From left: Falcon Heavy, Long March 5, Proton-M | |
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 vehicle is an orbital launch vehicle capable 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) (byNASA classification) or between 20,000 to 100,000 kilograms (44,000 to 220,000 lb) (by Russian classification)[1] into low Earth orbit (LEO).[2] As of 2024[update], operational heavy-lift launch vehicles include the Long March 5 and the Proton-M.[3]
In addition, the Angara A5, the Falcon 9 Full Thrust, the Falcon Heavy, the Vulcan Centaur, Ariane 6, and New Glenn are 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 between medium-lift launch vehicles and super heavy-lift launch vehicles.
Vehicle | Origin | Manufacturer | Mass to LEO (kg) | Heaviest launch | Launches[a] | First flight | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
...to LEOorMEO | ...to GTOorGSO | ...to HEO and beyond | ||||||
Long March 5/5B | China | CALT | 25,000[4] | 23,200[5] | 14,000[6] | 8,350 to Moon[7] | 4 | 2016 |
Proton-M | Russia | Khrunichev | 23,000[8] | 23,200[9] | 6,740[10] | 3,755 to Mars[11] | 1 | 2001 |
Angara A5 | Russia | Khrunichev KBKhA |
24,500[12][b] | — | 2,400[13] | — | 0 | 2014 |
Falcon Heavy[c] | United States | SpaceX | 38,000–45,000[d] [14] |
3,700[e] | 6,465[15][f] | 1,300 to Mars[16] | 0 | 2018 |
Vulcan Centaur | United States | ULA | 25,000[17] | — | — | 1,283 to Moon[18] | 0 | 2024 |
Vehicle | Origin | Manufacturer | Mass to LEO (kg) | Expected flight |
---|---|---|---|---|
New Glenn[19] | United States | Blue Origin | 45,000[20] | 2024[21] |
Ariane 6 (A64) | France Europe[g] |
ArianeGroup | 21,650[22] | 2024[23][24] |
HLV | India | ISRO | 20,000 | TBD |
SHLV | India | ISRO | 41,300[25] | TBD |
Zhuque-3 | China | LandSpace | 21,000[26] | 2025 |
Gravity-2 | China | Orienspace | 25,600[27] | 2025 |
Terran R | United States | Relativity Space | 33,500 | 2026[28] |
Angara-A5V | Russia | Khrunichev, Polyot | 38,000 | 2027 |
H3 Heavy | Japan | Mitsubishi | 28,300[29] | 2030 |
Vehicle | Origin | Manufacturer | Mass to LEO (kg) | Heaviest launch | Launches | First flight | Last Flight | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
...to LEOorMEO | ...to GTOorGSO | ...to HEO and beyond | |||||||
Delta IV Heavy | United States | ULA | 28,790[30] | 21,000[31][h] | Classified[i] | 685toheliocentric orbit | 1 public (up to 4 classified) | 2004 | 2024 |
Saturn IB | United States | Chrysler & Douglas | 21,000 | 20,847 | — | — | 2 | 1966 | 1975 |
Proton-K | Soviet Union Russia |
Khrunichev | 19,760[32] | 22,776 | 4,723 | 6,220 | 4[33] | 1967 | 2012 |
Space Shuttle | United States | USA | 24,400[j][34] | 22,753 | — | — | 11 | 1981 | 2011 |
Titan IV | United States | Lockheed Martin | 21,680[35] | Classified[i][k] | Classified[i] | 5,712 to Saturn | up to 7 (classified) | 1989 | 2005 |
Ariane 5 ECA/ES | France Europe[l] |
Ariane Group | 21,000[37] | 20,293[38] | 11,210[39] | 6,161.4 to Sun-Earth L2[40] | 4 | 2002 | 2023 |
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