Ian Woollard wrote:
> There's also the Russian N-1 'moon' rocket as a datapoint. It had:
>
> 1. 30 NK-33 LOX/kerosene engines; 10.1 million lb. total thrust.
> 2. 8 NK-43 LOX/kerosene engines; 3.1 million lb. total thrust.
> 3. 4 NK-39 engines; 360,800 lb. total thrust.
> 4. 1 NK-31 engine; 90,200 lb. thrust; trans-lunar boost stage.
> 5. 1 engine; 19,200 lb. thrust; lunar orbit insertion & initial lunar
> descent stage.
>
> They NEVER managed to launch it successfully ;-)
>
> I include it as an example of what you have to start to worry about if
> go with a lot more engines.
>
> (The biggest problems they had was that their turbopumps weren't able to
> spool up quickly enough to keep the rocket pointing in the right
> direction, all those engines basically guaranteed multiple failures, and
> the system that detects engine failures tended to shut down the wrong
> engine... leaving that engine on fire, and so with a LOX supply- ouch.)
>
> Based on the Russian experience I think I would vote for having less
> than 44 engines ;-)
That's like saying "based on the experience of the Edsel, you can't
manufacture cars in America". We've learned a lot about multiple
engines from the days of the N-1 and we're not planning anything of
the complexity and size of that. Multiple identical engines, better
propellants, no turbo pumps, much better sensors and computers, and
better testing - not to mention not having Kruschev breathing down
our backs with the threat of Golag) should make for a much more usable
design than the N-1. We may not be able to get it to work, but the
advantages offered make it worth trying.
Michael
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Michael Wallis KF6SPF (408) 396-9037 [EMAIL PROTECTED]
President, Wallis International http://www.wallis.com
Jay Cuccia:
"The secret to a happy marriage is to live each day as if it were your
last, but each night as if it were your first."
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