/sci/ - Science & Math

>>12570453
Would be great but they'd have to build an entirely new Falcon Superheavy core, as it is they're pushing the structural limits of the current core stage, with the power of the boosters threatening to collapse it like a pop can during takeoff. A four booster Falcon without an enhanced core and reinforced fairing would pancake the upper stage flat with aerodynamic force and peel the core apart in four directions.
You'd have to halve the number of Merlins on each booster as well as rebuilding the core and aerodynamic shell, and the entire second stage.
Falcon is actually too powerful to uprate or upgrade much more without fundamentally altering the design. If you did make Falcon Superheavy though and took the opportunity to utilize fuel interchange between boosters (3+4 to 1+2, 1+2 to core) and assuming that the amount of payload added is the same 54 tons extra that FH adds to F9, you'd end up with a highly efficient lifter that could take a payload of up to 116 tons.
Give it an oversized 2S and larger diameter fairing and you'd be competing directly with next generation heavy lifters at least for raw payload.

Imagine the THROOOST!

Why bother with starship? Why not just tape a few more Falcon 9s together?

>>11714307

>>11593100
yeeet