New SpaceX Raptor Engine Beats the Chamber Pressure of Russia’s RD-180 Engine, According to Elon Musk

Author: Matt Williams / Source: Universe Today

2019 has been shaping up to be an interesting year for SpaceX and its founder, Elon Musk. After completing work on the miniaturized version of the Starship (Starship Alpha or “Starship hopper”) over the holidays, SpaceX moved ahead with the test-firing of its new Raptor engine in late January/early February.

In accordance with Musk’s vision, these engines will give the Starship the necessary thrust to reach the Moon and Mars.

The test-firing took place at SpaceX’s Rocket Development and Test Facility, located just outside of McGregor, Texas. As Musk recently

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, the tests went very well, achieving the thrust necessary for both the Starship and its first-stage booster, the Super-Heavy. Musk also claimed that the engine

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for combustion chamber pressure, which was established by the Russian RD-180.

The RD-180 was the product of the Soviet-era Energia rocket program, which sought to create a super-heavy launch vehicle that would take the reusable Buran spacecraft (Russia’s version of the Space Shuttle) into orbit. While the program was discontinued, the engine survived and was even imported to the US, where it became part of Lockheed Martin’s Atlas III rocket and United Launch Alliance’s Atlas V.

Raptor reached 268.9 bar today, exceeding prior record held by the awesome Russian RD-180.

Great work by @SpaceX engine/test team! pic.twitter.com/yPrvO0JhyY

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk)

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For decades, the RD-180 and its predecessor (the RD-170) held the record for…

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