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SpaceX innovation has come from grit and many changes to manufacturing optimization. I wouldn't call it a quantum leap since the engine designs are effectively

SpaceX innovation has come from grit and many changes to manufacturing optimization. I wouldn't call it a quantum leap since the engine designs are effectively the same as 50 years ago. Not saying Merlin isn't impressive (it's amazing) but chemical rocket technology really hasn't changed at a fundamental level. Creating methane on a non-Earth body and using that to launch spacecraft would be a different story. ;)

kuschku 9y ago
Correct. SpaceX engines are very old, unsophisticated designs — SpaceX prefers to spend more time on the rest of the rocket. If you want to see the most advanced rocket engine on the planet, look at Arianespace's Vulcain instead. But it can't be used for vertical landings in the current version.
- ge96 9y ago
  What about Aerospike engines? haha nah, those things are just weird though wedges instead of delhaaval nozzles
- nickik 9y ago
  What are you talking about Vulcain is just a hydrolox gas-generator cycle. SpaceX Raptor engine, BlueOrigin BE-4, Space Shuttle Main Engine and a number of others are far more impressive then the Vulcain.
  - kuschku 9y ago
    I give you Raptor and BE-4, but Vulcain is definitely a lot more interesting than Merlin and the Space Shuttle engines.
    - nickik 9y ago
      Why? SSME is the highest performance engine ever, it a fuel rich staged combustion. Marlin is mostly interesting because of its thrust-to-weight ratio, but there I might agree with you.
- gozur88 9y ago
  The Merlin engines are using plain-vanilla technology, but the Raptor is going to be bleeding edge with a full flow staged combustion cycle.
127 9y ago
Given that I don't know anything about rocket engine technology; the CPU is essentially the same as it was 40 years ago. Yet the technology is used in radically different ways using much more optimal manufacturing technologies. It's still a bunch of transistors on silicon.
- dredmorbius 9y ago
  Go watch the MOAD, and realise that most of what's changed is cost, scale, ubiquity, and speed. That's pretty much the definition of incrementalism. Yes, there've been a number of watershed transitions, but when you're increasing capability/cost by a factor of ten each decade, that's expected. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yJDv-zdhzMY https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yJDv-zdhzMY

kuschku 9y ago

Correct. SpaceX engines are very old, unsophisticated designs — SpaceX prefers to spend more time on the rest of the rocket. If you want to see the most advanced rocket engine on the planet, look at Arianespace's Vulcain instead. But it can't be used for vertical landings in the current version.

ge96 9y ago
What about Aerospike engines? haha nah, those things are just weird though wedges instead of delhaaval nozzles
nickik 9y ago
What are you talking about Vulcain is just a hydrolox gas-generator cycle. SpaceX Raptor engine, BlueOrigin BE-4, Space Shuttle Main Engine and a number of others are far more impressive then the Vulcain.
- kuschku 9y ago
  I give you Raptor and BE-4, but Vulcain is definitely a lot more interesting than Merlin and the Space Shuttle engines.
  - nickik 9y ago
    Why? SSME is the highest performance engine ever, it a fuel rich staged combustion. Marlin is mostly interesting because of its thrust-to-weight ratio, but there I might agree with you.
gozur88 9y ago
The Merlin engines are using plain-vanilla technology, but the Raptor is going to be bleeding edge with a full flow staged combustion cycle.

127 9y ago

Given that I don't know anything about rocket engine technology; the CPU is essentially the same as it was 40 years ago. Yet the technology is used in radically different ways using much more optimal manufacturing technologies. It's still a bunch of transistors on silicon.

dredmorbius 9y ago
Go watch the MOAD, and realise that most of what's changed is cost, scale, ubiquity, and speed. That's pretty much the definition of incrementalism. Yes, there've been a number of watershed transitions, but when you're increasing capability/cost by a factor of ten each decade, that's expected. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yJDv-zdhzMY https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=yJDv-zdhzMY