Quote:
Originally Posted by AlexanderHowl
Actually, we could have done the Dawn mission with TL7 technology according to Spaceships.
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I hate to break this to you, but the Chemical Rockets presented in
GURPS Spaceships are almost implausibly efficient compared to chemical rockets we have today. Even assuming that Fuel Tanks have a negligible dry mass, the specific impulse ends up around 468.38 seconds, slightly more efficient than modern upper stages. Adding in an adjustment for fuel tank structure makes them even more efficient. On top of this, rocket engines designed to operate from launch aren't even close to this level of efficiency because of higher thrust demands and pressure differences.