiot with an RPG or possibly even a rifle could attempt to bring down a passenger jet. And yet it does not happen.
I thought the ship was going to take off
Not too get too off-topic with HN's strict rules, but here's an anime depiction of what I believe you to have been imagining: https://gfycat.com/gifs/detail/ActualFeistyBettong (sorry for the image macro, I couldn't find a HTML5 embed without it)
How many hours early should we arrive to the launch pad? Are laptops allowed?
> Are laptops allowed? No idea. But the fastest flight (non stop) from NYC to Shanghai right now is almost 15 hours. This promises 39 minutes. Would you rather fly 15 hours with a laptop than 39 minutes without?
I can give you a nice example - flying from Geneva to Paris is maybe 40 minutes. Taking fast TGV train is 185 minutes. Overall only desperate fools would ever fly this trip (unless continuing to fly someplace else). Train is vastly superior experience - much more room, quicker, no security idiots everywhere.
Unless they can land on the main airports or similarly connected places, time gain might not be so great. Flying in the outer space is another thing...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
EDIT: I forgot the fact that CH4 is being burned, not released as-is in the atmosphere. Original comment: Carbon footprint is just one way of measuring the impact on climate, but that's only because CO2 is the biggest pollutant. However, methane (CH4) is much much much better in trapping heat. 19 times more potent over a 5 year period, or 4 times more over a 100 year period (source: http://www.onegreenplanet.org/anim…
Burning CH4 has a lower footprint than it being freely in the atmosphere, so if they could capture it from the atmosphere and then burn it would be better.
Marketing of that product is awesome. But does it scale? Very unlikely! That's great to have impossible goals to make people dream, but stop bullshitting people saying it will replace commercial airplanes and everybody will be an astronaut for the same price. Why is the Concorde not in service anymore? Simple: it was a very little market, over-polluting for over-privileged and we do not need that to enhance traveling…
They will build this rocket anyway, the will have to make it reusable anyway. All they did is consider using it as a transporter for people on earth.
Its just one way the can potentially make money with this technology. Does not hurt to try. No reason to shit on the idea and claim its some absurd fantasy.
Marketing of that product is awesome. But does it scale? Very unlikely! That's great to have impossible goals to make people dream, but stop bullshitting people saying it will replace commercial airplanes and everybody will be an astronaut for the same price. Why is the Concorde not in service anymore? Simple: it was a very little market, over-polluting for over-privileged and we do not need that to enhance traveling…
I know people have valid reasons to be skeptical about such projects. But maybe after 50 years or so when this kind of transport will be very common we will remember this day as one of the most historic events in the course of humanity.
And if it becomes that common, in 150 years time, New York will be under water. I remember reading that the instantaneous power output of one Apollo rocket taking off is roughly the equivalent of the entire average electricity load of the UK. Surely burning a country's worth of rocket fuel every time you want to travel long distance is not sustainable?
Also, you can just generate that fuel from the air and make it carbon neutral if that was really the issue.
How many hours early should we arrive to the launch pad? Are laptops allowed?
> Are laptops allowed? No idea. But the fastest flight (non stop) from NYC to Shanghai right now is almost 15 hours. This promises 39 minutes. Would you rather fly 15 hours with a laptop than 39 minutes without?
If Musk is proposing this idea then I assume it won't be too expensive, even for rich people. So it should cost significantly less than what private jet trip costs them (because the BFR is not so private after all).
Of course, the faster time to destination should also balance things out, but I have a feeling a trip would be more like 2h with the boat trips and waiting time included, because as others have said, I doubt the launchpad will be that close to shore.