Comparison of orbital launcher families

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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.

A Saturn V rocket, one of the most powerful operational launch vehicles to date

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).

Description

  • Family: Name of the family/model of launcher
  • Country: Origin country of launcher
  • Manufac.: Main manufacturer
  • Payload: Maximum mass of payload, for 3 altitudes
  • Cost: Price for a launch at this time, in millions of US$
  • Launches reaching...
    • Total: Flights which lift-off, or where the vehicle is destroyed during the terminal count
      Note: only includes orbital launches (flights launched with the intention of reaching orbit). Suborbital tests launches are not included in this listing.
    • Space (regardless of outcome): Flights which reach approximately 100 km or more above Earth's surface.
    • Any orbit (regardless of outcome): Flights which achieve at least one complete orbit even if the orbit differs from the targeted orbit.
    • Target orbit (without damage to the payload)
  • Status: Actual status of launcher (retired, development, active)
  • Date of flight
    • First: Year of first flight of first family member
    • Last (if applicable): Year of Last flight (for vehicles retired from service)
  • Refs: citations

Same cores are grouped together (like Ariane 1, 2 & 3, but not V).

List of active and under-development launcher families

Legend
  Active or undergoing orbital test flights
  Under-development
More information ...
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 N/a N/a -- 7[a] 6 5 3 Active 2021 [1]
Angara RUS Khrunichev 3,800–35,000 3,60012,500 -- -- 13[b] 13 13 11 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 7[e] 7 7 7 Active 2024 Var.: Ariane 62, Ariane 64. [7]
Astra Rocket USA Astra 50150
(to SSO)
N/a N/a -- 7[f] 4 2 2 Active 2020 2 suborbital test launches in 2018. [8]
AS-1 CHN Astrostone/Yushi Space 15,700
10,000 (reusable)
-- -- -- 0 Devel. Q1 2027 Planned reusable methalox launcher [9]
Atlas V USA ULA 18,850 8,900 2,807 109153 109[g] 109 109 109 Active[h] 2002 2029
(planned)
Launched Juno & New Horizons [10][11]
Blue Whale 1 ROK Perigee Aerospace 170 (to SSO) -- -- -- 0 Devel. NET 2024 [12]
Ceres CHN Galactic Energy 400 (LEO)
300 (SSO)
-- -- -- 24[i] 22 21 21 Active 2020 Var.: Ceres-1, Ceres-1S [13][14][15]
1,600[15] (LEO)
1,300 (500 km SSO)
-- -- -- Var.: Ceres-2
Chollima-1 DPRK NADA ~300 -- -- -- 4[j] 2 1 1 Active 2023 UDMH/N2O4 fueled carrier [16]
Cyclone-4M UKR Yuzhnoye
Yuzhmash
5,000 1,000 -- -- 0 Devel. unknown [17]
Electron NZ
USA
Rocket Lab 225 6 80[k][l] 80 76 76 Active 2017 [18][19]
Epsilon JPN IHI Corporation 1,200 -- -- -- 6[m] 6 5 5 Active 2013 [20][21]
Eris AUS Gilmour Space Technologies 305 -- -- -- 1[n] 0 0 0 Active 2025 [22]
Falcon Falcon 9 USA SpaceX 22,800 8,300 -- 61.2 644[o][p] 642 642 641 Active 2010 Var.: v1.0, v1.1,[q] FT,[r] Block 4, Block 5. Launcher of crewed Dragon capsule.
