All Questions
6 questions
2votes
1answer
456views
Why aren't more companies manufacturing the RS-25 (Space Shuttle Main Engine)?
The RS-25 is a great engine with a terrific ISP. It was used 42 years ago (on April 12th 1981) for the first Space Shuttle flight; therefore, the most of the patents on it must have expired long ago. ...
- 9,353
-3votes
4answers
1kviews
Why was the Saturn V several times as expensive as falcon heavy despite only having twice its payload?
Saturn V could lift 140 tons to low earth orbit, Falcon Heavy can lift 64 (expendable configuration). But Saturn V cost several times more per launch. Why?
- 386
6votes
2answers
14kviews
Rocket fuel cost to launch 1 kg to orbit
I have 2 questions about the cost of liquid rocket fuel to launch (anything) to LEO orbit. Let's assume we use fuels used in commercial spaceflight today (probably LOX+LH2 or LOX+RP-1 etc.). What is ...
- 1,503
7votes
2answers
4kviews
Cheapest rocket to go to space?
Have you ever heard of the old movie Salvage? The TV movie, “Salvage,” aired on January 20, 1979. The film begins with Harry successfully bidding for a vintage bi-plane and then reselling it in pieces ...
10votes
1answer
2kviews
Roughly what percentage (by cost) of a Rocket Launch does stage 1 of the Falcon 9 Rocket represent? [duplicate]
As of a short time ago, SpaceX made history as the first entity *ever* to successfully re-land the initial stage of an orbital rocket. Up until this point, the dominating factor in the cost of Rocket ...
- 1,244
11votes
3answers
2kviews
Are we capable (engineering-wise) of building a spacecraft in space?
Rockets are expensive. And for the most part, one-time-use-only. SSTO promises to change that. However, SSTOs will have limited payload capacity (as will every launch vehicle), and eventually ...
- 1,199
