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.
Same cores are grouped together (like Ariane 1, 2 & 3, but not V).
Family | Country | 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 | — | — | -- | 4 [a] | 3 | 3 | 1 | Active | 2021 | [1] | |||
Angara | RUS | Khrunichev | 3,800–35,000 | 3,600–12,500 | -- | -- | 6 [b] | 6 | 6 | 5 | 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 | EU | ArianeGroup | 21,650 (A64 var.) |
11,500+ (A64 var.) |
8,500 (A64 var.) |
115 | 0 | Devel. | 2023 [7] | Var.: Ariane 62, Ariane 64. | [8] | |||||
Astra Rocket | USA | Astra | 50–150 (to SSO) |
— | — | -- | 7 [e] | 4 | 2 | 2 | Active | 2020 | 2 suborbital test launches in 2018. | [9] | ||
Atlas V | USA | ULA | 18,850 | 8,900 | 2,807 | 109–153 | 100 [f] | 100 | 100 | 100 | Active [g] | 2002 | 2029 (planned) |
Launched Juno & New Horizons | [10] [11] | |
Blue Whale 1 | ROK | Perigee Aerospace | 170 (to SSO) | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2024 | [12] | ||||||
Ceres-1 | CHN | Galactic Energy | 400 (LEO) 300 (SSO) |
-- | -- | -- | 14 [h] | 13 | 13 | 13 | Active | 2020 | [13] [14] | |||
Chollima-1 | DPRK | NADA | ~300 | -- | -- | -- | 4 [i] | 2 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2023 | UDMH/N2O4 fueled carrier | [15] | ||
Cyclone-4M | UKR |
Yuzhnoye Yuzhmash |
5,000 | 1,000 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | unknown | [16] | ||||||
Darwin-1 | CHN | Rocket Pi | 300 | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2024 | methalox launcher | [17] | |||||
Electron |
NZ USA |
Rocket Lab | 225 | 6 | 50 [j] | 50 | 46 | 46 | Active | 2017 | [18] | |||||
Epsilon | JPN | IHI Corporation | 1,200 | -- | -- | -- | 6 [k] | 6 | 5 | 5 | Active | 2013 | [19] [20] | |||
Eris | AUS | Gilmour Space Technologies | 305 | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2023 | [21] | ||||||
Falcon 9+FH family |
Falcon 9 | USA | SpaceX | 22,800 | 8,300 | -- | 61.2 | 351 [l] [m] | 350 | 350 | 349 | Active | 2010 | Var.: v1.0, v1.1, [n] FT, [o] Block 4, Block 5. Launcher of crewed Dragon capsule. | ||
Falcon Heavy | USA | SpaceX | 63,800 | 26,700 | -- | 90–150 | 10 [p] | 10 | 10 | 10 | Active | 2018 | First test launch 2018-02-06 | [24] [25] [26] | ||
Gravity-1 | CHN | Orienspace | 6,500 (LEO) 3,700 (700 km SSO) |
-- | -- | -- | 1 [q] | 1 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2024 | largest solid launcher (3rd stage can be solid/kerolox) | [17] [27] | ||
Gravity-2 | CHN | Orienspace | 25,600 (LEO) 19,100 (SSO) |
7,700 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | kerolox (core), solid (boosters); reusable 1st stage | [27] | |||||
GSLV Mark II | IND | ISRO | 5,000 | 2,700 | -- | -- | 10 [r] | 9 | 8 | 8 | Active | 2010 | [28] [29] [30] | |||
H-II, IIA & IIB | JPN | Mitsubishi | 19,000 | 8,000 | -- | (190), 90, 112 | 64 [s] | 63 | 62 | 61 | Active | 1994 | Var.: A202, A2022, A2024, A204, B | [31] | ||
H3 | JPN | Mitsubishi | 4,000–28,300 (base-heavy) | 7,900–14,800 (base-heavy) | 11,900 (heavy) | 3 [t] | 3 | 2 | 2 | Active | 2023 | Var.: 30S, 22S, 32L, 24L, heavy [32] [33] | [33] | |||
Hyperbola-1 | CHN | i-Space | 300 | -- | -- | 6 [u] | 4 | 3 | 3 | Active | 2019 | [34] | ||||
Hyperbola-3 | CHN | i-Space | 8,500-13,400 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | VTVL | [35] | ||||||
