What crucial operational goal is directly supported by methane's cleaner burn characteristics?

Rapid turnaround for launch

Rapid turnaround is a vital economic metric for any reusable launch system, as the primary financial benefit is derived from flying the same hardware frequently. Since methane burns cleaner than RP-1, it drastically simplifies the post-flight process related to engine maintenance and inspection. Less soot and residue mean that engineers spend less time cleaning, inspecting, and certifying the engines for their next flight. This minimization of downtime between missions directly facilitates rapid turnaround capability. Without the ability to quickly turn around hardware, the financial incentive to invest heavily in complex recovery systems would be severely diminished, making rapid turnaround a key objective aligned with the choice of methane propellant.