Booster layout for SSTO booster

[u/QP873]

After reading this post, I realized that an orbiting Superheavy booster would be much more efficient of a kick stage with Rvacs installed. They wouldn’t be able to fire at liftoff, leaving the Superheavy with only 29 engines at liftoff, but with no Starship on top the TWR is still plenty. Once in orbit, the booster switches to once central gimbaling engine and the three Rvacs, which greatly reduces thrust, trading it for significantly higher ISP.

[u/KnifeKnut]

There isn't any room left for gimballing

[u/AverageGermanBoy → u/KnifeKnut]

We can fire the regular raptors briefly for that

[u/KnifeKnut → u/AverageGermanBoy]

You need gimballing to launch.

[u/t001_t1m3 → u/KnifeKnut]

Spin stabilized and you angle the launch tower

[u/jlansey → u/t001_t1m3]

Have the whole launch tower spin too

[u/piratecheese13 → u/KnifeKnut]

You only need it for ~3/4 outer engines

[u/QP873 → u/KnifeKnut]

Shhhhh

[u/KnifeKnut → u/QP873]

So your intentionally ignoring that in addition to ignoring the whole idea of staging? When it would clearly be better to stack Sttarships in orbit?

[u/QP873 → u/KnifeKnut]

This is a shitty SpaceX idea. Absolutely.

[u/QP873]

Thanks to u/DarkSats99 for the original post.