Re:SpaceX SN9 Explodes on Landing
by hinkley on Tuesday February 02, 2021 @05:38PM
(#26007981)
The Russians also were fond of “give it more gas”, which SpaceX has also embraced and Elon has called out before. The fuel is a real big piece of the launch cost but it’s far from the largest. If your rocket equation calls for a little extra fuel but in exchange you can use more reliable or at least less exotic parts, just do it.
[ Parent
| on HN ]
The fuel isn't even "a real big part" of the launch cost. It's well under 1% even for SpaceX [0]. But rockets are already just about as big as we know how to make them: the expensive thing is not filling the tank 10% fuller, but building a 10% bigger tank.
[0] https://space.stackexchange.com/questions/8330/what-is-the-c...