This article compares different orbital launcher families (launchers which are significantly different from other members of the same 'family' have separate entries). The article is organized into two tables: the first contains a list of currently active and under-development launcher families, while the second contains a list of retired launcher families.
The related article "Comparison of orbital launch systems" lists each individual launcher system within any given launcher family, categorized by its current operational status.
This article does not include suborbital launches (i.e. flights which were not intended to reach LEO or VLEO).
Same cores are grouped together (like Ariane 1, 2 & 3, but not V).
Family | Country/Org. | Manufac. | Payload (kg) | Cost (US$, millions) |
Launches reaching... | Status | Date of flight | Notes | Refs | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LEO | GTO | TLI | Total | Space | Any orbit | Target orbit | First | Last | ||||||||
Agnibaan | IND | AgniKul Cosmos | 100 | -- | -- | -- | Devel. | NET 2023 | Expected launch in 2022 | |||||||
Alpha | USA | Firefly Aerospace | 1,000 | — | — | -- | 5[a] | 4 | 4 | 2 | Active | 2021 | [1] | |||
Angara | RUS | Khrunichev | 3,800–35,000 | 3,600–12,500 | -- | -- | 7[b] | 7 | 7 | 6 | Active | 2014 | [2][3] | |||
Antares | USA | Orbital ATK | 8,000 | -- | -- | 80[citation needed] | 18[c] | 17 | 17 | 17 | Active[d] | 2013 | Cygnus launcher. Var.: 110, 120, 130, 230, 230+, 330 |
[4][5][6] | ||
Ariane 6 | FRA ESA |
ArianeGroup | 21,650 (A64 var.) |
11,500+ (A64 var.) |
8,500 (A64 var.) |
115 | 1[e] | 1 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2024 | Var.: Ariane 62, Ariane 64. | [7] | ||
Astra Rocket | USA | Astra | 50–150 (to SSO) |
— | — | -- | 7[f] | 4 | 2 | 2 | Active | 2020 | 2 suborbital test launches in 2018. | [8] | ||
Atlas V | USA | ULA | 18,850 | 8,900 | 2,807 | 109–153 | 101[g] | 101 | 101 | 101 | Active[h] | 2002 | 2029 (planned) |
Launched Juno & New Horizons | [9][10] | |
Blue Whale 1 | ROK | Perigee Aerospace | 170 (to SSO) | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2024 | [11] | ||||||
Ceres-1 | CHN | Galactic Energy | 400 (LEO) 300 (SSO) |
-- | -- | -- | 15[i] | 14 | 14 | 14 | Active | 2020 | Var.: Ceres-1, Ceres-1S | [12][13] | ||
Chollima-1 | DPRK | NADA | ~300 | -- | -- | -- | 4[j] | 2 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2023 | UDMH/N2O4 fueled carrier | [14] | ||
Cyclone-4M | UKR | Yuzhnoye Yuzhmash |
5,000 | 1,000 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | unknown | [15] | ||||||
Darwin-1 | CHN | Rocket Pi | 300 | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2024 | methalox launcher | [16] | |||||
Electron | NZ USA |
Rocket Lab | 225 | 6 | 55[k] | 55 | 51 | 51 | Active | 2017 | [17] | |||||
Epsilon | JPN | IHI Corporation | 1,200 | -- | -- | -- | 6[l] | 6 | 5 | 5 | Active | 2013 | [18][19] | |||
Eris | AUS | Gilmour Space Technologies | 305 | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2023 | [20] | ||||||
Falcon | Falcon 9 | USA | SpaceX | 22,800 | 8,300 | -- | 61.2 | 410[m][n] | 408 | 408 | 407 | Active | 2010 | Var.: v1.0, v1.1,[o] FT,[p] Block 4, Block 5. Launcher of crewed Dragon capsule. | ||
