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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 unco
by aphextron 9y ago
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't the way to go for high speed transportation. More traditional airframes and scramjets are far more likely to make hypersonic travel a reality.
- ceejayoz 9y agoIf John Glenn could do a Shuttle flight at 77, I suspect you're overstating the difficulties here. People voluntarily subject themselves to 3+ Gs and 360 degrees pitch/roll at amusement parks daily, with fairly minimal levels of physical fitness being required.
- jjeaff 9y agoIf the full 30 minute flight is like a roller coaster, I would be green by the time we got there and probably have a full puke bag. But I'd still prefer that to a 12 hr long haul flight in coach.
- samastur 9y agoIf you could afford flying on a rocket, I bet you can also afford flying first-class. Would that alter your preference?
- chapium 9y agoJohn Glenn is an exceptional case however. His career was in rocket travel and experimental aircraft.
- TallGuyShort 9y agoYou know John Glenn's name precisely because he is exceptional. I would certainly choose the discomfort of a 2-minute roller coaster over the discomfort of a 2-hour commercial flight, but... a man who set milestones in American spaceflight and was trained by NASA for a shuttle mission is hardly the baseline.
- 3pt14159 9y agoI'm guessing C-levels are going to start getting into shape if they have 20+ less hours on planes during their day.
- soared 9y ago20 minutes of discomfort to save 12+ hours of flight time? Sounds worth it to me.
- aphextron 9y agoSure, 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.
- soared 9y agoTrue, 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-love-to-fly-they-also-complain-about-it-a-lot-but-probably-less-than-you-think/#4b73e01f6423 https://www.forbes.com/sites/danielreed/2016/04/14/americans...
- baq 9y ago...only? that's a first world problem if i've ever seen one :)
- soared 9y agohaha well I meant only 45% of the population isn't really "the masses"
- lccarrasco 9y agoI'd argue that it is, that's almost half the total population and an even larger percentage of working age adults.
- manicdee 9y agoHow many of that 45% took a first class or business class international flight?
- dangero 9y agoThis may be a stupid question, but could people be put under for 30 minutes and just be woken up at landing?
- ceejayoz 9y agoNo. General anesthesia is a risky procedure, requiring constant one-on-one monitoring by a anesthesiologist.
- mulmen 9y agoSounds like an industry ready for disruption. If only these damn regulations weren't holding us back. /s (sort of).
- glbrew 9y agoGE has been trying to disrupt anesthesia for quite some time: http://www3.gehealthcare.com/en/products/categories/anesthesia_delivery http://www3.gehealthcare.com/en/products/categories/anesthes... Edit: Since its not obvious, they have some machines that can go in autonomous mode and alert the hospital if the patient needs an actual doctor to fix something.
- assblaster 9y agoCan you show me a GE product which doesn't need an anesthesiologist present at all times? As far as I can tell, none of those devices acts autonomously or even close to it.
- Ajedi32 9y agoSo you'd need a licensed anesthesiologist monitoring every passenger? Sounds expensive.
- assblaster 9y agoIt's a matter of monitoring and dosage. You can easily do mass scale sedation with proper monitoring and appropriate patient selection. If your BMI is over 25 or you have OSA, you wouldn't qualify. If you're healthy, fit, and consenting, you could be sedated for a long haul flight and have minimal hangover, perhaps even feeling rested.
- mikeash 9y agoDon’t underestimate the discomfort of spending a dozen hours in economy class. I’d take the rocket ride every day and twice on Sunday over that, and I’m not terribly fond of crazy rides.
- huhtenberg 9y ago> a full 360 degrees of pitch/roll Can't this be somewhat alleviated with some sort of free 360 deg. rotating suspension of the passenger cabin? So that the G forces are at least pointing "down".
- sunstone 9y agoI wonder if 3G's while lying on your back on a gel cushion isn't a lot easier to take than 3G's standing on your feet?
- Diederich 9y agoIt certainly is more comfortable; is it more comfortable enough? I'm betting a lot of people would be fine with it.
- FullMtlAlcoholc 9y agoYou seem to underestimate how annoying modern air travel is, at least in America. One has to stand in at least 3 different lines (baggage, security, boarding) before getting on the plane. Whether in the terminal or on the aircraft, the seating feels like it was designed to be as uncomfortable as possible. I imagine that there will be people willing to travel via rocket just because of the 3+ G's. And I'd take a 30 minute roller coaster ride over a 10 hr first class flight any time, all the time. Less time spent flying > comfort while flying. One immediate benefit is that one doesn't have to take a week or more off of work for intercontinental travel. Weekend jaunts to Pattaya or the Alps are possible when you aren't spending 20+ hours in transit.