Starship's spaceflight arc proves progress; passenger NYC–Shanghai service remains speculative.
SpaceX’s 2017 concept of New York–Shanghai travel in 39 minutes via a spacebound Starship has moved from fantasy toward reality: a later Starship test flew through space, endured re-entry and landed, showing the middle of the journey is feasible. However, a full passenger service requires offshore terminals, reliable, repeatable reuse, regulatory approvals, and proven life-support and evacuation systems—so the 39‑minute figure remains the rocket portion, not a booked door‑to‑door trip.