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Re:SpaceX indicates it will manufacture the BFR rocket in Lo... by Diederich on Tuesday March 20, 2018 @01:20PM (#16630569)
I don't think anybody is allowed to launch rockets from the United States where any part of the boost phase is over land.
Re:SpaceX indicates it will manufacture the BFR rocket in Lo... by zip1234 on Tuesday March 20, 2018 @02:19PM (#16631119)
Traditionally, rockets dropped their boosters. If they are no longer dropping large explosive things, such a requirement could go away.
Re:SpaceX indicates it will manufacture the BFR rocket in Lo... by lucideer on Tuesday March 20, 2018 @02:26PM (#16631176)
Even if the intent is not to drop boosters, as long as there's some reasonable chance boosters will be dropped (accidentally), I can see that requirement sticking around.
Re:SpaceX indicates it will manufacture the BFR rocket in Lo... by vkou on Tuesday March 20, 2018 @03:59PM (#16631994)
> If they are no longer dropping large explosive things

If you were a rocket engineer, would you stake your life on it? Every single launch?

Re:SpaceX indicates it will manufacture the BFR rocket in Lo... by baq on Tuesday March 20, 2018 @04:55PM (#16632546)
Are you afraid of jumbo jet engines falling out of the sky near airports?

Exactly, that's the end goal.

Re:SpaceX indicates it will manufacture the BFR rocket in Lo... by vkou on Tuesday March 20, 2018 @05:55PM (#16633090)
The energy output of a jumbo jet is four orders of magnitude less then that of a rocket. A jet engine is equivalent to a controlled fire. A rocket is equivalent to a controlled nuclear explosion.

There's almost as much energy stored in a BFR as there is in the nuclear bomb dropped on Hiroshima. This energy is released over 3 minutes.