This is the comparison of orbital launch systems page. It contains two lists of conventional orbital launch systems (individual rocket configurations), separated by operational status. For the simple list of all conventional launcher families, see: Comparison of orbital launchers families. For the list of predominantly solid-fueled orbital launch systems, see: Comparison of solid-fueled orbital launch systems.
Spacecraft propulsion[note 1] is any method used to accelerate spacecraft and artificial satellites. A conventional solid rocket or a conventional solid-fuel rocket is a rocket with a motor that uses solid propellants (fuel/oxidizer).[note 2] Orbital launch systems are rockets and other systems capable of placing payloads into or beyond Earth orbit. All current spacecraft use conventional chemical rockets (bipropellant or solid-fuel) for launch, though some[note 3] have used air-breathing engines on their first stage.[note 4]
Orbits legend:
Vehicle | Origin | Manufacturer | Payload mass to ... (kg) | Orbital launches incl. failures[a] | Date of flight | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LEO | GTO | Other | First[b] | Latest | ||||
Agnibaan | ![]() |
AgniKul Cosmos | 100 | 0 | 2022[1] | |||
Alpha | ![]() ![]() |
Firefly Aerospace | 1,000[2] | 630 to SSO | 0 | 2021 | ||
Amur | ![]() |
10,500[3] | 2026[3] | |||||
Angara 1.2 | ![]() |
Khrunichev | 3,500[4] | 2,400 to SSO | 0 | 2021[5][c] | ||
Angara A5 | ![]() |
Khrunichev | 24,000[4] | 7,500 with KVTK 5,400 with Briz-M [4] |
2 | 2014 | 2020 | |
Antares 230 / 230+ | ![]() |
Northrop Grumman | 8,200[7] | 3,000 to SSO[d] | 6[8] | 2016 | 2020 | |
Ariane 5 ECA | ![]() |
EADS Astrium | 21,000[9] | 10,865[10][e] | 76[12] | 2002 | 2020 | |
Ariane 6 A62 | ![]() |
ArianeGroup | 10,350[13]:45 | 5,000[13]:33 | 6,450 to SSO 3,000 to HEO 3,000 to TLI [13]:40–49 |
0 | 2022 | |
Ariane 6 A64 | ![]() |
ArianeGroup | 21,650[13]:46 | 11,500+ [13]:33 | 14,900 to SSO 5,000 to GEO 8,400 to HEO 8,500 to TLI [13]:40–49 |
0 | 2023 | |
Astra | ![]() |
Astra Space | 100[14] | 150 to SSO | 1 | 2020[14] | 2020 | |
Atlas V 401 | ![]() |
ULA | 9,050[15] | 4,950 | 6,670 to SSO | 38[15] | 2002 | 2018 |
Atlas V 411 | ![]() |
ULA | 9,050[15] | 6,075 | 8,495 to SSO | 6[15] | 2006 | 2020 |
Atlas V 421 | ![]() |
ULA | 9,050[15] | 7,000 | 9,050 to SSO | 7[15] | 2007 | 2017 |
Atlas V 431 | ![]() |
ULA | 9,050[15] | 7,800 | 9,050 to SSO | 3[15] | 2005 | 2016 |
Atlas V 501 | ![]() |
ULA | 8,250[15] | 3,970 | 5,945 to SSO 1,500 to GEO |
6[15] | 2010 | 2020 |
Atlas V 511 | ![]() |
ULA | 11,000[15] | 5,250 | 7,820 to SSO 1,750 to GEO |
