How much greater is the maximum speed achievable in free space with a two-stage rocket than with a single-stage rocket? The mass of the second stage of a two-stage rocket is M1/M2 = a = 0.1 of the mass of the first stage, and the ratio of the fuel mass to the total mass of the stage in all cases is Mg/M = k = 0.9. Relative to rockets, the gas outflow velocities in the compared rockets are the same and equal to u = 2000 m/s.

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