Jielong 1 | CHN | CALT | 200 (SSO) | -- | -- | 1 [v] | 1 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2019 | [36] | ||||
Jielong 3 | CHN | CALT | 1,500 (500 km SSO) | -- | -- | -- | 3 [w] | 3 | 3 | 3 | Active | 2022 | [37] [38] | |||
KAIROS | JPN | Space One | 250 150 (SSO) |
-- | -- | 1 [x] | 0 | 0 | 0 | Active | 2024 | [39] | ||||
Kuaizhou ( DF-21) |
CHN | CASIC | 400 (KZ-1A) | -- | -- | -- | 31 [y] [z] | 30 [aa] | 28 | 28 | Active | 2013 | Var.: KZ-1, KZ-1A, KZ-11; (KZ-21 under development) | [40] [41] | ||
1,500 (KZ-11) | -- | -- | ||||||||||||||
LauncherOne | USA | Virgin Orbit | 300 (SSO) | -- | -- | -- | 6 [ab] | 5 | 4 | 4 | Susp. [ac] | 2020 | [42] | |||
Lijian-1 (Kinetica-1) |
CHN | CAS Space | 1,500 (500 km SSO) |
-- | -- | -- | 3 [ad] | 3 | 3 | 3 | Active | 2022 | solid fueled carrier | [37] [17] | ||
Lijian-2 (Kinetica-2) |
CHN | CAS Space | 12,000 (LEO) 7800 (SSO) |
-- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | kerolox LV. reusable 1st stage | [43] [44] | |||||
Long March 2–3–4 ( DF-5) |
CHN | CALT+ SAST | 12,000 | 5,500 | 3,300 | 460 [ae] [af] | 454 [ag] | 451 | 443 | Active | 1971 | See notes | Var.: 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F, [ah] 3, 3A, 3B, 3B/E, 3C, 4A, 4B, 4C. See [ai] for retired var. among those listed here. | [46] | ||
Long March 5 | CHN | CALT | -- | 14,000 (CZ-5) |
8,000 (CZ-5) |
- | 12 [aj] | 12 | 11 | 11 | Active | 2016 | Var.: CZ-5 | [47] [48] | ||
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) |
-- | -- | -- | 17 [ak] | 17 | 17 | 17 | Active | 2015 | Var.: 6 | [49] [50] | |
4,500 (700 km SSO) | -- | -- | Var.: 6A | |||||||||||||
2,400 (500 km SSO) | -- | -- | Var.: 6C | |||||||||||||
Long March 7 | CHN | CALT | 14,000 | -- | -- | -- | 15 [al] | 14 | 14 | 14 | Active | 2016 | Var.: 7 | [51] [52] [53] | ||
-- | 7,000 | -- | Var.: 7A | |||||||||||||
Long March 8 | CHN | CALT | 4,500 (SSO) | 2,800 | > 1,200 | -- | 3 [am] | 3 | 3 | 3 | Active | 2020 | Var.: 8, 8A | [52] [54] [55] | ||
Long March 9 | CHN | CALT | 150,000 | -- | 50,000 | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2033 | partly-reusable Super-Heavy carrier | [54] [56] | |||||
Long March 10 | CHN | CALT | 70,000 (CZ-10) [57] | -- | 27,000 (CZ-10) [56] |
-- | 0 | Devel. | 2026 | Human-rated Var.: 10 (3-core, TLI) |
[58] [59] [57] [56] [60] | |||||
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 [an] | 17 | 17 | 17 | Active | 2015 | Likely based on DF-31 missile | [61] | ||
Long March 12 | CHN | SAST | 10,000 (LEO); 6,000 (700 km SSO) |
-- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2024 | kerolox LV 3.8 metres diameter |
[62] | |||||
LVM 3 | IND | ISRO | 10,000 | 4,000 | 2,180 | -- | 6 [ao] [ap] | 6 | 6 | 6 | Active | 2014 | [63] [64] | |||
Maia | FRA | MaiaSpace | 500 (SSO) | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | Planned first stage reuse | [65] | ||||||
Minotaur I | USA | Orbital ATK | 580 | -- | -- | -- | 12 [aq] | 12 | 12 | 12 | Active | 2000 | Derived from the Minuteman II | [66] [67] | ||
Minotaur IV & V | USA | Orbital ATK | 1,735 | 640 | 447 | 50 | 8 [ar] | 8 | 8 | 8 | Active | 2010 | Also 2 suborbital launches ( HTV-2a). Var.: IV, IV Lite, IV HAPS, V. Derived from Peacekeeper missile | [66] [68] | ||
Miura 5 | ESP | PLD Space | 900 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2024 | [69] | |||||||
