Ramirez looks ahead: Flying from Starbase to Europe or Asia within an hour

BROWNSVILLE, Texas – Brownsville City Manager Helen Ramirez gave an in-depth presentation at a recent TxDOT Border Trade Advisory Committee meeting, held at the Brownsville Events Center.

In her remarks – which the Rio Grande Guardian International News Service captured in full – Ramirez focused on transportation, infrastructure, and connectivity projects on the horizon for her city. 

However, when later taking questions from stakeholders in the audience, Ramirez gazed into her crystal ball. She said that thanks to SpaceX’s sub-orbital Point-to-Point (P2P) transportation vision, Brownsville could be an international hub for passengers wanting to fly to Europe or Asia within the hour.

“SpaceX is really looking looking at Point to Point travel,” Ramirez said. “Maybe that is going to Europe or going to Asia within an hour or an hour and a half from Starbase.”

Ramirez continued: “So when we look at airport hubs, this city could be its own international transportation hub, through a vehicle that’s not necessarily an airplane. I am just throwing that out there, about what our region can become. It might be more than what meets the eye right now.”

According to New Space Economy, a market research and analysis group, “several challenges” would need to be addressed before P2P cargo transportation becomes a reality. 

“Among these, the development of a global network of launch and landing sites is one of the most significant. Such infrastructure would need to safely accommodate the Starship spacecraft,” NSE says.

“Additionally, managing the sonic booms generated during supersonic flight and navigating various regulatory frameworks are important considerations to prevent disruption and ensure compliance with international standards.”

NSE says SpaceX’s Starship spacecraft is capable of reaching speeds upwards of 27,000 kilometers per hour (approximately 16,777 miles per hour).

“Starship could theoretically deliver payloads anywhere on Earth in less than an hour. This capability could revolutionize the transport of high-value, time-sensitive goods across vast distances,” the group said. 

Ramirez made her suggestion about Starship flying from Brownsville to Europe and Asia following an unrelated remark from Bobby Janecka, commissioner for the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. 

Janecka said the Rio Grande Valley should be excited about the possibility of the Port of Brownsville breaking up radioactive nuclear carriers that have been decommissioned by the U.S. Navy. “I think that’s exciting for Texas for a variety of reasons,” he said. 

Janecka pointed out that the Port of Brownsville is already in the business of breaking up decommissioned submarines and cruisers.

Ramirez responded that local residents would need reassurance that decommissioned nuclear carriers would not be radioactive by the time they reached the Port of Brownsville.

Here is a video recording of City Manager Ramirez’s presentation to the Border Trade Advisory Committee:

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