What I don't quite get is the planning doc said the LC-36/11 complex was for 'medium and heavy-lift class orbital launch vehicles'. I doubt anyone would characterise this thing as 'medium-lift'.
I can't wait to see this fly. Any mention of trying to recover the second stage?
Well, without landing infrastructure in place (barring landing on SpaceX's LZ-1) there is only two places where this launch can go! Up in flames or up into space!Flying Grasshopper style is what they are currently doing already with New Shepard, albeit... Grasshopper+++ style
Quote from: Beittil on 09/12/2016 02:48 pmWell, without landing infrastructure in place (barring landing on SpaceX's LZ-1) there is only two places where this launch can go! Up in flames or up into space!Flying Grasshopper style is what they are currently doing already with New Shepard, albeit... Grasshopper+++ style LZ-1 may not be just Spacex's
My main question is why the big tankage? Does the stoichiometry of LCH4 + LOX demand such a large tank? Seems like it would be slow to get off the pad even if it did have a higher MECO dV.
Quote from: wxmeddler on 09/12/2016 03:00 pmMy main question is why the big tankage? Does the stoichiometry of LCH4 + LOX demand such a large tank? Seems like it would be slow to get off the pad even if it did have a higher MECO dV.I'm thinking the relatively low density of LCH4 means that to reach your desired mass fraction targets you have to go wide. That's the trend anyway with Vulcan and BFR.