[btilly]

For the record, SpaceX is attempting to make the same flight in 30 minutes by suborbital rocket. Elon claims that it will be about the same price.

External estimates of a BFR launch, combined with his stated goal of 850 passengers, comes out to around 9k. Which is more. But...30 minutes...

[eloff]

Rocket flight would have to get a lot safer before that ever becomes a reality. Nobody is going to sign up for that if they have a 1 in 270 chance at rapid unscheduled disassembly. And even that rate hasn't been demonstrated to date - the risks for both Space X's rockets and NASA's space shuttle have so far been higher.

[btilly]

Yes. However it is possible in principle to make it that safe. Per current plans, Elon hopes to do that within a decade.

[eloff]

I hope it is a future that comes to pass. It would be amazing to buy a seat on a huge-ass rocket and take a trip to space and back. That's so far been only the realm of astronauts and billionaires.

[cat199]

if he can only avoid the boring boneheaded naysayers until then

[robotresearcher]

Where are they gonna launch from, that I can get to in a reasonable amount of time from NYC, Chicago, LA, Hong Kong, London, etc? They can't build another runway at LHR, let alone a BFR launch pad.

[btilly]

Ocean barges. So you get on a boat, take a 20 minute ride, get on the rocket, and reverse.

No land purchase. No construction. A good radius from any buildings in case of accident.

[robotresearcher]

London, Frankfurt, and Paris aren’t on the ocean. Three of the busiest airports in the world for business travelers.

[btilly]

They aren't, but a train to the ocean, then a rocket, is still massively faster than a transcontinental flight.