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Maybe not once you consider the R&D costs of figuring out how not to melt a solid gold Merlin engine ;)



... surprisingly, this is not much of an issue. The key property for keeping a rocket engine from melting is not high melting point, but high thermal conductivity. Because of this, all the parts that touch the hot flame are made from a copper alloy, with a melting point not far from that of pure gold.

In the chamber, the hot gases are >3500K, and touching the inner walls with a melting point at ~1400K, yet the walls don't melt, because they are cooled with more power than they are heated.


> they are cooled with more power than they are heated

I'd argue that they're being cooled with equal power, otherwise they could freeze infinitely which is physically impossible.


This man (err, bot?) contracts!


There is that... ;-)




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