Falcon Heavy USA SpaceX 63,800 26,700 -- 90150 12[s] 12 12 12 Active 2018 First test launch 2018-02-06 [25][26][27]
Gravity-1 CHN Orienspace 6,500 (LEO)
3,700 (700 km SSO)
-- -- -- 2[t] 2 2 2 Active 2024 largest solid launcher (3rd stage can be solid/kerolox) [28][29]
Gravity-2 CHN Orienspace 25,600 (LEO)
19,100 (SSO)
7,700 -- -- 0 Devel. 2025 kerolox (core), solid (boosters); reusable 1st stage [29]
GSLV Mark II IND ISRO 5,000 2,700 -- -- 12[u] 11 10 10 Active 2010 [30][31][32]
H3 JPN Mitsubishi 4,000–28,300 (base-heavy) 7,900–14,800 (base-heavy) 11,900 (heavy) 7[v] 7 6 5 Active 2023 Var.: 30S, 22S, 32L, 24L, heavy[33][34] [34]
Hanbit Nano ROK Innospace 90 (500 km SSO) -- -- 1[w] 0 0 0 Active 2025 Paraffin/LOX 1st stage; Methane/LOX 2nd stage [35]
Hyperbola-1 CHN i-Space 300 -- -- 8[x] 6 4 4 Active 2019 [36]
Hyperbola-3 CHN i-Space 8,500–13,400 -- -- 0 Devel. 2025 VTVL [37]
Jielong 1 CHN CALT 200 (SSO) -- -- 1[y] 1 1 1 Active 2019 [38]
Jielong 3 CHN CALT 1,600 (500 km SSO)[39] -- -- -- 11[z] 11 11 11 Active 2022 [39][40][41]
KAIROS JPN Space One 250
150 (SSO)
-- -- 3[aa] 0 0 0 Active 2024 [42]
Kuaizhou
(DF-21)
CHN CASIC 450 (KZ-1A Enhanced) -- -- -- 38[ab][ac] 36[ad] 34 34 Active 2013 Var.: KZ-1, KZ-1A, KZ-11; (KZ-21 under development) [43][44]
1,500 (KZ-11) -- --
LauncherOne USA Virgin Orbit 300 (SSO) -- -- -- 6[ae] 5 4 4 Susp.[af] 2020 [45]
Lijian-1
(Kinetica-1)
CHN CAS Space 1,500
(500 km SSO)
-- -- -- 13[ag] 13 12 12 Active 2022 solid fueled carrier [40][28]
Lijian-2
(Kinetica-2)
CHN CAS Space 12,000 (LEO)
8,000 (500 km SSO)[46]
-- -- -- 1[ah] 1 1 1 Active 2026 kerolox LV. reusable 1st stage [47][48][46]
Long March 2–3–4
(DF-5)
CHN CALT+SAST 12,000 5,500 3,300 524[ai][aj] 518[ak] 514 506 Active 1971 See notes Var.: 2A, 2C, 2D, 2E, 2F,[al] 3, 3A, 3B, 3B/E, 3C, 4A, 4B, 4C. See [am] for retired var. among those listed here. [50]
Long March 5 CHN CALT -- 14,000 8,000 -- 17[an] 17 16 16 Active 2016 Var.: CZ-5 [51][52]
25,000 -- -- Var.: CZ-5B
CZ 6–7–8 family Long March 6 CHN SAST 1,500 (LEO)
1,080 (700 lm SSO)
-- -5 -- 39[ao] 39 39 39 Active 2015 Var.: 6 [53][54]
4,500 (700 km SSO) -- -- Var.: 6A
2,400 (500 km SSO) -- -- Var.: 6C
Long March 7 CHN CALT 14,000 -- -- -- 26[ap] 25 25 25 Active 2016 Var.: 7 [55][56][57]
-- 7,000 -- Var.: 7A
Long March 8 CHN CALT 4,500 (SSO) 2,800 > 1,200 -- 14[aq] 14 14 14 Active 2020 Var.: 8 [56][58][59][60]
7,000 (700 km SSO) -- -- Var.: 8A
Long March 9 CHN CALT 150,000 -- 50,000 -- 0 Devel. 2033 partly-reusable Super-Heavy carrier [58][61]