0[15] | 2021 | |
Atlas V 521 | ![]() |
ULA | 13,300[15] | 6,485 | 9,585 to SSO 2,760 to GEO |
2[15] | 2003 | 2004 |
Atlas V 531 | ![]() |
ULA | 15,300[15] | 7,425 | 11,160 to SSO 3,250 to GEO |
3[15] | 2010 | 2013 |
Atlas V 541 | ![]() |
ULA | 17,100[15] | 8,240 | 12,435 to SSO 3,730 to GEO |
7[15] | 2011 | 2020 |
Atlas V 551 | ![]() |
ULA | 18,500[15] | 8,700 | 13,550 to SSO 3,960 to GEO |
11[15] | 2006 | 2020 |
Atlas V N22[f] | ![]() |
ULA | 13,000 | 1 | 2019[17] | 2019 | ||
Beta | ![]() ![]() |
Firefly Aerospace | 8,000[18] | TBA | 5,800 to SSO | 0 | TBA | |
Bloostar | ![]() |
Zero 2 Infinity | 140[19] | 75 to SSO[19] | 0 | TBA | ||
Blue Whale 1 | ![]() |
Perigee Aerospace | 63[20] | 50 to SSO | 0 | 2021[21] | ||
Ceres-1 | ![]() |
Galactic Energy | 350 | 270 to SSO | 1 | 2020 | 2020 | |
Cyclone-4M | ![]() |
Yuzhnoye Yuzhmash |
5,000[22] | 1,000[23] | 3,350 to SSO[22] | 0 | 2021[24] | |
Delta IV Heavy | ![]() |
ULA | 28,790[25] | 14,220 | 23,560 to polar 11,290 to TLI 8,000 to TMI |
11[26] | 2004 | 2019 |
Electron | ![]() ![]() |
Rocket Lab | 300[27] | 200 to SSO[27] | 12[28] | 2017 | 2020 | |
Epsilon | ![]() |
IHI[29] | 1,500[30] | 590 to SSO | 4[31] | 2013 | 2019 | |
Eris-S | ![]() ![]() |
Gilmour Space Technologies | 200[32] | 0 | 2021–2022[33] | |||
Eris-L | ![]() ![]() |
Gilmour Space Technologies | 450[32] | 0 | TBA | |||
Falcon 9 Full Thrust (partially reusable) |
![]() |
SpaceX | 16,800+[34] | 5,500[35][g] | 9,600 to polar[37] | 70[38][39][h] | 2015 | 2021 |
Falcon 9 Full Thrust (expended) |
![]() |
SpaceX | 22,800[35] | 8,300[35] | 4,020 to TMI | 15[41][42] | 2017 | 2020 |
Falcon Heavy (partially reusable)[43] |
![]() |
SpaceX | 30,000[44]–57,000[45] | 8,000[35]–10,000[i] | 3[46][47] | 2018 | 2019 | |
Falcon Heavy (expended) |
![]() |
SpaceX | 63,800[48] | 26,700[48] | 16,800 to TMI[48] | 0 | – [j] | |
GSLV Mk II | ![]() |
ISRO | 5,000[49] | 2,700[50][k] | 7[51] | 2010 | 2018 | |
GSLV Mk III | ![]() |
ISRO | 10,000[52] | 4,000 | 3[53] | 2017[l] | 2019 | |
H-IIB | ![]() |
Mitsubishi | 19,000[55] | 8,000[56] | 9 | 2009 | 2020 | |
H-IIA 202 | ![]() |
Mitsubishi | 8,000[57]:67 | 4,000[57]:48 | 5,100 to SSO[m] [57]:64–65 |
26[58] | 2001 | 2020 |
H-IIA 204 | ![]() |
Mitsubishi | 5,950[57]:48 | 4[58] | 2006 | 2017 | ||
H3 | ![]() |
Mitsubishi | 4,000[59] | 6,500[60] | 4,000 to SSO[61] | 0 | 2021[62] | |
Hyperbola-1 | ![]() |
i-Space | 300[63] | 1[64] | 2019[65][n] | 2019 | ||
Hyperbola-2 | ![]() |
i-Space | 2,000[63] | 0 | 2021[63] | |||
Jielong 1[66] | ![]() |
CALT | 200 (SSO) | 1[66] | 2019 | 2019 | ||
Kaituozhe-2 | ![]() |
