/sci/ - Science & Math

>>9256178
>>not much point in recovering only 1/3 of the stages
Yes you are right but I had something different in mind:
Imagine a world: Its 1973 and you need to design
a rocket like Falcon 9. You can make a decent Merlin 1D but with more mass and less isp and thrust. The rest of the rocket is mostly aluminium-lithium alloy so thats is not a problem.
Now you have two choices:
First you build 1:1 copy and you get less mass to LEO or you add few more engines to the first stage and more RP-1/LOX so you get the same mass to orbit.
I cant think of anything except sophisticated guidance that is stopping you in the early 80s.