SpaceX Raptor Has More Than the Power Needed for Super Heavy Booster and Starship

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The SpaceX Super Heavy booster and Starship need the raptor engine to have at least 170 tons of thrust and tests have now proved more that level of thrust.

This power level was achieved with warm fuel. An actual launch will freeze the fuel to cryogenic temperatures which will increase the thrust by 10 to 20% more. The thrust level will reach 187 to 204 tons of power.

Nextbigfuture predicts that a full version SpaceX Super Heavy Starship will launch into orbit by the end of 2020.

The reasons for my confidence in a fast successful launch of the SpaceX Super Heavy Starship.
* SpaceX has experience with the Merlin engine develop and previous hop tests.
* SpaceX successfully launched the Falcon Heavy into space on their first attempt
* SpaceX has had over 65 successful Falcon 9 launches and a successful Falcon Heavy launch
* SpaceX has a proven Pica-X heat shield material
* SpaceX can sacrifice payload capacity from the 100-ton reusable level in order to resolve any heat shield issues on a first version.
* SpaceX can compensate for any transpiration cooling difficulties with Pica-X heat shielding over less than 20% of the vehicle.

A fully reusable SpaceX Super Heavy Starship with 70+ tons of reusable capacity will get contracts and funding from the US Air Force and other sources. The success will increase the pressure to terminate the Space Launch System and Orion. If funds are diverted from Space Launch System and Orion to SpaceX, then SpaceX will have all the funding needed to perfect later versions of the SpaceX Super Heavy Starship.

It would be difficult for NASA and the US military to pass up a massive global dominance in space launch technology.

Here are earlier Kimi Talivitie SpaceX rocket renderings.

SpaceX Unmanned Test for the NASA Crewed Launch Dragon is Targeting March 2, 2019