Falcon Heavy | USA | SpaceX | 63,800 | 26,700 | -- | 90–150 | 11[q] | 11 | 11 | 11 | Active | 2018 | First test launch 2018-02-06 | [23][24][25] | ||
Gravity-1 | CHN | Orienspace | 6,500 (LEO) 3,700 (700 km SSO) |
-- | -- | -- | 1[r] | 1 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2024 | largest solid launcher (3rd stage can be solid/kerolox) | [16][26] | ||
Gravity-2 | CHN | Orienspace | 25,600 (LEO) 19,100 (SSO) |
7,700 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | kerolox (core), solid (boosters); reusable 1st stage | [26] | |||||
GSLV Mark II | IND | ISRO | 5,000 | 2,700 | -- | -- | 10[s] | 9 | 8 | 8 | Active | 2010 | [27][28][29] | |||
H-II, IIA & IIB | JPN | Mitsubishi | 19,000 | 8,000 | -- | (190), 90, 112 | 65[t] | 64 | 63 | 62 | Active | 1994 | Var.: A202, A2022, A2024, A204, B | [30] | ||
H3 | JPN | Mitsubishi | 4,000–28,300 (base-heavy) | 7,900–14,800 (base-heavy) | 11,900 (heavy) | 4[u] | 4 | 3 | 3 | Active | 2023 | Var.: 30S, 22S, 32L, 24L, heavy[31][32] | [32] | |||
Hyperbola-1 | CHN | i-Space | 300 | -- | -- | 7[v] | 5 | 3 | 3 | Active | 2019 | [33] | ||||
Hyperbola-3 | CHN | i-Space | 8,500–13,400 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | VTVL | [34] | ||||||
Jielong 1 | CHN | CALT | 200 (SSO) | -- | -- | 1[w] | 1 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2019 | [35] | ||||
Jielong 3 | CHN | CALT | 1,500 (500 km SSO) | -- | -- | -- | 4[x] | 4 | 4 | 4 | Active | 2022 | [36][37] | |||
KAIROS | JPN | Space One | 250 150 (SSO) |
-- | -- | 1[y] | 0 | 0 | 0 | Active | 2024 | [38] | ||||
Kuaizhou (DF-21) |
CHN | CASIC | 450 (KZ-1A Enhanced) | -- | -- | -- | 33[z][aa] | 32[ab] | 30 | 30 | Active | 2013 | Var.: KZ-1, KZ-1A, KZ-11; (KZ-21 under development) | [39][40] | ||
1,500 (KZ-11) | -- | -- | ||||||||||||||
LauncherOne | USA | Virgin Orbit | 300 (SSO) | -- | -- | -- | 6[ac] | 5 | 4 | 4 | Susp.[ad] | 2020 | [41] | |||
Lijian-1 (Kinetica-1) |
CHN | CAS Space | 1,500 (500 km SSO) |
-- | -- | -- | 5[ae] | 5 | 5 | 5 | Active | 2022 | solid fueled carrier | [36][16] | ||
Lijian-2 (Kinetica-2) |
CHN | CAS Space | 12,000 (LEO) 7800 (SSO) |
-- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | kerolox LV. reusable 1st stage | [42][43] | |||||
Long March 2–3–4 (DF-5) |
CHN | CALT+SAST | 12,000 | 5,500 | 3,300 | 475[af][ag] | 469[ah] | 466 | 458 | Active | 1971 | See notes | Var.: 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F,[ai] 3, 3A, 3B, 3B/E, 3C, 4A, 4B, 4C. See [aj] for retired var. among those listed here. | [45] | ||
Long March 5 | CHN | CALT | -- | 14,000 (CZ-5) |
8,000 (CZ-5) |
-- | 12[ak] | 12 | 11 | 11 | Active | 2016 | Var.: CZ-5 | [46][47] | ||
25,000 (CZ-5B) |
-- | -- | Var.: CZ-5B | |||||||||||||
CZ 6–7–8 family | Long March 6 | CHN | SAST | 1,500 (LEO) 1,080 (700 lm SSO) |
-- | -- | -- | 23[al] | 23 | 23 | 23 | Active | 2015 | Var.: 6 | [48][49] | |
4,500 (700 km SSO) | -- | -- | Var.: 6A | |||||||||||||
2,400 (500 km SSO) | -- | -- | Var.: 6C | |||||||||||||
Long March 7 | CHN | CALT | 14,000 | -- | -- | -- | 17[am] | 16 | 16 | 16 | Active | 2016 | Var.: 7 | [50][51][52] | ||
-- | 7,000 | -- | Var.: 7A | |||||||||||||