CASC | 800[67] | 1[67] | 2017 | 2017 | ||
Kuaizhou 1/1A | ![]() |
ExPace | 400[68] | 9[68] | 2013[o] | 2019 | ||
Kuaizhou 11 | ![]() |
ExPace | 1,500[69] | 1,000 to SSO[70] | 1 | 2020 | 2020 | |
Kuaizhou 21 | ![]() |
ExPace | 20,000[71] | 0 | 2025[70] | |||
LauncherOne | ![]() |
Virgin Orbit | 500[72] | 300 to SSO[73] | 2 | 2020 | 2021 | |
Long March 2C | ![]() |
CALT | 3,850 [citation needed] |
1,250 with CTS2 | 2,000 to SSO with YZ-1S[74] | 57[75][p] | 1982 | 2019 |
Long March 2D | ![]() |
SAST | 4,000 | 1,150 to SSO | 46[75] | 1992 | 2020 | |
Long March 2F | ![]() |
CALT | 8,600 | 13[75] | 1999 | 2016 | ||
Long March 3A | ![]() |
CALT | 6,000[76] | 2,600 | 5,000 to SSO | 27[77] | 1994 | 2018 |
Long March 3B/E | ![]() |
CALT | 11,500[76] | 5,500 | 6,900 to SSO | 53[77] | 2007 | 2020 |
Long March 3C | ![]() |
CALT | 9,100[76] | 3,800 | 6,500 to SSO | 17[77] | 2008 | 2019 |
Long March 4B | ![]() |
SAST | 4,200[78] | 1,500 | 2,800 to SSO | 35[78] | 1999 | 2019 |
Long March 4C | ![]() |
SAST | 4,200[79] | 1,500 | 2,800 to SSO | 28[78] | 2006 | 2019 |
Long March 5 | ![]() |
CALT | 14,000 [80] | 15,000 to SSO[81] 9,400 to TLI[80] 6,000 to TMI[80] |
4[81] | 2016 | 2020 | |
Long March 5B | ![]() |
CALT | 25,000[81] | 1[81] | 2020[82] | 2020 | ||
Long March 6 | ![]() |
SAST | 1,080 to SSO[83] | 3[84] | 2015 | 2019 | ||
Long March 7 | ![]() |
CALT | 13,500[85] | 5,500 to SSO | 2[86] | 2016[87] | 2017 | |
Long March 7A | ![]() |
CALT | 5,500 to 7,000[82] | 1 | 2020 | 2020 | ||
Long March 8 | ![]() |
CALT | 8,400 | 2,800 | 5,000 to SSO | 1 | 2020 | 2020 |
Long March 9[88] | ![]() |
CALT | 140,000[89] | 66,000[90] | 50,000 to TLI[89] 40,000 to TMI[91] |
0 | 2028[92]–2030[91] | |
Long March 11 | ![]() |
CALT | 700[93] | 350 to SSO | 8[94] | 2015 | 2019 | |
Minotaur I | ![]() |
Northrop Grumman | 580[95] | 10[96] | 2000 | 2013 | ||
Minotaur IV | ![]() |
Northrop Grumman | 1,735[97] | 4[98] | 2010 | 2017 | ||
Minotaur V | ![]() |
Northrop Grumman | 670[98] | 465 to HCO | 1[98] | 2013 | 2013 | |
Minotaur-C (Taurus)[99] | ![]() |
Northrop Grumman | 1,458[100] | 1,054 to SSO[q] | 10[101] | 1994 | 2017 | |
Miura 5 | ![]() |
PLD Space | 300[102] | 0 | 2024[103] | |||
New Glenn | ![]() |
Blue Origin | 45,000[104] | 13,000 | 0 | 2021[105] | ||
New Line 1 (partially reusable)[106] |
![]() |
LinkSpace | 200 to SSO[106] | 0 | 2021[107] | |||
Nuri (KSLV-2) | ![]() |
KARI | 1,500 at 600–800 km[108] | 0 | 2021[108][r] | |||
OS-M1 | ![]() |
OneSpace | 205[109] | 143 to SSO | 1 | 2019[110][s] | 2019 | |
OS-M2 | ![]() |
OneSpace | 390[109] | 292 to SSO | 0 | TBA | ||
Pegasus | ![]() |
