Hi Paul & Group - and happy new year!

I run into this when browsed TC images on google:
http://www.enginehistory.org/vicenzi.htm
probably this has been posted before, but i have forgot ;)

And one semi-ot thing that i cannot understand. I think that some of you
have wrestled with rocket boosters before...
www.spacex.com - that's Elon Musk's (paypal founder) rocket company that
is going to "revolutionize the space access".

There's some figures on their specs that i don't understand.
Namely, how can you get 12 tons stuff to low earth orbit with a rocket
with specs like this:
Launch mass: 337 000 kg, 1 stage Isp 275, 2 stage isp 304.

My spreadsheet gives only 3.5 tons max with these 2 stages. I would
suspect my undergraduate abilities, but my sheet agrees perfectly with
Saturn IB specs on http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/saturni.htm - just
spacex falcon 9 specs seem to be "a bit" off...

Is there Unobtainium somewhere?
You know that handy stuff that is used on government contracts, that
when exposed to daylight decomposes instantly to Costoverrunium and
Specdowngradium on arbitrary ratios...

Otherwise, Mr. Musk seems to be very inventive and reasonable person.
Maybe we can talk him to support our compound  mission?
He seems to live almost on your neck of woods, Paul - How about paying a
visit? :D

Cheers,

Petri