Long March 8 | CHN | CALT | 4,500 (SSO) | 2,800 | > 1,200 | -- | 3[an] | 3 | 3 | 3 | Active | 2020 | Var.: 8, 8A | [51][53][54] | ||
Long March 9 | CHN | CALT | 150,000 | -- | 50,000 | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2033 | partly-reusable Super-Heavy carrier | [53][55] | |||||
Long March 10 | CHN | CALT | 70,000 (CZ-10)[56] | -- | 27,000 (CZ-10)[55] |
-- | 0 | Devel. | 2026 | Human-rated Var.: 10 (3-core, TLI) |
[57][58][56][55][59] | |||||
14,000 (CZ-10A, reusable) | -- | -- | Human-rated Var.: 10A (1-core, LEO, partly reusable) | |||||||||||||
18,000 (CZ-10A, expendable) | -- | -- | Human-rated Var.: 10A (1-core, LEO, expendable) | |||||||||||||
Long March 11 | CHN | CALT | 1,000 | -- | -- | -- | 17[ao] | 17 | 17 | 17 | Active | 2015 | Likely based on DF-31 missile | [60] | ||
Long March 12 | CHN | SAST | 12,000 (LEO); 6,000 (700 km SSO) |
-- | -- | -- | 1[ap] | 1 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2024 | kerolox LV 3.8 metres diameter |
[61][62][63] | ||
LVM3 | IND | ISRO | 10,000 | 4,000 | 2,180 | -- | 6[aq] [ar] | 6 | 6 | 6 | Active | 2014 | Uprated cryo 2nd stage (C32) and semi-cryo 1st stage (SC120) variants expected | [64][65] | ||
Maia | FRA | MaiaSpace | 500 (SSO) | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | Planned first stage reuse | [66] | ||||||
Minotaur I | USA | Orbital ATK | 580 | -- | -- | -- | 12[as] | 12 | 12 | 12 | Active | 2000 | Derived from the Minuteman II | [67][68] | ||
Minotaur IV & V | USA | Orbital ATK | 1,735 | 640 | 447 | 50 | 8[at] | 8 | 8 | 8 | Active | 2010 | Also 2 suborbital launches (HTV-2a). Var.: IV, IV Lite, IV HAPS, V. Derived from Peacekeeper missile | [67][69] | ||
Miura 5 | ESP | PLD Space | 900 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2024 | [70] | |||||||
MLV | USA | Firefly Aerospace | 14,000 | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | [71] | ||||||
Nebula-1 | CHN | Deep Blue Aerospace | 1,000 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2024 | VTVL (first stage) | [72] | ||||||
Nebula-2 | CHN | Deep Blue Aerospace | 20,000 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | kerolox; VTVL (first stage) | [73] | ||||||
Neutron | NZ USA |
Rocket Lab | 15,000 | -- | 2,000 | 50 | 0 | Devel. | 2024 | [74] | ||||||
New Glenn | USA | Blue Origin | 45,000 | 13,000 | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2024 | [75] | |||||||
New Line 1 | CHN | LinkSpace | 200 (SSO) | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | unknown | [76] | |||||||
NGLV (Soorya) | IND | ISRO | 30,000[77] | 10,000 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2032 | Program approved in 2024 | [78] | |||||
Nuri | ROK | KARI | 1,500 | -- | -- | 3[au] | 3 | 2 | 2 | Active | 2021 | [79][80] | ||||
OS-M | CHN | OneSpace | 205 (M1) | -- | -- | -- | 1[av] | 0 | 0 | 0 | Active | 2019 | Var.: M1, M2, M4. Single M1 failed launch; M2 & M4 in development. | [81] | ||
Pallas-1 | CHN | Galactic Energy | 5,000 3,000 (SSO) |
-- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | Nov. 2024 | kerolox LV with reusable 1st stage | [82][43] | |||||
Pegasus | USA | Orbital ATK | 450 | -- | -- | -- | 45[aw] | 44 | 42 | 40 | Active | 1990 | [83] | |||