Northrop Grumman | 500[112] | 44[112][113] | 1990 | 2019 | ||
Prime | ![]() |
Orbex | 220[114] | 150 to SSO[d][115] | 0 | 2021[115] | ||
Proton-M / M+ | ![]() |
Khrunichev | 23,000 (M+)[116] 21,600 (M)[117] |
6,920 (M+) 6,150 (M) |
108[118][119][120] | 2001 | 2020 | |
PSLV-CA | ![]() |
ISRO | 2,100[121] | 1,100 to SSO | 14[121] | 2007 | 2019 | |
PSLV-DL | ![]() |
ISRO | 1[121] | 2019 | 2019 | |||
PSLV-QL | ![]() |
ISRO | 2[121] | 2019 | 2019 | |||
PSLV-XL | ![]() |
ISRO | 3,800[121] | 1,300 | 1,750 to SSO 550 to TMI[122] |
21[121] | 2008 | 2019 |
Qased | ![]() |
Operator: Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps | 1 | 2020 | 2020 | |||
Ravn X | ![]() |
Aevum | 100[123] | 0 | 2021[123] | |||
RS1 | ![]() |
ABL Space Systems | 1,350[124] | 400 | 1,000 to SSO 750 to MEO |
0 | 2021[125] | |
Safir | ![]() |
Iranian Space Agency | 65[126] | 7[126][t] | 2008 | 2019 | ||
Shavit | ![]() |
IAI | 300[127] | 10[128] | 1988 | 2020 | ||
Simorgh | ![]() |
Iranian Space Agency | 350[129] | 2[129][u] | 2017 | 2019 | ||
Soyuz-2.1a | ![]() |
TsSKB-Progress | 7,020 from Baikonur[130] | 33[131][132][133] | 2006[v] | 2020 | ||
Soyuz-2.1b | ![]() |
TsSKB-Progress | 8,200 from Baikonur[130] | 2,400[134] | 32[132][135] | 2006 | 2020 | |
Soyuz ST-A | ![]() ![]() |
TsSKB-Progress Arianespace |
7,800 from Kourou[136] | 2,810 with Fregat[137] | 6[132] | 2011 | 2020 | |
Soyuz ST-B | ![]() ![]() |
TsSKB-Progress Arianespace |
9,000 from Kourou[138] | 3,250 with Fregat[137] | 4,400 to SSO[139] | 16[132] | 2011 | 2019 |
Soyuz-2-1v | ![]() |
TsSKB-Progress | 2,800[140] | 1,400 to SSO | 5[140] | 2013 | 2019 | |
Soyuz-5 / Irtysh | ![]() |
TsSKB-Progress RSC Energia |
18,000[141] | 2,500 to GEO | 0 | 2022[142][143] | ||
Space Launch System Block 1[w] | ![]() |
NASA / Boeing (core) Northrop Grumman (SRBs) |
95,000[144] | 26,000 to TLI[144] | 0 | 2021[145] | ||
SLS Block 1B[x] | ![]() |
NASA / Boeing Northrop Grumman |
105,000[146] | 37,000 to TLI[144] | 0 | 2025[147] | ||
SLS Block 2[y] | ![]() |
NASA / Boeing Northrop Grumman |
130,000[148] | 45,000 to HCO[144] | 0 | late 2020s (TBD) | ||
SS-520 | ![]() |
IHI Aerospace | 4[149] | 2[150] | 2017[151][z] | 2018 | ||
SSLV | ![]() |
ISRO | 500[152] | 300 to SSO | 0 | 2021 | ||
Starship[153] (Single launch) |
![]() |
SpaceX | 100,000+[153][note 5] | 21,000[154] | 100,000+ to SSO[154] | 0 | 2021 (orbital)[155] | |
Starship[153] (Additional refuelling launches) |
![]() |
SpaceX | 100,000+[153][note 6] | 100,000+ [153] |
100,000+ to Mars surface[153] 100,000+ to lunar surface[153] |
0 | 2021-2023 (TBD)[156] | |
Terran 1 | ![]() |