Long March 10 CHN CALT 70,000 (CZ-10)[62] -- 27,000
(CZ-10)[61]
-- 0 Devel. 2026 Human-rated
Var.: 10 (3-core, TLI)
[63][64][62][61][65]
14,000 (CZ-10A, reusable)
18,000 (CZ-10A, expendable)
-- -- Human-rated
Var.: 10A (1-core, LEO, partly reusable)
16,000 (CZ-10B, reusable) -- -- Commercial
Var.: 10B (partly reusable)
Long March 11 CHN CALT 1,000 -- -- -- 18[ar] 18 18 18 Active 2015 Likely based on DF-31 missile [66]
Long March 12 CHN SAST/CACL 12,000 (LEO);
6,000 (700 km SSO)
-- -- -- 7[as] 7 7 7 Active 2024 Var. 12 (kerolox LV,
3.8 metres diameter)
[67][68][69]
~5,000 (700 km SSO)
CZ-12A
-- -- Var.: 12A (reusable CH4/LOX launcher)
~20,000 (LEO, expended)
~12,000 (LEO, 1st stage recovered)
~12,000 (500 km SSO, expended)
CZ-12B
-- -- Var.: 12B (reusable RP-1/LOX launcher)
LVM3 IND ISRO 10,000 4,000 2,180 -- 8[at] [au] 8 8 8 Active 2014 Uprated cryo 2nd stage (C32) and semi-cryo 1st stage (SC120) variants expected [70][71]
Maia FRA MaiaSpace 500 (SSO) -- -- 0 Devel. 2025 Planned first stage reuse [72]
Minotaur I USA Orbital ATK 580 -- -- -- 12[av] 12 12 12 Active 2000 Derived from the Minuteman II [73][74]
Minotaur IV & V USA Orbital ATK 1,735 640 447 50 10[aw] 10 10 10 Active 2010 Also 2 suborbital launches (HTV-2a). Var.: IV, IV Lite, IV HAPS, V. Derived from Peacekeeper missile [73][75]
Miura 5 ESP PLD Space 900 -- -- 0 Devel. NET 2024 [76]
MLV USA Firefly Aerospace 14,000 -- -- -- 0 Devel. 2025 [77]
Nebula-1 CHN Deep Blue Aerospace 1,000 -- -- 0 Devel. 2024 VTVL (first stage) [78]
Nebula-2 CHN Deep Blue Aerospace 20,000 -- -- 0 Devel. 2025 kerolox; VTVL (first stage) [79]
Neutron NZ
USA
Rocket Lab 15,000 -- 2,000 50 0 Devel. 2024 [80]
New Glenn USA Blue Origin 45,000 13,000 -- 4[ax] 3 3 2 Active 2025 [81]
New Line 1 CHN LinkSpace 200 (SSO) -- -- 0 Devel. unknown [82]
NGLV (Soorya) IND ISRO 30,000[83] 10,000 -- -- 0 Devel. NET 2032 Program approved in 2024 [84]
Nuri ROK KARI 1,500 -- -- 4[ay] 4 3 3 Active 2021 [85][86]
OS-M CHN OneSpace 205 (M1) -- -- -- 1[az] 0 0 0 Active 2019 Var.: M1, M2, M4. Single M1 failed launch; M2 & M4 in development. [87]
Pallas-1 CHN Galactic Energy 5,000
3,000 (SSO)
-- -- -- 0 Devel. 4th Qt 2025 kerolox LV with reusable 1st stage [88][48]
Pallas-2 CHN Galactic Energy 20,000 7,500 -- -- 0 Devel. NET 4th Qt 2026 Var.: 1-core [89]
58,000 -- -- Var.: 3-core
Pegasus USA Orbital ATK 450 -- -- -- 45[ba] 44 42 40 Active 1990 [90]
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 [91][92]
Proton
(UR-500)
Soviet Union USSR
RUS
Khrunichev 23,000 6,920 5,680 65 (Proton-M) 431[bb] 382 Active 1965 Var.: K, M, Medium in development. [93][94][95]