MLV | USA | Firefly Aerospace | 14,000 | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | [70] | ||||||
Nebula-1 | CHN | Deep Blue Aerospace | 1,000 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2024 | VTVL (first stage) | [71] | ||||||
Nebula-2 | CHN | Deep Blue Aerospace | 20,000 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | kerolox; VTVL (first stage) | [72] | ||||||
Neutron |
NZ USA |
Rocket Lab | 15,000 | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2024 | [73] | ||||||
New Glenn | USA | Blue Origin | 45,000 | 13,000 | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2024 | [74] | |||||||
New Line 1 | CHN | LinkSpace | 200 (SSO) | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | unknown | [75] | |||||||
NGLV | IND | ISRO | 20,000 | 10,000 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | unknown | [76] | ||||||
Nuri | ROK | KARI | 1,500 | -- | -- | 3 [as] | 3 | 2 | 2 | Active | 2021 | [77] [78] | ||||
OS-M | CHN | OneSpace | 205 (M1) | -- | -- | -- | 1 [at] | 0 | 0 | 0 | Active | 2019 | Var.: M1, M2, M4. Single M1 failed launch; M2 & M4 in development. | [79] | ||
Pallas-1 | CHN | Galactic Energy | 5,000 3,000 (SSO) |
-- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | Nov. 2024 | kerolox LV with reusable 1st stage | [80] [44] | |||||
Pegasus | USA | Orbital ATK | 450 | -- | -- | -- | 45 [au] | 44 | 42 | 40 | Active | 1990 | [81] | |||
Pioneer-1 (?) (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 | [82] [83] | ||||||
Prime | UK | Orbex | 150 (SSO) | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | NET 2023 | [84] [85] | ||||||
Proton ( UR-500) |
USSR RUS |
Khrunichev | 23,000 | 6,920 | 5,680 | 65 (Proton-M) | 430 [av] | 382 | Active | 1965 | Var.: K, M, Medium in development. | [86] [87] [88] | ||||
PSLV | IND | ISRO | 3,800 | 1,200 | 550 | -- | 60 [aw] | 59 | 58 | 57 | Active | 1993 |
Var.: CA, XL, QL, DL Launched moon probe Chandrayaan I, Mars probe Mangalyaan I |
[89] [90] | ||
Qased | IRN | IRGC | ~50 | -- | -- | -- | 3 [ax] | 3 | 3 | 3 | Active | 2020 | [91] [92] | |||
Qaem-100 | IRN | IRGC | 80 | -- | -- | -- | 2 [ay] | 2 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2023 | also one successful suborbital launch | [93] [94] | ||
RFA One | Germany | Rocket Factory Augsburg | 1,300 | 450 | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2024 | 1st stage combustion in Europe, Orbital Stage. | [95] [96] [97] [98] [99] | |||||
Rokot/
Strela ( UR-100N) |
RUS | Eurockot Khrunichev | 2,100 | -- | -- | -- | 37 [az] | 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 [ba] | 0 | 0 | 0 | Active | 2023 | [104] | |||
Shavit | ISR | IAI | 225 | -- | -- | 15 | 12 [bb] | 10 | 10 | 10 | Active | 1988 | Var.: Shavit, -1, -2 | [105] | ||
Simorgh | IRN | ISA | 350 | -- | -- | -- | 6 [bc] | 6 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2016 | [106] | |||
SK solid fueled TV2 | South Korea | MND | > 100 | -- | -- | -- | 1 [bd] | 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 [be] | 1 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2022 | [108] [109] | |||
Soyuz |
USSR RUS |
RSC Energia TsSKB-Progress | 8,200 | 2,400 | 1,200 | -- | 1,988 [bf] | [bg] | 1,861 [bh] | 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 [bi] | 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 | -- | -- | 2 [bj] | 2 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2022 | ||||