Pioneer-1 (aka Yuanxingzhe-1 or XZY-1) |
CHN | Arrowhead Technology/Space Epoch | 6,500 (1,100 km LEO) | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | first stage recovery via ocean landing | [84][85] | ||||||
Prime | UK | Orbex | 150 (SSO) | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2023 | [86][87] | ||||||
Proton (UR-500) |
USSR RUS |
Khrunichev | 23,000 | 6,920 | 5,680 | 65 (Proton-M) | 430[ax] | 382 | Active | 1965 | Var.: K, M, Medium in development. | [88][89][90] | ||||
PSLV | IND | ISRO | 3,800 | 1,200 | 550 | -- | 61[ay] | 60 | 59 | 58 | Active | 1993 | Var.: CA, XL, QL, DL Launched moon probe Chandrayaan I, Mars probe Mangalyaan I |
[91][92] | ||
Qaem-100 | IRN | IRGC | 80 | -- | -- | -- | 3[az] | 3 | 2 | 2 | Active | 2023 | also one successful suborbital launch | [93] | ||
Qased | IRN | IRGC | ~50 | -- | -- | -- | 3[ba] | 3 | 3 | 3 | Active | 2020 | [94][95] | |||
RFA One | Germany | Rocket Factory Augsburg | 1,300 | 450 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2024 | 1st stage combustion in Europe, Orbital Stage. | [citation needed][96][97][98][99] | |||||
Rokot/Strela (UR-100N) |
RUS | Eurockot Khrunichev | 2,100 | -- | -- | -- | 37[bb] | 36 | 35 | 35 | Active | 1994 | 34 Rokot launches (no launches post-2019 due to Ukrainian tech ban); 3 Strela launches. | [100][101][102][103] | ||
RS1 | USA | ABL Space Systems | 1,200 | -- | -- | 12 | 1[bc] | 0 | 0 | 0 | Active | 2023 | [104] | |||
Shavit | ISR | IAI | 225 | -- | -- | 15 | 12[bd] | 10 | 10 | 10 | Active | 1988 | Var.: Shavit, -1, -2 | [105] | ||
Simorgh | IRN | ISA | 350 | -- | -- | -- | 7[be] | 7 | 2 | 2 | Active | 2016 | [106] | |||
SK solid fueled TV2 | ROK | MND | > 100 | -- | -- | -- | 1[bf] | 1 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2023 | solid fueled launch vehicle | [107] | ||
SLS | USA | Orbital ATK Boeing United Launch Alliance Aerojet Rocketdyne | 95,000–130,000 | -- | 27,000–46,000 | -- | 1[bg] | 1 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2022 | Var.: Block 1, Block 1B, Block 2 | [108][109] | ||
Soyuz |
USSR RUS |
RSC Energia TsSKB-Progress | 8,200 | 2,400 | 1,200 | -- | 1,995[bh] | [bi] | 1,870[bj] | Active | 1957 | Var.: Sputnik, Luna, Vostok-L, Vostok-K, Voskhod, Molniya, Molniya-L, Molniya-M, Polyot, Soyuz, Soyuz-L, Soyuz-M, Soyuz-U, Soyuz-FG, Soyuz-2, Soyuz-2-1v | [110][111] | |||
SS-520 | JPN | IHI Aerospace | 4 | -- | -- | -- | 2[bk] | 2 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2017 | 2 successful suborbital flights and 2 orbital flights (one success). A test of how small orbital rockets can be. The rocket has a mass of only 2.6 tonnes. | [112] | ||
SSLV | IND | ISRO | 500 | 300 | -- | -- | 3[bl] | 3 | 2 | 2 | Active | 2022 | ||||
Starship | USA | SpaceX | 250,000 (expendable) [better source needed] | 40,000 [better source needed] | 100,000+ (With in-orbit refueling) [better source needed] | -- | 6[bm][bn] | 5 | 0 | 0 | test flights | 2023 | 1st flight intended a TAO orbit; 3rd flight suborbital | [113][114][115][116][117] | ||
150,000 (reusable) [better source needed] | ||||||||||||||||
Start-1 (RT-2PM) |
RUS | MITT | 532 | -- | -- | -- | 7[bo] | 6 | 6 | 6 | Active | 1993 | [118] | |||