PSLV IND ISRO 3,800 1,200 550 -- 64[bc] 63 60 59 Active 1993 Var.: CA, XL, QL, DL
Launched moon probe Chandrayaan I, Mars probe Mangalyaan I
[96][97]
Qaem-100 IRN IRGC 80 -- -- -- 3[bd] 3 2 2 Active 2023 also one successful suborbital launch [98]
Qased IRN IRGC ~50 -- -- -- 3[be] 3 3 3 Active 2020 [99][100]
RFA One Germany Rocket Factory Augsburg 1,300 450 -- -- 0 Devel. 2024 1st stage combustion in Europe, Orbital Stage. [citation needed][101][102][103][104]
Rokot/Strela
(UR-100N)
RUS Eurockot Khrunichev 2,100 -- -- -- 37[bf] 36 35 35 Active 1994 34 Rokot launches (no launches post-2019 due to Ukrainian tech ban); 3 Strela launches. [105][106][107][108]
RS1 USA ABL Space Systems 1,200 -- -- 12 1[bg] 0 0 0 Active 2023 [109]
Shavit ISR IAI 225 -- -- 15 13[bh] 11 11 11 Active 1988 Var.: Shavit, -1, -2 [110]
Simorgh IRN ISA 350 -- -- -- 7[bi] 7 2 2 Active 2016 [111]
SK solid fueled TV2 ROK MND > 100 -- -- -- 1[bj] 1 1 1 Active 2023 solid fueled launch vehicle [112]
SLS USA Orbital ATK Boeing United Launch Alliance Aerojet Rocketdyne ~95,000 -- ~27,000 -- 2[bk] 2 2 2 Active 2022 Var.: Block 1
(Blocks 1B, 2 cancelled)
[113][114]
Soyuz
Soviet Union USSR
RUS
RSC Energia TsSKB-Progress 8,200 2,400 1,200 -- 2,015[bl] [bm] 1,890[bn] 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 [115][116]
Spectrum GER Isar Aerospace 1,000 (LEO)[117]
700 (SSO)
-- -- -- 1[bo] 0 0 0 Active 2025 [117]
SS-520 JPN IHI Aerospace 4 -- -- -- 2[bp] 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. [118]
SSLV IND ISRO 500 300 -- -- 3[bq] 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]
-- 12[br][bs] 11 0 0 test flights 2023 1st flight intended a TAO orbit; 3rd flight suborbital [119][120][121][122][123]
150,000 (reusable) [better source needed]
Start-1
(RT-2PM)
RUS MITT 532 -- -- -- 7[bt] 6 6 6 Active 1993 [124]
Taurus / Minotaur-C USA Orbital Sciences 1,450 -- -- -- 9[bu] 9 6 6 Active 1989 Var.: 2110, 3110, 3210 [125]
Tianlong 2 CHN Space Pioneer 2,000 (LEO)
1,500 (500 km SSO)
-- -- 1[bv] 1 1 1 Active 2023 liquid fueled (kerolox) carrier [126][127]
Tianlong 3 CHN Space Pioneer 17,000 (LEO)
14,000 (500 km SSO)
-- -- 1[bw] 1 0 0 Active 2026 kerolox with reusable 1st stage [127][128]
Tronador Argentina ARG CONAE 500 Devel. 2030
Unha DPRK KCST 200 -- -- -- 4[bx] 3 2 Active 2006 Var.: Paektusan based on Taepodong-1 missile; Unha based on Taepodong-2 missile. [129][130]
Vega ITA
FRA
ESA
Avio 2,300 -- -- 23 29[by] 28 26 26 Active 2012 Vega, Vega-C,
Vega-E in-development.