Starship | USA | SpaceX | 250,000 (expendable) | 40,000 | 100,000+ [bk] | -- | 4 [bl] [bm] | 3 | 0 | 0 | test flights | 2023 | 1st flight intended a TAO orbit; 3rd flight suborbital | [113] [114] [115] [116] [117] | ||
150,000 (reusable) | ||||||||||||||||
Start-1 ( RT-2PM) |
RUS | MITT | 532 | -- | -- | -- | 7 [bn] | 6 | 6 | 6 | Active | 1993 | [118] | |||
Taurus / Minotaur-C | USA | Orbital Sciences | 1,450 | -- | -- | -- | 9 [bo] | 9 | 6 | 6 | Active | 1989 | Var.: 2110, 3110, 3210 | [119] | ||
Tianlong 2 | CHN | Space Pioneer | 2,000 (LEO) 1,500 (500 km SSO) |
-- | -- | 1 [bp] | 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 [bq] | 3 | 2 | Active | 2006 | Var.: Paektusan based on Taepodong-1 missile; Unha based on Taepodong-2 missile. | [123] [124] | |||
Vega | EU | Avio | 2,300 | -- | -- | 23 | 23 [br] | 22 | 20 | 20 | 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 | 1 [bs] | 1 | 1 | 1 | Active | 2024 | [130] [131] [132] [133] | |||
Yenisei | RUS |
TsSKB-Progress RSC Energia |
88,000–115000 | 20,000-27,000 | 0 | Devel. | NET 2032 | [134] [135] [136] [137] | ||||||||
Zenit |
USSR UKR RUS |
Yuzhnoye | 13,740 | 6,160 | 4,098 | -- | 84 [bt] | 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 | 6,000 (LEO) 4000 (500 km SSO) [141] |
-- | -- | 3 [bu] | 3 | 2 | 2 | Active | 2022 | 1st methalox LV to reach: space (2022), orbit (2023), orbit with payload (12/2023) |
[37] [141] | |||
Zhuque-3 | CHN | LandSpace | 21,000 (expendable) | -- | -- | 0 | Devel. | 2025 | methalox LV with reusable 1st stage; stainless steel body | [142] | ||||||
12,500-18,300 (1st stage recovered) | ||||||||||||||||
Zuljanah | IRN | ISA | 220 [143] | 0 | Devel. | NET 2023 | Two successful suborbital flights | [144] [143] |
Family | Country | 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 | EU | Aérospatiale | — | 2,650 | — | -- | 28 | Retired | 1979 | 1989 | [145] [146] | ||||
Ariane 4 | EU | Aérospatiale | 7,000 | 4,720 | — | -- | 116 | Retired | 1988 | 2003 | Var.: 40, 42P, 42L, 44P, 44L, 44LP | [146] | |||
Ariane 5 | EU | Airbus | 21,000 | 10,735 [147] | — | 165–220 | 117 | 115 | 115 | 112 | Retired | 1996 | 2023 | Var.: G, G+, GS, ECA, ES. | [148] [149] [150] |
ASLV | IND | ISRO | 150 | -- | -- | -- | 4 | Retired | 1987 | 1994 | [151] | ||||
Athena I & II | USA | Lockheed ATK | 2,065 | -- | 295 | -- | 7 | Retired | 1995 | 2001 | Launch Lunar Prospector. [152] | [153] | |||
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. |
[154] [155] [156] [157] | |||
Atlas II | USA | Lockheed | 8,618 | 3,833 | -- | -- | 63 | 63 | 63 | Retired | 1991 | 2004 | [158] [159] [160] | ||
Atlas III | USA | Lockheed | 10,759 | 4,609 | -- | -- | 6 | 6 | 6 | Retired | 2003 | 2005 | Var.: IIIA, IIIB | [161] [162] | |
Black Arrow | UK | RAE Westland | 132 | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 3 | Retired | 1969 | 1971 | [163] | |||
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 |
[164] | |||
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. |
[164] [165] [166] |
Delta III | USA | Boeing | 8,290 | 3,810 | -- | -- | 3 | 2 | 2 | Retired | 1998 | 2000 | [167] [168] | ||
Delta IV | USA | ULA | 23,040 | 13,130 | 9,000 | -- | 45 | 45 | 45 | 44 | Retired | 2002 | 2024 | Var.: M, M+, and Heavy. | [169] |
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 | [170] [171] [172] | ||||
