[AR] Re: SpaceX F9 Launch/Update -- Live Link
- From: David Weinshenker <daze39@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: arocket@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
- Date: Tue, 29 Dec 2015 18:10:40 -0800
On 12/29/2015 04:14 PM, Alexander Ponomarenko wrote:
I heard that a number of SSME prototypes were consumed in the
process of discovering a safe startup sequence... it wouldn't
surprise me if there were similar experiences "over there",
during the initial development of the RD-180.
Indeed, the development of RD-170 was *very* difficult, with a lot of
consumed prototypes.
But development of RD-180 was fast and smooth because of previous
experience and similar design.
Understandable that SpaceX might have wanted to take that learning-curve
out of the critical path leading up to the first (at least) flyable
engines, then. (That strikes me as a perfectly respectable reason for
making a choice in favor of a simpler-to-develop gas generator design,
compared to which, any differences in performance would be of a purely
incremental nature.)
-dave w
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