This comment linked in this answer to the question How does the camera make the exhaust of the Electron's RP-1/LOX exhaust transparent? says
Some quick calculation suggests the thickness of the exhaust plume from a Rutherford is about 1/6 that of a Merlin 1D, 1/18 that of an F-1.
This led me to wonder if the Rutherford is the smallest RP-1/LOX engine to be used in spaceflight.
Is it the smallest for orbital launches?
Have smaller ones been used for suborbital spaceflight for scientific purposes?


