We need a better way to get to space

Re:We need a better way to get to space by Mvandenbergh on Monday November 09, 2015 @01:41PM (#10534869)

For all that effort to reduce oxidiser mass by using atmospheric oxygen, it's still 80% propellant by mass. Saturn V was 85%.

Still impressive if they can make it work, since of course Saturn V wasn't reusable.

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Re:We need a better way to get to space by avmich on Monday November 09, 2015 @01:52PM (#10534935)

So, with Saturn-5 only 15% was dry mass - and with Skylon 20%? That's 33% increase. Moreover, Saturn-5 was staged - and Skylon is single-stage, and have single stage to orbit with 20% dry mass looks somewhat like a miracle.

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