Falcon 9 Heavy business end

[Dr Mordrid]

The F9H being SpaceX's 27 engine heavy lift vehicle slated for around 2010/2011-ish.

In terms of mass to low Earth orbit F9H will lift about 38% more than the legendary Titan IV and about 21.5% more than the Space Shuttle:

F9H: 29,610 kg (65,280 lb) (more with engine updates and/or a cryogenic 2nd stage)

Space Shuttle: 24,400 kg (53,600 lb)

Titan IV: 21,680 kg (47,790 lb)

The below pic was created show what the Heavy's business-end would look like using base images of the 9 engine Falcon 9 (one being on the pad at the Cape now), the heavy being a core F9/2nd stage/payload with two other 1st stages connected as strap-on boosters (like the SRB's on the shuttle).

IMO it really drives home what a beast the F9H will be.

As I've said many times - I'd just love to see one of those baby's lift off, especially at night.

[Nowhere]

Isn't there a place for two more "SRBs", easily? Or...6, for a total of 8? :>

[Dr Mordrid]

Not really (G's too high).

Their next major engine step is an F1 class: a scaled up Merlin with 1.5 million lbs of thrust each, like those on the Saturn V. I wouldn't expect that until after the F9, Dragon & F9H have been flying a while. The plate is pretty full as it is with getting those flying, 12 Dragon missions to the ISS, the DragonLab (private or international Dragon missions), satellite missions (private and DoD) etc.

They'll be building more rocket engines/year than Russia and the US combined.

Launch simulation

[Nowhere]

Then use addiational "SRBs" as second or "1,5" stage?

[Dr Mordrid]

As it is a full core stage burn is 2 min 58 seconds and 2 of the 9 core engines
cut out 18 seconds before MECO (main engine cut off) to limit acceleration
(little fuel mass left so it peaks then). That plus the structure would have to be
greatly strengthened to handle the additional stress of 2 more strap-on's - something
it was never intended to do - and the theoretical payload you would need them for.

When you think about it the goal of more strap-on's would be to increase lift to
LEO/GTO or lunar/Mars transfer. Those jobs are best left to a follow on rocket
some are calling "Eagle". It would have a single, triple or your multi-core configuration,
depending on the mission, and each core would use the F1 class engine speculators
are calling the "Griffon".

A real monster.

Below is what the speculators have come up with as a SpaceX roadmap based on
their statements. The tonnage for F9/F9H is low because it was created before the
Merlin 1C engine upgrade.