From: henry@spsystems.net   
      
   In article <1102582482.138194.84540@c13g2000cwb.googlegroups.com>,   
     wrote:   
   >I gather Kistler's second first stage burn is a consequence of trying   
   >to recover the first stage on land, near the launch pad.  From what   
   >I've read, SpaceX appears to be trying to recover the first stage in   
   >the ocean, quite a ways downrange...   
      
   Bear in mind that Kistler's first stage was meant to be 100% reusable for   
   many flights, while SpaceX merely has a vague hope that some components of   
   the first stage might be reusable.   
      
   >...Somehow they've managed to develop two different   
   >engines and appear to be at least as far as Kistler was when it went   
   >bankrupt (and maybe farther).   
   >Elon must be a pretty good manager to get so much more for his buck.   
      
   Taking on traditional aerospace companies as major subcontractors is a   
   terrible mistake, which swallowed much of Kistler's money.   
   --   
   "Think outside the box -- the box isn't our friend."    |   Henry Spencer   
                                   -- George Herbert       | henry@spsystems.net   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
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