[131]
Vikram IND Skyroot Aerospace 720 -- -- 0 Devel. NET 2023 Var.: Vikram 1, Vikram II, Vikram III [132]
VLM BRA CTA 150 -- -- -- 0 Devel. NET 2025 [133][134][135]
Vulcan USA ULA 17,800–34,900 7,400–16,300 -- 99 4[bz] 4 4 4 Active 2024 [136][non-primary source needed][137][138][139]
Yenisei RUS TsSKB-Progress
RSC Energia
88,000115,000 20,000-27,000 0 Devel. NET 2032 [140][141][142][143]
Zenit Soviet Union USSR
UKR
RUS
Yuzhnoye 13,740 6,160 4,098 -- 84[ca] 74 72 Active 1985 Var.: 2, 2M (2SB, 2SLB), 3SL, 3SLB, 3SLBF [144]
Zephyr FRA Latitude 100 -- -- 0 Devel. 2025 [145]
Zero JPN Interstellar Technologies 100 (SSO) -- -- 0 Devel. 2023 [146]
Zhihang-1 CHN Anhui Space Zhihang Technology Co., Ltd. 4,000
-- -- -- 0 Devel. June 2026 Planned kerolox launcher [147][148]
Zhuque-2 CHN LandSpace 4,000 (LEO)
1,500 (500 km SSO)[149]
-- -- 7[cb] 7 5 5 Active 2022 Var.: ZQ-2;
1st methalox LV to reach:
space (2022),
orbit (2023),
orbit with payload (12/2023)
[40][149][150]
6,000 (LEO)
4,000 (500 km SSO)[150]
-- -- Var.: ZQ-2E
Zhuque-3 CHN LandSpace 11,800 (expendable)
8,000 (1st stage recovered)
-- -- 1[cc] 1 1 1 Active 2025 Var.: ZQ-3;
methalox carrier
[151]
21,000 (expendable)
12,500–18,300 (1st stage recovered)
-- -- Var.: ZQ-3E
Zuljanah Iran IRN ISA 220[152] 0 Devel. NET 2023 Two successful suborbital flights [153][152]
Close

List of retired launcher families

Legend
  Retired
More information Family, Country/Orgs. ...
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 N/a 2,650 N/a -- 28 Retired 1979 1989 [154][155]
Ariane 4 FRA
ESA
Aérospatiale 7,000 4,720 N/a -- 116 Retired 1988 2003 Var.: 40, 42P, 42L, 44P, 44L, 44LP [155]
Ariane 5 FRA
ESA
Airbus 21,000 10,735[156] N/a 165220 117 115 115 112 Retired 1996 2023 Var.: G, G+, GS, ECA, ES. [157][158][159]
ASLV IND ISRO 150 -- -- -- 4 2 2 1 Retired 1987 1994 [160]
Athena I & II USA Lockheed ATK 2,065 -- 295 -- 7 Retired 1995 2001 Launch Lunar Prospector.[161] [162]
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.
[163][164][165][166]
Atlas II USA Lockheed 8,618 3,833 -- -- 63 63 63 Retired 1991 2004 [167][168][169]
Atlas III USA Lockheed 10,759 4,609 -- -- 6 6 6 Retired 2003 2005 Var.: IIIA, IIIB [170][171]
Black Arrow UK RAE Westland 132 -- -- -- 4 3 Retired 1969 1971 [172]
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
[173]
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.
