What primary benefit does burning methane offer over traditional kerosene (RP-1) for engine reuse?

It burns cleaner, which reduces soot buildup on engines, simplifying refurbishment

The transition to methane fuel is strongly linked to operational efficiency goals, particularly regarding engine reuse. Methane burns significantly cleaner when compared to traditional kerosene (RP-1), which is known to leave substantial soot deposits on engine components after firing. The reduction in soot buildup directly translates into less intensive maintenance and refurbishment requirements for the engines between flights. By minimizing the work needed to clean and inspect the engines, this cleaner combustion characteristic directly supports the critical goal of achieving a rapid turnaround time, which is essential for making the high initial development cost of reusable systems economically justifiable.