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We lived in much more interesting times. N1 rocket 40 years ago had better isp. And "Energia" single unit (up to 8 could be equipped in a single complex) had isp of 476s 20 (yes, twenty) years ago. This enabled the USSR to send 20t to Mars or 8t to Jupiter in 1991.

But the USSR falled, and this tech will never be recovered.

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The Antares rocket uses, or is about to use, NK-33 engines recovered from the N1 program. The reason these engines are so efficient is that they are closed loop. But that doesn't mean they are overall cost efficient. Of course when you're going beyond orbit the calculations change.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Staged_combustion_cycle_(rocket... http://www.orbital.com/Antares/

>>But the USSR falled, and this tech will never be recovered.

Ugly fallout of politics. By the way what happened to all the technology and intellectual power?

I mean shouldn't Russia still have it?

http://youtu.be/WmR1QRGeBV4?t=2m7s

Not really politics. Those rockets didn't work very well. (did the N1 ever have a successful flight?)

Russia had plenty of stuff that DID work well, and managed to make a business out of selling launch services.

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