2 ms·
The full flow cycle of the raptors means they do 2x preburn for oxidizer and fuel to spin the turbines to generate the pressure required for the pressure ratio.
by ActorNightly 6mo ago
The full flow cycle of the raptors means they do 2x preburn for oxidizer and fuel to spin the turbines to generate the pressure required for the pressure ratio. If a small part of this fails for whatever reason, or is out of sync, either engine doesn't start or goes kaboom.
Ascent isn't the problem its the relighting of them on the way down.
- inglor_cz 6mo agoI agree, relighting is tricky, not just because of the limitations that you describe, but because there is a lot less cumulative experience with relighting of engines than simply lighting them at the launch. We (as the entire humanity) have seen tens of thousands of rocket motors lit on ascent, orders of magnitude than those relit. Raptors don't seem to be prone to kabooms during flight, probably because the command unit switches them off in case of any suspicion.