A medium-lift launch vehicle (MLV) is a rocket launch vehicle that is capable of lifting between 2,000 to 20,000 kg (4,400 to 44,100 lb) by NASA classification or between 5,000 to 20,000 kilograms (11,000 to 44,000 lb) by Russian classification[1] of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO).[2] An MLV is between small-lift launch vehicles and heavy-lift launch vehicles.
Class overview | |
---|---|
Name | Medium-lift launch vehicle |
Preceded by | Small-lift launch vehicle |
Succeeded by | Heavy-lift launch vehicle |
Built | Since 1958 |
General characteristics | |
Capacity |
|
Rated launch vehicles
editOperational
editVehicle | Origin | Manufacturer | Mass to LEO (kg) | Mass to other orbits (kg) | Launches | First Flight |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Falcon 9 Block 5 | United States | SpaceX | 18,500 (reusable) 22,800 (expendable) |
7,350 to GTO (reusable) 8,300 to GTO (expendable) 4,020 to Mars |
309 | 2018 |
Soyuz-2 | Russia | Progress | 8,200 | 3,250 to GTO 4,400 to SSO |
175 | 2006[a] |
Long March 4B/4C | China | SAST | 4,200 | 1,500 to GTO 2,800 to SSO |
101 | 1999 |
Atlas V | United States | ULA | 18,850 | 8,900 to GTO | 99 | 2002 |
Long March 2D | China | SAST | 3,500 | 1,300 to SSO | 89 | 1992 |
Zenit-3 | Ukraine | Yuzhmash | 7,000 | 6,160 to GTO | 84 | 1999 |
Long March 3B/E | China | CALT | 11,500 | 5,500 to GTO 6,900 to SSO |
82 | 2007 |
Long March 2C | China | CALT | 3,850 | 1,900 to SSO | 77 | 1982 |
PSLV | India | ISRO | 3,800 | 1,200 to GTO 1,750 to SSO |
60 | 1993 |
H-IIA | Japan | Mitsubishi | 15,000 | 6,000 to GTO | 48 | 2001 |
Long March 3A | China | CALT | 6,000 | 2,600 to GTO 5,000 to SSO |
27 | 1994 |
Long March 2F | China | CALT | 8,400 | 3,500 to GTO | 23 | 1999 |
Long March 3C | China | CALT | 9,100 | 3,800 to GTO 6,500 to SSO |
18 | 2008 |
GSLV | India | ISRO | 5,000 | 2,700 to GTO | 16 | 2010 |
Long March 7/7A | China | CALT | 13,500 | 5,500 to SSO 7,000 to GTO |
14 | 2016 |
Soyuz-2.1v | Russia | Progress | 2,800 | 1,400 to SSO | 9 | 2013 |
LVM3 | India | ISRO | 10,000 | 4,000 to GTO | 7 | 2017[b] |
Long March 6A | China | CALT | 4,500 to SSO | 5 | 2022 | |
Nuri | South Korea | KARI | 3,300 | 1,900 to SSO (700 km) | 3 | 2022[c] |
Zhuque-2 | China | LandSpace | 6,000 | 4,000 to SSO (500 km) | 3 | 2022 |
Long March 8 | China | CALT | 8,100 | 4,500 to SSO | 3 | 2020 |
Angara 1.2 | Russia | Khrunichev | 3,500[3] | 2 | 2022[b] | |
Vega C | Italy Europe[d] |
Avio | 2,200 to SSO (700 km)[4] | 2 | 2022 | |
H3 | Japan | Mitsubishi | 7,900 to GTO 4,000 to SSO |
2 | 2023 | |
Gravity-1 | China | Orienspace | 6,500 | 4,000 to SSO | 1 | 2024 |
Ariane 6 (A62) | France Europe[e] |
Ariane Group | 10,350 | 5,000 to GTO | 1 | 2024 |
Under development
editVehicle | Origin | Manufacturer | Mass to LEO (kg) | Mass to other orbits (kg) | Expected Flight |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Tianlong-3 | China | Space Pioneer | 17,000 | 14,000 to SSO | 2024 |
Long March 12 | China | CALT | 10,000 | 6,000 to SSO | 2024 |
Pallas-1 | China | Galactic Energy | 5,000 | 3,000 to SSO | 2024 |
Neutron | New Zealand United States |
Rocket Lab | 13,000 | 2025[5] | |
MLV | United States | Firefly | 14,000[6] | 2025 | |
Zhuque-3 | China | LandSpace | 11,000-20,000 | 2025 | |
Irtysh | Russia | Progress | 18,000 | 5,000 to GTO | 2025 |
