Care to travel in space for what’s estimated to be the same cost as that of a full fare economy commercial flight? Well, what once seemed like a pipedream is assured to us by Elon Musk as something that will be happening sooner rather than later! Musk is founder of Space Exploration Technologies, better known as SpaceX, a California-based space transport and aerospace manufacturer.
Early today, Musk announced that he plans to make city-to-city commuting via space travel a reality, promising metro-to-metro travel in a scant sixty minute flight or less. Even more surprising is that he claims the out-of-this-world flights will equal traditional commercial air travel in the price of ticketing. Going a step further, the company discussed plans to regularly carry individuals to the Moon and also described interplanetary travel, beginning with Mars, using SpaceX’s new fleet of spacecraft, affectionately named the “BFR.” B is for big. R is for rocket. Use your imagination to figure out the F.
The BFR system is under development and expected to make trips to a “Moon Alpha Base” for lunar landings, along with operations on Mars, and of course the point-to-point travel on Earth as well. Musk seemed cautiously optimistic in his presentation in Adelaide, Australia that the production of BFR could begin as early as the second quarter of 2018.
Will the days of your “head being in the clouds,” be rapidly replaced with a new era of your “head being in the stars”? Only time and rocket manufacturing will tell!
