Hacker News new | ask | show | jobs
by bryanlarsen 260 days ago
Rocket launches emit less CO2 than a trans-pacific airline flight.
1 comments

> CO2-equivalent

I think what they were trying to get at is GHG emissions in general which there are more of than just CO2.

Full flow staged combustion engines like Starships do not have significant un-burnt methane. They run slightly fuel-rich, but that results in extra CO emissions rather than CH4 due to the temperatures involve -- methane cracks at 1200C, Starship engine temperature is 3000C.

Starship's operations in Boca Chica do emit methane during ground operations. The mitigation for that is to use a pipeline rather than trucks for delivery.

Solid rocket motors emit all sorts of nasty stuff, like aluminum particles.