The engine section will be in the 20+ tonne range, well beyond the capacity of a helicopter catch.
Well maybe they could build a larger version of SpaceX's FSV...... Dr Steven
Quote from: Ronsmytheiii on 03/24/2018 09:42 amWell maybe they could build a larger version of SpaceX's FSV...... Dr StevenAssuming FSV = First Stage Vehicle, I've had a quick look at replacing the core and two boosters with a kerolox stage using 19 AR-1 engines. Thrust would be 42.3 MN with 2724.3 t of propellant and dry mass of 152.7 t. The new stage has 8.92 GNs of impulse compared to 7.53 GNs for the SLS core and boosters, an 18% increase to help make up for reduced Isp of kerolox compared to hydrolox. I'm not confident though that would be enough without doing some further calculations. Adding fins and legs to the stage would then make it reusable. Here's what the engine arrangement would look like. (Thanks to http://hydra.nat.uni-magdeburg.de/packing/cci/cci19.html )