Taurus / Minotaur-C | USA | Orbital Sciences | 1,450 | -- | -- | -- | 9[bp] | 9 | 6 | 6 | Active | 1989 | Var.: 2110, 3110, 3210 | [119] | ||
Tianlong 2 | CHN | Space Pioneer | 2,000 (LEO) 1,500 (500 km SSO) |
-- | -- | 1[bq] | 1 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2023 | liquid fueled (kerolox) carrier | [120][121] | |||
Tianlong 3 | CHN | Space Pioneer | 17,000 (LEO) 14,000 (500 km SSO) |
-- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2024 | kerolox with reusable 1st stage | [121][122] | ||||||
Tronador | ARG | CONAE | 500 | Devel. | 2030 | |||||||||||
Unha | DPRK | KCST | 200 | -- | -- | -- | 4[br] | 3 | 2 | Active | 2006 | Var.: Paektusan based on Taepodong-1 missile; Unha based on Taepodong-2 missile. | [123][124] | |||
Vega | ITA FRA ESA |
Avio | 2,300 | -- | -- | 23 | 25[bs] | 24 | 22 | 22 | Active | 2012 | Vega, Vega-C, Vega-E in-development. |
[125] | ||
Vikram | IND | Skyroot Aerospace | 720 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2023 | Var.: Vikram 1, Vikram II, Vikram III | [126] | ||||||
VLM | BRA | CTA | 150 | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2025 | [127][128][129] | ||||||
Vulcan | USA | ULA | 17,800–34,900 | 7,400–16,300 | -- | 99 | 2[bt] | 2 | 2 | 2 | Active | 2024 | [130][non-primary source needed][131][132][133] | |||
Yenisei | RUS | TsSKB-Progress RSC Energia |
88,000–115,000 | 20,000-27,000 | 0 | Devel. | NET 2032 | [134][135][136][137] | ||||||||
Zenit | USSR UKR RUS |
Yuzhnoye | 13,740 | 6,160 | 4,098 | -- | 84[bu] | 74 | 72 | Active | 1985 | Var.: 2, 2M (2SB, 2SLB), 3SL, 3SLB, 3SLBF | [138] | |||
Zephyr | FRA | Latitude | 100 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | [139] | |||||||
Zero | JPN | Interstellar Technologies | 100 (SSO) | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2023 | [140] | |||||||
Zhuque-2 | CHN | LandSpace | 4,000 (LEO) 1,500 (500 km SSO)[141] |
-- | -- | 4[bv] | 4 | 3 | 3 | Active | 2022 | Var.: ZQ-2 | 1st methalox LV to reach: space (2022), orbit (2023), orbit with payload (12/2023) |
[36][141][142] | ||
6,000 (LEO) 4,000 (500 km SSO)[142] |
-- | -- | Var.: ZQ-2E | |||||||||||||
Zhuque-3 | CHN | LandSpace | 21,000 (expendable) | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | methalox LV with reusable 1st stage; stainless steel body | [143] | ||||||
12,500–18,300 (1st stage recovered) | ||||||||||||||||
Zuljanah | IRN | ISA | 220[144] | 0 | Devel. | NET 2023 | Two successful suborbital flights | [145][144] |
Family | Country/Orgs. | Manufac. | Payload (kg) | Cost (US$, millions) |
Launches reaching... | Status | Date of flight | Notes | Refs | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
LEO | GTO | TLI | Total | Space | Any orbit | Target orbit | First | Last | |||||||
Ariane 1-2-3 | FRA ESA |
Aérospatiale | — | 2,650 | — | -- | 28 | Retired | 1979 | 1989 | [146][147] | ||||
Ariane 4 | FRA ESA |
Aérospatiale | 7,000 | 4,720 | — | -- | 116 | Retired | 1988 | 2003 | Var.: 40, 42P, 42L, 44P, 44L, 44LP | [147] | |||
Ariane 5 | FRA ESA |
Airbus | 21,000 | 10,735[148] | — | 165–220 | 117 | 115 | 115 | 112 | Retired | 1996 | 2023 | Var.: G, G+, GS, ECA, ES. | [149][150][151] |
ASLV | IND | ISRO | 150 | -- | -- | -- | 4 | Retired | 1987 | 1994 | [152] | ||||
