Can the FH center handle max payload??

[cferreir]

Have not heard a discussion if the FH center stack can handle the max (or close to max) weight that the FH can lob to LEO. Seems to me that it would have to be significantly reinforced to handle such an increase in payload. What do you smarter folk think?

[Coastal Ron]

Plenty of discussion and debate on this topic - just search the forums.

[OxCartMark]

It is significantly reinforced to handle the increase in payload.  The center core is not the same as the side cores or the F9 core for a few reasons but mostly due to this reinforcement to handle the increased payload.  I'm not one of the smarter folk that you were seeking but I know that there were smarter folk at SpaceX who worked this problem.  Some of them had engineering degrees and calculators

[envy887]

Max payload is a lot lighter than the combination of fueled upper stage and max dynamic pressure, so the answer is almost certainly yes. A better question is whether the second stage can handle it, but even that is likely yes.