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. | [173][ citation needed] |
Falcon 1 | USA | SpaceX | 420 [174] | -- | -- | 7.9 [174] | 5 [175] | 4 [174] | 2 [174] | 2 [175] | Retired [174] | 2006 | 2009 | ||
Feng Bao 1 ( DF-5) |
CHN | SAST | 2,500 | -- | -- | -- | 8 | 4 | Retired | 1972 | 1981 | 3 successful suborbital flights | [176] | ||
GSLV Mark I | IND | ISRO | 5,000 | 2,500 | -- | -- | 6 | 4 | 2 | 2 | Retired | 2001 | 2010 | [28] [29] [30] | |
H-I | JPN | Mitsubishi | 3,200 | -- | -- | 9 | 9 | Retired | 1986 | 1992 | License-built version of the Thor-ELT | [177] | |||
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 | [149] [178] [179] | ||
Kaituozhe ( DF-31) |
CHN | CALT | 800 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Retired (likely) | 2002 | 2017 | Var.: KT-1, KT-2, KT2-A | [180] |
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 | [181] [182] [183] | |
Long March 1D | CHN | CALT | 740 | -- | -- | -- | 0 | Retired | 1995 | 2002 | 3 suborbital launches only (2 successful.) | [181] [182] [183] | |||
Mu 1-3-4 | JPN | Nissan Motor IHI | 770 | -- | -- | -- | 27 | Retired | 1966 | 1995 | Var.: 1, 3D, 4S, 3C, 3H, 3S, 3SII | [184] | |||
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 | [185] |
N-I & II | JPN | Mitsubishi | 2,000 | 730 | -- | -- | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 [bv] | Retired | 1975 | 1987 | Derived from the American Delta rocket | [186] |
Naro | ROK | Khrunichev KARI | 100 | -- | -- | -- | 3 | 2 | 1 | 1 | Retired | 2009 | 2013 | First stage uses the Russian RD-151 engine | [187] |
Safir | IRN | ISA | 50 | -- | -- | -- | 8 [bw] | 5 | 4 | 4 | Retired | 2007 | 2019 | Numbers given here may be in dispute | [188] |
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 | [189] [190] |
Saturn V | USA | Boeing North American Douglas | 118,000 | -- | 47,000 | 185 | 13 | 13 | 13 | Retired | 1967 | 1973 | Var.: Apollo, Skylab | [189] [191] [192] | |
Scout | USA | US Air Force NASA | 210 | -- | -- | -- | 125 | 104 | Retired | 1960 | 1994 | Var.: X1, X2, A, D, G | [193] | ||
Shtil'/
Volna-O ( R-29) |
RUS | Makeyev | 430 | -- | -- | -- | 8 [bx] | 7 | 2 | 2 | Retired (as commercial launchers) [194] | 1995 | 2006 | Var.: Volna, Shtil, 2.1, 2R, 3 | [194] |
SLV | IND | ISRO | 40 | -- | -- | -- | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | Retired | 1979 | 1983 | Launched Rohini satellite series | [195] |
STS (Space Shuttle) |
USA | Alliant Martin Marietta Rockwell | 24,400 | 3,810 | -- | 450 | 135 | 134 | 134 | 133 | Retired | 1981 | 2011 | Orbiter mass: 68585 kg. | [196] |
Terran 1 | USA | Relativity Space | 1,250 | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Retired | 2023 | 2023 | anticipates 3-D printing most rocket parts | [197] | |
Thor | USA | Douglas | 1,270 | -- | 38 | -- | 357 | Retired | 1957 | 1980 | Launched Pioneer & Explorer probes | [164] | |||
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 |
[198] [199] | |||
Tsyklon ( R-36) |
USSR UKR |
Yuzhmash | 4,100 | -- | -- | -- | 259 | Retired | 1967 | 2009 | Var.: 1, 2, 3. | [200] | |||
Vanguard | USA | Martin | 23 | -- | -- | -- | 12 | 3 | Retired | 1957 | 1959 | [201] | |||
Zhuque-1 | CHN | LandSpace | 300 | -- | -- | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | Retired | 2018 | 2018 | [202] [203] |
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.