3

Given the problem of choosing to build and launch a small rocket to put a smallsat into orbit with either of these two configurations, what are the major tradeoffs between them?

For specific issues feel free to link to previous posts for supporting information.

  1. One 400 kN engine
  2. Eight 50 kN engines
uhoh
  • 148,791
  • 53
  • 476
  • 1,473
Muhammad Ahsan
  • 31
  • 1
  • 1
    Please edit the question to limit it to a specific problem with enough detail to identify an adequate answer. – Lady Be Good Oct 25 '23 at 09:48
  • 2
    There are engineering tradeoffs to analyze. But why stop at 8? Why not 400 1kn engines for example? – Jon Custer Oct 25 '23 at 12:31
  • Your tag implies the question is for a rocket, presumably a launch vehicle. Please make that clear in the title and question, as satellites (and airplanes) also have rocket engines. – Carlos N Oct 25 '23 at 16:17
  • 1
    Welcome to Stack Exchange! I think this would be a difficult question to answer as currently written because "better" is not a simple concept here. There are so may tradeoffs that there's not a single, simple answer. Because there are already two votes to close the question ("Needs details or clarity: This question should include more details and clarify the problem") I'll adjust your wording to ask "What are the major tradeoffs for a launch vehicle having either one 400 kN engine or eight 50 kN engines? – uhoh Oct 25 '23 at 21:06
  • 1
    The greater the number of anything, the greater the probability of something going wrong. Compare the number of launch engines for the Saturn V rocket with the Soviet equivalent, the N1. There were 13 successful launches of the Saturn V, but only four catastrophically failed launches of the N1. Keeping things simple is always a better option. – Fred Oct 26 '23 at 00:42
  • 2
    Does this answer your question? What challenges are there for more, smaller liquid fuel engines instead of one large? – Organic Marble Nov 05 '23 at 22:04
  • @OrganicMarble - the previous question only asked about the challenges of many engines, i.e. the con. This question is asking for both pro and con (after the fix by uhoh, the original question asked which is "best", which is unanswerable). And it defines a specific scenario, although maybe that has little effect on the possible answers. Perhaps a better approach to avoid duplication of information would be to start by referring to the list of cons in the previous question, and then ask what are the advantages of having many engines. And mention 1x400kN vs 8x50kN as an example not a constraint. – Steve Pemberton Nov 09 '23 at 12:43

0 Answers0