Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

Gwynne Shotwell: SpaceX's Plan to Fly You Across the Globe in 30 Minutes [video]

ted.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

31–40 of 105 posts

Re: Gwynne Shotwell: SpaceX's Plan to Fly You Across the Globe in 30 Minutes [video]

#31

Post by 3pt14159 »

aphextron wrote: post #23

Rocket based travel will never ever ever happen on a widespread scale simply because of the G forces involved. Passengers on an airliner will begin feeling uncomfortable at around 1.2 G's and > 20 degrees of bank angle. The thought of subjecting regular paying passengers to 3+ G's and a full 360 degrees of pitch/roll is absurd. It could definitely be a niche thing for people that are physically fit, but this just isn…

I'm guessing C-levels are going to start getting into shape if they have 20+ less hours on planes during their day.

Re: Gwynne Shotwell: SpaceX's Plan to Fly You Across the Globe in 30 Minutes [video]

#34

Post by soared »

aphextron wrote: post #23

Rocket based travel will never ever ever happen on a widespread scale simply because of the G forces involved. Passengers on an airliner will begin feeling uncomfortable at around 1.2 G's and > 20 degrees of bank angle. The thought of subjecting regular paying passengers to 3+ G's and a full 360 degrees of pitch/roll is absurd. It could definitely be a niche thing for people that are physically fit, but this just isn…

20 minutes of discomfort to save 12+ hours of flight time? Sounds worth it to me.

Re: Gwynne Shotwell: SpaceX's Plan to Fly You Across the Globe in 30 Minutes [video]

#35

Post by Retric »

CarVac wrote: post #30
Retric wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That's not really the case. Per passenger mile commercial aircraft get ~70MPG with longer flights tending to have better fuel economy. The trend is really interesting: http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/articles/business/the... So, they are actually very efficient transportation for long trips. Absolute worst case flying around the world is 24,901 mi which uses the same fuel per person as a 35 MPG car commuting 2…

Longer flights have better fuel economy only in short range regimes where the BFR is definitely not a consideration. https://commons.m.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:777-224_fuel_burn-... Fuel economy improves at first due to reduced overhead of taxiing, takeoff, and ascent, but as you go farther the fuel consumption increases due to the need to actually carry the fuel.

Aircraft choice plays a role here. Airlines tend to use more efficient aircraft for longer flights.

Re: Gwynne Shotwell: SpaceX's Plan to Fly You Across the Globe in 30 Minutes [video]

#36

Post by soared »

pjmorris wrote: post #32

How do you tell the difference between commercial scheduled rocket flights and incoming ICBM's?

Same way you differentiate between an airplane and an alien spaceship. One is common, the other is so absurdly rare its not even worth considering.

Re: Gwynne Shotwell: SpaceX's Plan to Fly You Across the Globe in 30 Minutes [video]

#37

Post by aphextron »

soared wrote: post #34
aphextron wrote: post #23

Rocket based travel will never ever ever happen on a widespread scale simply because of the G forces involved. Passengers on an airliner will begin feeling uncomfortable at around 1.2 G's and > 20 degrees of bank angle. The thought of subjecting regular paying passengers to 3+ G's and a full 360 degrees of pitch/roll is absurd. It could definitely be a niche thing for people that are physically fit, but this just isn…

20 minutes of discomfort to save 12+ hours of flight time? Sounds worth it to me.

Sure, but will your grandma say the same? My point is that this will never be a normal every day thing for the masses like air travel today.

Re: Gwynne Shotwell: SpaceX's Plan to Fly You Across the Globe in 30 Minutes [video]

#38

Post by cryptonector »

pjmorris wrote: post #32

How do you tell the difference between commercial scheduled rocket flights and incoming ICBM's?

You just build second strike capabilities and call it a day. If {Russia, U.S.} gets off a first strike, then {U.S., Russia} can still get off a second strike, therefore neither will strike first.

Well, that's one option. Russia will need an early warning network to rival the American one either way, and given that and proper flight path registration... maybe there would be no confusion. Maybe.

Re: Gwynne Shotwell: SpaceX's Plan to Fly You Across the Globe in 30 Minutes [video]

#39

Post by soared »

aphextron wrote: post #37
soared wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

20 minutes of discomfort to save 12+ hours of flight time? Sounds worth it to me.

Sure, but will your grandma say the same? My point is that this will never be a normal every day thing for the masses like air travel today.

True, but I don't think BFR is ever meant for the masses. And airplanes, which are gentle but can be uncomfortable, are barely for the masses (in 2015 only 45% of Americans flew on a plane).

https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielreed/2016/04/14/americans...

Re: Gwynne Shotwell: SpaceX's Plan to Fly You Across the Globe in 30 Minutes [video]

#40

Post by jjeaff »

aphextron wrote: post #37
soared wrote: post #34

Earlier quoted context omitted.

20 minutes of discomfort to save 12+ hours of flight time? Sounds worth it to me.

Sure, but will your grandma say the same? My point is that this will never be a normal every day thing for the masses like air travel today.

My grandma isn't travelling on a plane 12 hrs to anywhere. Long haul travel is more for the youngish anyway (think baby boomers). And my parents would take a 30 minute roller coaster over a 12 hr flight even if that meant using a puke bag every time.
Post reply on HN