Athena I & II | USA | Lockheed ATK | 2,065 | -- | 295 | -- | 7 | Retired | 1995 | 2001 | Launch Lunar Prospector.[153] | [154] | |||
Atlas I (Atlas A-B-C-D-E-F-G) |
USA | Lockheed | 5,900 | 2,340 | -- | -- | 514 | Retired | 1957 | 1997 | Launch Mercury. Atlas or Centaur upper stage. |
[155][156][157][158] | |||
Atlas II | USA | Lockheed | 8,618 | 3,833 | -- | -- | 63 | 63 | 63 | Retired | 1991 | 2004 | [159][160][161] | ||
Atlas III | USA | Lockheed | 10,759 | 4,609 | -- | -- | 6 | 6 | 6 | Retired | 2003 | 2005 | Var.: IIIA, IIIB | [162][163] | |
Black Arrow | UK | RAE Westland | 132 | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 3 | Retired | 1969 | 1971 | [164] | |||
Delta | USA | Douglas | 3,848 | 1,312 | -- | -- | 186 | Retired | 1960 | 1989 | Launched Pioneer & Explorer probes. Var. A, B, C, D, E, G, J, L, M, N, 300, 900, 1X00, 4X00, 2X00, 3X00, 5X00 |
[165] | |||
Delta II | USA | ULA | 6,000 | 2,171 | 1,508 | 51 | 153 | 152 | 152 | 151 | Retired | 1989 | 2018 | Launched Mars probes MGS to Phoenix Var.: 6000, 7000, and Heavy. |
[165][166][167] |
Delta III | USA | Boeing | 8,290 | 3,810 | -- | -- | 3 | 2 | 2 | Retired | 1998 | 2000 | [168][169] | ||
Delta IV | USA | ULA | 23,040 | 13,130 | 9,000 | -- | 45 | 45 | 45 | 44 | Retired | 2002 | 2024 | Var.: M, M+, and Heavy. | [170] |
Diamant | FRA | SEREB | 160 | -- | -- | -- | 12 | 9 | Retired | 1965 | 1975 | [citation needed] | |||
Dnepr (R-36M) |
UKR RUS |
Yuzhmash | 3,600 | -- | 750 | 14 | 17 | Retired | 1999 | 2015 | [171][172][173] | ||||
Energia | USSR | NPO Energia | 100,000 | 20,000 | 32,000 | 240 (Energia−Buran) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Retired | 1987 | 1988 | 1 partial failure with Polyus spacecraft, 1 successful flight with Buran shuttle. | [174][citation needed] |
Falcon 1 | USA | SpaceX | 420[175] | -- | -- | 7.9[175] | 5[176] | 4[175] | 2[175] | 2[176] | Retired[175] | 2006 | 2009 | ||
Feng Bao 1 (DF-5) |
CHN | SAST | 2,500 | -- | -- | -- | 8 | 4 | Retired | 1972 | 1981 | 3 successful suborbital flights | [177] | ||
GSLV Mark I | IND | ISRO | 5,000 | 2,500 | -- | -- | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | Retired | 2001 | 2010 | [27][28][29] | |
H-I | JPN | Mitsubishi | 3,200 | -- | -- | 9 | 9 | Retired | 1986 | 1992 | License-built version of the Thor-ELT | [178] | |||
J-I | JPN | IHI Corporation Nissan Motors | 880 | -- | -- | -- | 1 | Retired | 1996 | 1996 | Partial demonstration flight only | [citation needed] | |||
Kosmos (R-12 & R-14) |
USSR | Yuzhnoye Polyot | 1,500 | -- | -- | 12 | 610 | 559 | Retired | 1967 | 2010 | Var.: 1, 2, 3, 3M | [150][179][180] | ||
Kaituozhe (DF-31) |
CHN | CALT | 800 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Retired (likely) | 2002 | 2017 | Var.: KT-1, KT-2, KT2-A | [181] |
Lambda 4S | JPN | Nissan ISAS | 26 | -- | -- | -- | 5 | 1 | Retired | 1966 | 1970 | [citation needed] | |||
Long March 1 | CHN | CALT | 300 | -- | -- | -- | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | Retired | 1970 | 1971 | [182][183][184] | |
Long March 1D | CHN | CALT | 740 | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Retired | 1995 | 2002 | 3 suborbital launches only (2 successful.) | [182][183][184] | |||
