Heavy-lift launch vehicle
Class overview | |
---|---|
Name | Heavy-lift launch vehicle |
Preceded by | Medium-lift launch vehicle |
Succeeded by | Super heavy-lift launch vehicle |
Built | Since 1966 |
General characteristics | |
Capacity | 20,000 to 50,000 kg (44,000 to 110,000 lb) |
Aheavy-lift launch vehicleis an orbitallaunch vehiclecapable of generating a large amount of lift to reach its intended orbit. Heavy-lift launch vehicles generally are capable of lifting payloads between 20,000 to 50,000 kg (44,000 to 110,000 lb) (byNASAclassification) or between 20,000 to 100,000 kilograms (44,000 to 220,000 lb) (by Russian classification)[1]intolow Earth orbit(LEO).[2]As of 2024[update],operational heavy-lift launch vehicles include theLong March 5and theProton-M.[3]
In addition, theAngara A5,theFalcon 9 Full Thrust,theFalcon Heavy,theVulcan Centaur,Ariane 6,andNew Glennare designed to provide heavy-lift capabilities in at least some configurations but have not yet been proven to carry a 20-tonne payload into LEO. Several other heavy-lift rockets are in development. An HLV is betweenmedium-lift launch vehiclesandsuper heavy-lift launch vehicles.
Rated launch vehicles[edit]
Operational[edit]
Vehicle | Origin | Manufacturer | Mass to LEO (kg) | Heaviest launch | Launches[a] | First flight | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
...toLEOorMEO | ...toGTOorGSO | ...toHEOand beyond | ||||||
Long March 5/5B | ![]() |
CALT | 25,000[4] | 23,200[5] | 14,000[6] | 8,350to Moon[7] | 4 | 2016 |
Proton-M | ![]() |
Khrunichev | 23,000[8] | 23,200[9] | 6,740[10] | 3,755to Mars[11] | 1 | 2001 |
Angara A5 | ![]() |
Khrunichev KBKhA |
24,500[12][b] | — | 2,400[13] | — | 0 | 2014 |
Falcon Heavy[c] | ![]() |
SpaceX | 38,000–45,000[d] [14] |
3,700[e] | 6,465[15][f] | 1,300to Mars[16] | 0 | 2018 |
Vulcan Centaur | ![]() |
ULA | 25,000[17] | — | — | 1,283to Moon[18] | 0 | 2024 |
Under development[edit]
Vehicle | Origin | Manufacturer | Mass toLEO(kg) | Expected flight |
---|---|---|---|---|
New Glenn[19] | ![]() |
Blue Origin | 45,000[20] | 2024[21] |
Ariane 6(A64) | ![]() ![]() |
ArianeGroup | 21,650[22] | 2024[23][24] |
HLV | ![]() |
ISRO | 20,000 | TBD |
SHLV | ![]() |
ISRO | 41,300[25] | TBD |
Zhuque-3 | ![]() |
LandSpace | 21,000[26] | 2025 |
Gravity-2 | ![]() |
Orienspace | 25,600[27] | 2025 |
Terran R | ![]() |
Relativity Space | 33,500 | 2026[28] |
Angara-A5V | ![]() |
Khrunichev,Polyot | 38,000 | 2027 |
H3 Heavy | ![]() |
Mitsubishi | 28,300[29] | 2030 |
Retired[edit]
Vehicle | Origin | Manufacturer | Mass to LEO (kg) | Heaviest launch | Launches | First flight | Last Flight | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
...toLEOorMEO | ...toGTOorGSO | ...toHEOand beyond | |||||||
Delta IV Heavy | ![]() |
ULA | 28,790[30] | 21,000[31][h] | Classified[i] | 685toheliocentric orbit | 1 public (up to 4 classified) | 2004 | 2024 |
Saturn IB | ![]() |
Chrysler&Douglas | 21,000 | 20,847 | — | — | 2 | 1966 | 1975 |
Proton-K | ![]() ![]() |
Khrunichev | 19,760[32] | 22,776 | 4,723 | 6,220 | 4[33] | 1967 | 2012 |
Space Shuttle | ![]() |
USA | 24,400[j][34] | 22,753 | — | — | 11 | 1981 | 2011 |
Titan IV | ![]() |
Lockheed Martin | 21,680[35] | Classified[i][k] | Classified[i] | 5,712to Saturn | up to 7 (classified) | 1989 | 2005 |
Ariane 5 ECA/ES | ![]() ![]() |
Ariane Group | 21,000[37] | 20,293[38] | 11,210[39] | 6,161.4to Sun-EarthL2[40] | 4 | 2002 | 2023 |
Notes[edit]
- ^Only counting launches between 20,000 and 50,000 kg.
- ^from Vostochny cosmodrome
- ^When all cores are recovered. When the center core is expended, Falcon Heavy is classified as asuper heavy-lift launch vehiclewith a theoretical payload to LEO over 50,000 kg
- ^Depends on whether the center booster is recovered or not
- ^The 600 kgDSXwas boosted to Medium Earth Orbit
- ^to 90,000-km supersynchronousGTO
- ^The lead manufacturer is fromFrance,but the rocket has significant contributions from companies based inGermany,Italy,Spain,Belgium,Austria,SwitzerlandandSweden.
- ^The officially reported mass of 21,000 kg includes the Launch Abort System (LAS) which did not reach orbit, but excludes the residual mass of the upper stage, whichdidreach orbit, likely offsetting the mass of the LAS.
- ^abcActual payloads flown are classified under theNRO launch program.
- ^excluding orbiter weight
- ^KH-11launches had 19,600 kg[36]
- ^The lead manufacturer is fromFrance,but the rocket has significant contributions from companies based across Europe.
See also[edit]
- Comparison of orbital launch systems
- Comparison of orbital rocket engines
- Comparison of space station cargo vehicles
- List of orbital launch systems
- Sounding rocket,suborbital launch vehicle
- Small-lift launch vehicle,capable of lifting up to 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) to low Earth orbit
- Medium-lift launch vehicle,capable of lifting between 2,000 and 20,000 kg (4,400 and 44,100 lb) to low Earth orbit
- Super heavy-lift launch vehicle,capable of lifting more than 50,000 kg (110,000 lb) to Low Earth orbit
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