Yep N1 had 30 of lesser power.. So.. Most powerful first stage ever?
Saturn V First Stage: 35.1 MN
N-1:^ 45.4
Space Shuttle Stack: 30.16 MN
Energya (4 Zenit + 4 RD-0120: 35'ish MN
Falcon 9 Heavy: 22.8 MN
Starship/Super Heavy:* 74 MN
SLS Block 1:* 38.3 MN
New Glenn:* 17.1 MN
Anyway, yes Starship/Super Heavy first stage stack is more powerful by quite a bit. The N-1 is surprising, compared to Saturn 5, but it must be remembered that Saturn's second stage was quite powerful in its own right. There are two very different schools of thought between both designs.
N1 was a 4 stage rocket. It's stages did not have as long a duration. Saturn V was a three stage rocket, but could use 2 stages for low earth orbit (which was how it put the Skylab station in orbit, using Skylab as an inert stage 3, so to speak). Saturn's 2nd and third stage were hydrolox engines, which have a much higher ISP than the kerolox used on stage 1. The J-2 motors of the 2nd and 3rd Saturn V stages had vaccum Isp of 421. The engines on the 2nd,3rd and 4th stages of the N1 were kerolox with Isp's in the 300's.So the N1 would have to burn it's 1st stage longer to make up for a weaker 2nd stage or would the burn times be the same but Saturn didn't need as much thrust because the 2nd stage could continue the heavy lifting?
I don't understand, whose technology will China bestealingbasing their own work on this time?
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