3 ms·
Ok, so with each kg of kerosene burned emitting 3.6 kg of CO2 about 85% of a launch is due to the kerosene. Whether 15% is significant or not is in the eye of
by Symmetry 5y ago
Ok, so with each kg of kerosene burned emitting 3.6 kg of CO2 about 85% of a launch is due to the kerosene. Whether 15% is significant or not is in the eye of the beholder but I don't think my contention was unreasonable. There are, of course, ground crews and radars and tarmacs and so forth associated with a rocket launch but the same is true with a 777 flight as well. Most 777 flights aren't to the plane's max range, this is more of a Pacific crossing fuel consumption but I still think its broadly comparable.
The big difference, I guess, is that a Falcon 9 might only make it through 10 or 20 flights while a 777 might do thousands. That is a big difference in energy usage but I don't feel competent to try to quantify it.