Re:SpaceX Grasshopper Flies High
by jlgreco on Tuesday April 23, 2013 @02:02PM
(#5596824)
> "they have stages so that you don't spend 99% percent of your fuel pushing engines and tanks into orbit"
In fact you can kinda make a rocket that can reach orbit that doesn't have "stages" but rather jettisons engines themselves. Early Atlas rockets did this: they had one set of fuel tanks but two engines. About two minutes into the flight they would jettison one of the engines.
In fact you can kinda make a rocket that can reach orbit that doesn't have "stages" but rather jettisons engines themselves. Early Atlas rockets did this: they had one set of fuel tanks but two engines. About two minutes into the flight they would jettison one of the engines.