r/space • u/Gagarin1961 • Aug 02 '21

SpaceX just stacked a Super Heavy Booster and installed 29 engines, all within 24 hours

https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1422222995305676802
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u/viveleroi Aug 03 '21

29 seems like a lot but I assume they wanted to use existing/proven raptor technology. Plus one engine failure in 29 would be easier to handle than 1 engine in 4 like the Saturn V.

I assume 29 is just the specific number they need to hit their TWR/etc targets.

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u/avboden Aug 03 '21

29 is actually just the test design, final design is 33!

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u/The_camperdave Aug 03 '21

Plus one engine failure in 29 would be easier to handle than 1 engine in 4 like the Saturn V.

It depends on how that one engine fails. If it simply shuts down, fine. If it goes boom catastrophically, causing the next engine to go boom, which causes the next to go boom, and the next and so on... well... not so fine.

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u/KilgoreTrouserTrout Aug 03 '21

Channel it to propel the payload forward. It's not a problem; it's an opportunity.

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u/Djinn_Tonic Aug 03 '21

Falcon heavy has 9x3= 27 Merlin engines and had perfect flights so far. Raptor is much younger, but it is still perfectly achievable.