Hyperbola-3 | China | i-Space | 13,400 (expendable) 8,500 (reusable)[7] |
2025[7] | |
Unified Launch Vehicle | India | ISRO | 4,500-15,000 | 1,500-6,000 to GTO | 2026 |
Long March 10A | China | CALT | 14,000 | 2026 | |
Pallas-2 | China | Galactic Energy | 14,000[8] | 2026[9] |
Retired
editVehicle | Origin | Manufacturer[f] | Mass to LEO (kg) | Mass to other orbits (kg) | Launches | First Flight | Last Flight |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Vostok | Soviet Union | RSC Energia | 4,730 | 163 | 1958 | 1991 | |
Saturn I | United States | Chrysler & Douglas | 9,000 | 10 | 1961 | 1965 | |
Atlas-Centaur | United States | Lockheed | 5,100 | 61 | 1962 | 1983 | |
Titan II GLV | United States | Martin | 3,580 | 12 | 1964 | 1966 | |
Titan IIIC | United States | Martin | 13,100 | 3,000 to GTO 1,200 to TMI |
36 | 1965 | 1982 |
Molniya-M | Soviet Union Russia |
Progress | 2,400 | 280 | 1965 | 2010 | |
Proton-K | Soviet Union Russia |
Khrunichev | 19,760 | 311 | 1965 | 2012 | |
Soyuz original | Soviet Union | OKB-1 | 6,450 | 32 | 1966 | 1975 | |
R-36 Tsyklon | Soviet Union Ukraine |
Yuzhmash | 2,820–5,250[10][11] | 500–910 to GTO[12] | 236 | 1967 | 2009 |
Soyuz-L | Soviet Union | OKB-1 | 5,500 | 3 | 1970 | 1971 | |
Titan IIID | United States | Martin | 12,300 | 22 | 1971 | 1982 | |
Soyuz-M | Soviet Union | OKB-1 | 6,600 | 8 | 1971 | 1976 | |
Soyuz-U | Soviet Union Russia |
Progress | 6,900 | 786 | 1973 | 2017 | |
Feng Bao 1 | China | SAST | 2,500 | 8 | 1973 | 1981 | |
Long March 2A | China | CALT | 2,000 | 4 | 1974 | 1976 | |
Titan IIIE | United States | Martin Marietta | 15,400 | 3,700 to TMI | 7 | 1974 | 1977 |
Delta 3920–5920 | United States | McDonnell Douglas | 3,452–3,848 | 30 | 1980 | 1990 | |
N-II[13] | Japan | Mitsubishi | 2,000 | 8 | 1981 | 1987 | |
Soyuz-U2 | Soviet Union | Progress | 7,050 | 72 | 1982 | 1995 | |
Atlas G | United States | Lockheed | 5,900 | 7 | 1984 | 1989 | |
Long March 3 | China | CALT | 5,000 | 1,340 to GTO | 14 | 1984 | 2000 |
Zenit-2 | Soviet Union Ukraine |
Yuzhnoye | 13,740 | 36 | 1985 | 2004 | |
H-I | Japan | Mitsubishi | 3,200 | 1,100 to GTO | 9 | 1986 | 1992 |
Long March 4A | China | SAST | 4,000 | 2 | 1988 | 1990 | |
Ariane 4 | France Europe[g] |
Aérospatiale | 7,600 | 4,800 to GTO | 116 | 1988 | 2003 |
Delta II | United States | ULA | 6,100 | 2,170 to GTO 1,000 to HCO |
156 | 1989 | 2018 |
Atlas I, II, III | United States | Lockheed | 5,900–8,686 | 2,340–4,609 to GTO | 80 | 1990 | 2005 |
Long March 2E | China | CALT | 9,200 | 7 | 1990 | 1995 | |
H-II / IIS | Japan | Mitsubishi | 10,060 | 4,000 to GTO | 7 | 1994 | 1999 |
Ariane 5 | France Europe[h] |
Ariane Group | 16,000 | 6,950 to GTO | 117 | 1996 | 2023 |
Long March 3B | China | CALT | 11,200 | 5,100 to GTO 5,700 to SSO |
12 | 1996 | 2012 |
Delta III | United States | Boeing | 8,290 | 3,810 to GTO | 3 | 1998 | 2000 |
Dnepr | Ukraine | Yuzhmash | 4,500 | 2,300 to GTO 550 to TLI |
22 | 1999 | 2015 |
Soyuz-FG | Russia | Progress | 6,900 | 70 | 2001 | 2019 | |
GSLV Mk.I | India | ISRO | 4,000 | 2,150 to GTO | 6 | 2001 | 2010 |
H-IIB | Japan | Mitsubishi | 19,000 | 8,000 to GTO | 9 | 2009 | 2020 |
Falcon 9 v1.0 | United States | SpaceX | 10,450 | 4,540 to GTO | 5 | 2010 | 2013 |
Antares 110/120/130 | United States | Orbital | 5,100[14] | 1,500 to SSO | 5 | 2013 | 2014 |
Falcon 9 v1.1 | United States | SpaceX | 13,150 | 4,850 to GTO | 15 | 2013 | 2016 |
