New Space Thoughts

Calculations are made using current released Raptor 2 specs and Super Heavy and Starship estimations Raptor 2 ISP SL: 327-347 s ISP 2.26Mn-2.53Mn ISP Vac: 363-365 s ISP 2260000 / 327 / 9.8 = 705kgs 2530000 / 363 / 9.8 = 711kgs Thrust: 230t Weight: 1.6t Starship Block 1, 50t Cargo to 200km LEO (RTLS) 1st Stage Super Heavy Fuel: 3400t Boostback and Landing Fuel: 600t Residuals: 40t Dry Mass: 275t ISP: 337s ISP   327S + 347S / 2 Total Mass: 3675 DeltaV: 2613.58 m/s 2nd Stage Starship Fuel: 1200t Landing Fuel: 25t Residuals: 12t Dry Mass: 125t ISP: 356 s ISP [1041 (3x347) + 1095 (3x365] Mass at Stage Separation: 1375t DeltaV: 6527.16 m/s Totals Total Mass at launch: 5050t -------------------------------------------  S1             S2 2613.58 + 6527.16 + 416 (26' inclination of Boca Chica) =  9556.74 m/s ------------------------------------------- Starship Block 2, Raptor 2, 50t Cargo to 200km LEO (RTLS) 1st Stage Sup...

  Booster 7 in testing It may surprise some people but it's kind of known within the online space community that the SpaceX Super Heavy Booster, at least on paper, has the numbers to be a Single Stage To Orbit (SSTO) vehicle. I am pretty amazed by this and wanted to understand it a bit better. So here are the DeltaV calculations (I have used where I can reported figures for Raptor 2 and Starship/Super Heavy). Raptor 2, 327/363 ISP, 230t thrust, 1.6t weight, Super Heavy 3650t, 3400t fuel. If you add the gravity boost for launching east (460ms) you can see the booster alone can make Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Of course it would need modifications like a nosecone to actually achieve this which will add some weight. It does not have the reserves to land back on Earth from orbital velocity. Which is good because it also does not have the necessary shielding or flight profile as it was never intended to land from orbit. This means it's an expended launcher.  We can actually make these n...