Forget thrust to weight ratio! One key metric for Starship / SuperHeavy that& #39;s vital is thrust to area ratio!!! Raptor is currently at 270-ish bar & 1.66 mN for SN5/6/8. It& #39;s slightly below Merlin, but once ramped up to operational levels, it can easily match and exceed Merlin!

By the time you factor in the overall footprint with the turbopump / gas generator exhaust of the Merlin compared to Raptor, PLUS the ISP advantage with Raptor, you really begin to understand just how game changing this engine really is.

After all, when you have a fixed area to work with, like the bottom of Starship w/ its 9m diameter, cramming as many engines in that confined space can matter as much as TWR! Just a fun thing I& #39;ve been thinking about lately. Maybe I can ask @elonmusk about it next time we chat!

All this to be said, my "Family Tree of Soviet Rocket Engines" video is currently on hold for IMPORTANT peer review, so I decided it& #39;s time to go over every detail, change & upgrade from Falcon 9 to Starship. I& #39;m almost done scripting & will shoot before heading down to see SN8!