# Rockets and human power: Equipment and suppliers

Turbopumps, cooled chambers and chains that waste almost nothing

Source page: https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_rockets/equipment/

What this tab covers For each method, the main pieces of equipment, who makes them (by region) and what they are made of (bill of materials).

A liquid rocket stage is mostly tanks plus a few engines; a bicycle is a frame plus a drivetrain.

#### Liquid-propellant launch vehicle
**Liquid rocket engine**^[2](https://l3harris.com/sites/default/files/2024-07/l3harris-ar-rs-25-spec-sheet.pdf)^[3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9)^[11](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-glenn-launches-nasa-escapade-lands-fully-reusable-booster)

Pumps propellants into the chamber, burns them and expands the gas through a nozzle.
 United States SpaceX, L3Harris Aerojet Rocketdyne, Blue Origin

Bill of materials

- **Turbopumps**: high-speed turbines driven by hot gas; nickel superalloys not published
- **Combustion chamber**: copper-alloy liner cooled by propellant flowing in channels (regenerative cooling) not published
- **Nozzle**: regeneratively cooled metal or radiatively cooled extension not published
**Propellant tanks and stage structure**^[3](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9)^[4](https://satellitetoday.com/launch/2026/04/10/brycetech-report-shows-spacex-accounted-for-50-of-launches-in-2025/)^[11](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-glenn-launches-nasa-escapade-lands-fully-reusable-booster)

Hold propellant (about 89% of lift-off mass on Falcon 9) at the lowest possible empty mass.
 United States SpaceX, Blue Origin, Rocket Lab China CASC

Bill of materials

- **Tank walls**: aluminium-lithium alloy or stainless steel, or carbon composite on small rockets not published

#### Bicycle
**Drivetrain (chain, sprockets, derailleurs)**^[5](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/08/990819180058.htm)^[9](https://bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2026/02/10/global-performances-mixed-2025-shimano-reports-3-growth-bike-division)

Transmits pedal work to the wheel with selectable gear ratios.
 Japan and Korea Shimano

Bill of materials

- **Chain and sprockets**: hardened steel; aluminium or titanium for some sprockets not published
**Frame and wheels**^[8](https://bicycleretailer.com/international/2026/03/13/giant-ideal-and-tk-release-2025-earnings-reports-they-were)

Carries the rider; low mass and low rolling resistance save energy.
 Rest of world Giant (Taiwan), Merida (Taiwan)

Bill of materials

- **Frame**: aluminium alloy, carbon-fibre composite or steel not published

#### Sources

1. [RS-25 engine specification sheet](https://l3harris.com/sites/default/files/2024-07/l3harris-ar-rs-25-spec-sheet.pdf) L3Harris (Aerojet Rocketdyne), 2024
2. [Falcon 9](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_9) Wikipedia (compiling SpaceX data; figures as reported), 2026
3. [BryceTech report shows SpaceX accounted for 50% of launches in 2025 (BryceTech 2025 Year in Review)](https://satellitetoday.com/launch/2026/04/10/brycetech-report-shows-spacex-accounted-for-50-of-launches-in-2025/) Via Satellite, 2026
4. [Bicycle efficiency study (Spicer et al., Johns Hopkins University news release)](https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/08/990819180058.htm) ScienceDaily, 1999
5. [Giant, Ideal and TK release 2025 earnings reports](https://bicycleretailer.com/international/2026/03/13/giant-ideal-and-tk-release-2025-earnings-reports-they-were) Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, 2026
6. [Global performances mixed in 2025; Shimano reports 3% growth in bike division](https://bicycleretailer.com/industry-news/2026/02/10/global-performances-mixed-2025-shimano-reports-3-growth-bike-division) Bicycle Retailer and Industry News, 2026
7. [New Glenn launches NASA ESCAPADE, lands fully reusable booster](https://www.blueorigin.com/news/new-glenn-launches-nasa-escapade-lands-fully-reusable-booster) Blue Origin, 2025

## Other sections

- [Summary](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_rockets/index.md)
- [Overview](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_rockets/overview/index.md)
- [Correlation](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_rockets/correlation/index.md)
- [Science and limits](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_rockets/science/index.md)
- [Value chain](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_rockets/valuechain/index.md)
- [Unit economics](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_rockets/economics/index.md)
- [Engineering methods](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_rockets/methods/index.md)
- [Relationships](https://www.materialinsights.org/energy/e_rockets/links/index.md)