Falcon 9 Full Thrust | United States | SpaceX | 15,600+[15] | 7,075+[16] to GTO | 63 | 2015 | 2018 |
Antares 230/230+ | United States | Northrop Grumman | 8,000[14] | 3,000 to SSO | 13 | 2016 | 2023 |
Notes
edit- ^ A suborbital test flight was conducted in 2004, without the upper stage.
- ^ a b A suborbital test flight was conducted in 2014, without the upper stage.
- ^ A flight in 2021 failed to reach orbit.
- ^ The lead manufacturer is from Italy, but the rocket has significant contributions from companies based in Belgium, France, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine.
- ^ The lead manufacturer is from France, but the rocket has significant contributions from companies based in Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland and Sweden.
- ^ Some vehicles were made by multiple manufacturers during their lifespan due to mergers and acquisitions. For brevity, only the final manufacturer is shown.
- ^ The lead manufacturer is from France, but the rocket has significant contributions from companies based across Europe.
- ^ The lead manufacturer is from France, 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
- Heavy-lift launch vehicle, capable of lifting between 20,000 and 50,000 kg (44,000 and 110,000 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
References
edit- ^ Osipov, Yuri (2004–2017). Great Russian Encyclopedia. Moscow: Great Russian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
- ^ NASA Space Technology Roadmaps – Launch Propulsion Systems, p.11 Archived 24 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine: "Small: 0-2t payloads, Medium: 2-20t payloads, Heavy: 20-50t payloads, Super Heavy: >50t payloads"
- ^ "Angara Launch Vehicle Family". Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
- ^ "Vega C". Retrieved 18 June 2021.
- ^ "Rocket Lab Completes Archimedes Engine Build, Begins Engine Test Campaign". www.businesswire.com. 6 May 2024. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
- ^ "Medium Launch Vehicle". Firefly Aerospace. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
- ^ a b Jones, Andrew (11 December 2023). "China's (reusable) rocket race heats up with new hop test". SpaceNews. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
- ^ "三年回望:我们为什么坚定投资星河动力" [Three-year review: Why we firmly invest in Galactic Energy]. 3sNews (in Chinese). Taibo. 20 February 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
- ^ Jones, Andrew (22 July 2023). "Galactic Energy registers sixth consecutive successful launch". SpaceNews. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
- ^ "Tsiklon-2". Archived from the original on 27 December 2016.
- ^ "Tsiklon-4". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
- ^ "Tsyklon-4M (Cyclone-4M) prepares a move to Canada".
- ^ "N-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 8 November 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
- ^ a b Krebs, Gunter. "Antares (Taurus-2)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
- ^ "SpaceX and Cape Canaveral Return to Action with First Operational Starlink Mission". NASASpaceFlight.com. 11 November 2019. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
- ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Telstar 19V (Telstar 19 Vantage)". Gunter's Space Page. Gunter. Retrieved 7 August 2018.