"Christopher M. Jones" wrote in message
...
Henk Boonsma wrote:
"Damon Hill" wrote in message
1...
At some point, clustering the existing CBCs gets unwieldy and
hits an upper limit in performance; Boeing proposes a new and
larger CBC for a next-generation heavy lifter that achieves
and exceeds Saturn V class performance.

I'm pretty sure that the next Atlas will not rival or exceed the Saturn
V as
that would require a 500% boost in payload capacity.

Boeing does not make the Atlas. Damon is describing a
descendent of the Delta IV common core booster which is
larger than the current version. Clusters of that
larger core could conceivably achieve Saturn V
performance, especially considering that configurations
using not just 3, but 5 or more common cores have been
proposed.

Still that does not change the fact that the Delta-IV-H has only 1/5th the
load capacity of the Saturn V and will therefore need a five-vold increase
in capacitity to match the old Saturn V. I simply don't see them doing that
in the next generation (if ever).