Mu 1-3-4 | JPN | Nissan Motor IHI | 770 | -- | -- | -- | 27 | Retired | 1966 | 1995 | Var.: 1, 3D, 4S, 3C, 3H, 3S, 3SII | [185] | |||
Mu 5 | JPN | Nissan Motor IHI | 1,800 | -- | -- | -- | 7 | 6 | Retired | 1997 | 2006 | Var.: M-V, M-V KM | [citation needed] | ||
N1 | USSR | NPO Energia | 90,000 | -- | 23,500 | -- | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | Retired | 1969 | 1972 | Designed for Soviet Manned Lunar Mission | [186] |
N-I & II | JPN | Mitsubishi | 2,000 | 730 | -- | -- | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14[bw] | Retired | 1975 | 1987 | Derived from the American Delta rocket | [187] |
Naro | ROK | Khrunichev KARI | 100 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Retired | 2009 | 2013 | First stage uses the Russian RD-151 engine | [188] |
Safir | IRN | ISA | 50 | -- | -- | -- | 8[bx] | 5 | 4 | 4 | Retired | 2007 | 2019 | Numbers given here may be in dispute | [189] |
Saturn I & IB | USA | Chrysler Douglas | 18,600 | -- | -- | 19 | 13 | 13 | 13 | 13 | Retired | 1961 | 1975 | Saturn 1 family also included 6 suborbital test launches | [190][191] |
Saturn V | USA | Boeing North American Douglas | 118,000 | -- | 47,000 | 185 | 13 | 13 | 13 | Retired | 1967 | 1973 | Var.: Apollo, Skylab | [190][192][193] | |
Scout | USA | US Air Force NASA | 210 | -- | -- | -- | 125 | 104 | Retired | 1960 | 1994 | Var.: X1, X2, A, D, G | [194] | ||
Shtil'/Volna-O (R-29) |
RUS | Makeyev | 430 | -- | -- | -- | 8[by] | 7 | 2 | 2 | Retired (as commercial launchers)[195] | 1995 | 2006 | Var.: Volna, Shtil, 2.1, 2R, 3 | [195] |
SLV | IND | ISRO | 40 | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | Retired | 1979 | 1983 | Launched Rohini satellite series | [196] |
STS (Space Shuttle) |
USA | Alliant Martin Marietta Rockwell | 24,400 | 3,810 | -- | 450 | 135 | 134 | 134 | 133 | Retired | 1981 | 2011 | Orbiter mass: 68585 kg. | [197] |
Terran 1 | USA | Relativity Space | 1,250 | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Retired | 2023 | 2023 | anticipates 3-D printing most rocket parts | [198] | |
Thor | USA | Douglas | 1,270 | -- | 38 | -- | 357 | Retired | 1957 | 1980 | Launched Pioneer & Explorer probes | [165] | |||
Titan II-(II GLV)-III-IV (LGM-25C) |
USA | Martin Marietta | 21,900 | 5,773 | 8,600 | 350 | 369 | Retired | 1959 | 2005 | Var.: I, II, IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, IIID, IIIE, 34D, IVA, IVB Gemini launcher |
[199][200] | |||
Tsyklon (R-36) |
USSR UKR |
Yuzhmash | 4,100 | -- | -- | -- | 259 | Retired | 1967 | 2009 | Var.: 1, 2, 3. | [201] | |||
Vanguard | USA | Martin | 23 | -- | -- | -- | 12 | 3 | Retired | 1957 | 1959 | [202] | |||
Zhuque-1 | CHN | LandSpace | 300 | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Retired | 2018 | 2018 | [203][204] |
The more capable Long March 5 rocket is expected to help the country achieve its goal of constructing a space station in orbit by the year 2020, as well as play a key role in China's future space exploration aims beyond low-Earth orbit. The rocket's maiden launch is expected to occur in 2014
Russian officials have said they plan to discontinue Dnepr launches.