Relativity Space | 1,250[157] | 900 to SSO | 0 | 2021[158] | ||
Unha | ![]() |
KCST | 100[159] | 4[160] | 2009[aa] | 2016 | ||
Vector-R | ![]() |
Vector Launch | 64 | 0 (+2) | 2022 | |||
Vega | ![]() |
ESA / ASI | 1,500[ab][161] | 1,330 to SSO[162] | 15[163] | 2012 | 2019 | |
Vega C | ![]() |
ESA / ASI | 2,200[ab][164] | 0 | 2021[165] | |||
Vega E | ![]() |
ESA / ASI | 3,000[ab][166] | 0 | 2025[167] | |||
Vikram l[168] | ![]() |
Skyroot Aerospace[169] | 315 to 45º inclination 500 km LEO | 200 to 500 km SSPO | 0 | 2021[170] | ||
Vikram ll[168] | ![]() |
Skyroot Aerospace | 520 to 45º inclination 500 km LEO | 410 to 500 km SSPO | 0 | TBA | ||
Vikram lll[168] | ![]() |
Skyroot Aerospace | 720 to 45º inclination 500 km LEO | 580 to 500 km SSPO | 0 | TBA | ||
Vulcan / Centaur | ![]() |
ULA | 27,200[171] | 14,400[171] | 7,200 to GEO[171] 12,100 to TLI |
0 | 2021[172] | |
Yenisei[173] | ![]() |
TsSKB-Progress RSC Energia |
88,000 – 115,000[143] | 27,000 to TLI[174][175][176] | 0 | 2028[175] | ||
Zero | ![]() |
Interstellar Technologies | 100 to SSO[d][177] | 0 | 2022–2023[178] | |||
Zhuque-1 | ![]() |
LandSpace | 300[179] | 200 to SSO | 1[180] | 2018[180] | 2018 | |
Zhuque-2 | ![]() |
LandSpace | 4,000[181] | 2,000 to SSO | 0 | 2021[182] |
The following chart shows the number of launch systems developed in each country, and broken down by operational status. Rocket variants are not distinguished; i.e., the Atlas V series is only counted once for all its configurations 401–431, 501–551, 552, and N22.
Ariane 5 set a new record in June 2017 by lofting 10,865 kg. into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO). From this payload lift record, Ariane 5's performance will be increased another 250 kg.
BFR in fully reusable configuration, without any orbital refueling, we expect to have a payload capability of 150 tonnes to low Earth orbit and that compares to about 30 for Falcon Heavy
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(help)
Spacecraft mass-to-orbit of up to 580 kg to LEO (28.5 deg, 185 km)
Orbex can accommodate a range of payload capacities between 100kg-220kg, to altitudes of between 200km-1250km.
LEO i = 51.6°, H = 200 km circular ... GTO (1800 m/s from GSO) i = 31.0°, Hp = 2100 km, Ha = 35,786 km
LEO Payload 200 x 1,600 km x 143 deg – Shavit: 160 kg – Shavit-1: 225 kg – Shavit-2: 300 kg
Russian officials have said they plan to discontinue Dnepr launches.
Currently, two versions of PSLV are operational, namely PSLV-XL (with six extended version of Strap-on motors) and the PSLV Core-alone (without Strap-on motors).
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