SpaceX's Starship could ferry people on high-speed trips around Earth
SpaceX , led by Elon Musk , is rekindling plans to revolutionize long-distance travel through its Starship rocket, aiming to fly passengers between continents at unprecedented speeds. The ambitious “Earth to Earth” project would allow up to 1,000 passengers to soar through space to destinations worldwide, drastically cutting travel times. Musk says the technology is “now possible” and envisions journeys taking as little as 30 minutes from London to New York.
The Starship rocket, known as the world’s most powerful spacecraft, would launch passengers into low-Earth orbit, maintaining a parallel trajectory with Earth rather than heading into deep space. This approach lets Starship “hop” across the globe, delivering passengers to another city in under an hour. Musk sees this breakthrough benefiting both business travelers and tourists willing to pay a premium for the time savings.
SpaceX’s promo footage, originally released in 2017, illustrates a futuristic journey: passengers boarding a boat in New York City ’s Hudson River are shuttled to an offshore launch pad where the stainless-steel Starship awaits. At a speed of 16,700 mph, Starship would reach Shanghai in just 39 minutes—a stark contrast to the 15-hour commercial flight today.
During the flight, passengers would experience intense G-forces on takeoff and landing, which may require them to keep seatbelts tightly fastened. To maintain stability, travelers may need to recline their seats and follow guidance to “clench their buttocks” to counteract the forces as they enter and exit Earth’s atmosphere.
In this high-speed scenario, the concept of in-flight amenities changes dramatically. Musk has previously mentioned that there would be “no toilets, pilot area, or food galley” on these brief journeys, lasting just 15-20 minutes in some cases. Passengers would likely need to use restrooms on the transport boat, ensuring they’re prepared for the journey’s unique demands.
Musk's recent comments suggest that the project could soon receive approval from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), potentially under regulatory adjustments aligned with Trump's administration. Advocates of the plan believe that Trump's FAA could expedite the approval process for these high-speed, space-based flights, helping realize Musk’s vision within a few years.
While SpaceX envisions Starship primarily as a vessel for lunar and Martian missions, its high-speed Earth-to-Earth capabilities could have transformative implications. The rocket, slated to land NASA astronauts on the moon in 2026 as part of the Artemis 3 mission, might pave the way for future interplanetary travel, with Mars on the horizon for 2028, marking the first time humans could walk on another planet.
The promo footage demonstrates Starship’s off-shore landing technique: after its sub-orbital journey, the vessel touches down with precision on a floating platform near Shanghai. SpaceX advertises that most intercontinental flights could be completed in under 30 minutes, giving the rocket a striking advantage over traditional air travel in both time and distance.
Behind Starship’s impressive performance lies a new era in rocket technology. Just last month, SpaceX achieved a landmark feat by successfully “catching” Starship’s booster stage using a pair of metal “chopsticks,” marking a step forward in reusability. Musk celebrated the event on social media, calling it “a day for the engineering history books,” with SpaceX continuing to push boundaries in aerospace innovation.
As SpaceX advances toward interplanetary missions, with Mars flights planned as early as 2026, the development of Earth-to-Earth travel shows the company’s commitment to transforming life both on and beyond our planet. Musk’s vision hints at a future where rapid, space-based travel could become routine, potentially reshaping how people perceive global travel distances and the boundaries of human exploration.
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