[173][174][175]
Delta III USA Boeing 8,290 3,810 -- -- 3 2 2 Retired 1998 2000 [176][177]
Delta IV USA ULA 23,040 13,130 9,000 -- 45 45 45 44 Retired 2002 2024 Var.: M, M+, and Heavy. [178]
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 [179][180][181]
Energia Soviet Union 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. [182][citation needed]
Falcon 1 USA SpaceX 420[183] -- -- 7.9[183] 5[184] 4[183] 2[183] 2[184] Retired[183] 2006 2009
Feng Bao 1
(DF-5)
CHN SAST 2,500 -- -- -- 8 4 Retired 1972 1981 3 successful suborbital flights [185]
GSLV Mark I IND ISRO 5,000 2,500 -- -- 6 4 2 2 Retired 2001 2010 [30][31][32]
H-I JPN Mitsubishi 3,200 -- -- 9 9 Retired 1986 1992 License-built version of the Thor-ELT [186]
H-II, IIA & IIB JPN Mitsubishi 19,000 8,000 -- (190), 90, 112 66[cd] 65 64 63 Retired 1994 2025 Var.: A202, A2022, A2024, A204, B [187]
J-I JPN IHI Corporation Nissan Motors 880 -- -- -- 1 Retired 1996 1996 Partial demonstration flight only [citation needed]
Kosmos
(R-12 & R-14)
Soviet Union USSR Yuzhnoye Polyot 1,500 -- -- 12 610 559 Retired 1967 2010 Var.: 1, 2, 3, 3M [158][188][189]
Kaituozhe
(DF-31)
CHN CALT 800 -- -- -- 3 1 1 1 Retired (likely) 2002 2017 Var.: KT-1, KT-2, KT2-A [190]
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 [191][192][193]
Long March 1D CHN CALT 740 -- -- -- 0 Retired 1995 2002 3 suborbital launches only (2 successful.) [191][192][193]
Mu 1-3-4 JPN Nissan Motor IHI 770 -- -- -- 27 Retired 1966 1995 Var.: 1, 3D, 4S, 3C, 3H, 3S, 3SII [194]
Mu 5 JPN Nissan Motor IHI 1,800 -- -- -- 7 6 Retired 1997 2006 Var.: M-V, M-V KM [citation needed]
N1 Soviet Union USSR NPO Energia 90,000 -- 23,500 -- 4 0 0 0 Retired 1969 1972 Designed for Soviet Manned Lunar Mission [195]
N-I & II JPN Mitsubishi 2,000 730 -- -- 15 15 15 14[ce] Retired 1975 1987 Derived from the American Delta rocket [196]
Naro ROK Khrunichev KARI 100 -- -- -- 3 2 1 1 Retired 2009 2013 First stage uses the Russian RD-151 engine [197]
Safir IRN ISA 50 -- -- -- 8[cf] 5 4 4 Retired 2007 2019 Numbers given here may be in dispute [198]
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 [199][200]
Saturn V USA Boeing North American Douglas 118,000 -- 47,000 185 13 13 13 Retired 1967 1973 Var.: Apollo, Skylab [199][201][202]
Scout USA US Air Force NASA 210 -- -- -- 125 104 Retired 1960 1994 Var.: X1, X2, A, D, G [203]
Shtil'/Volna-O
(R-29)
RUS Makeyev 430 -- -- -- 8[cg] 7 2 2 Retired (as commercial launchers)[204] 1995 2006 Var.: Volna, Shtil, 2.1, 2R, 3 [204]
SLV IND ISRO 40 -- -- -- 4 3 3 2 Retired 1979 1983 Launched Rohini satellite series [205]
STS
(Space Shuttle)
USA Alliant Martin Marietta Rockwell 24,400 3,810 -- 450 135 134 134 133 Retired 1981 2011 Orbiter mass: 68585 kg. [206]
Terran 1 USA Relativity Space 1,250 -- -- 1 1 0 0 Retired 2023 2023 anticipates 3-D printing most rocket parts [207]
Thor USA Douglas 1,270 -- 38 -- 357 Retired 1957 1980 Launched Pioneer & Explorer probes [173]
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
[208][209]
Tsyklon
(R-36)
Soviet Union USSR
UKR
Yuzhmash 4,100 -- -- -- 259 Retired 1967 2009 Var.: 1, 2, 3. [210]
Vanguard USA Martin 23 -- -- -- 12 3 Retired 1957 1959 [211]
Zhuque-1 CHN LandSpace 300 -- -- 1 1 0 0 Retired 2018 2018 [212][213]
Close
Comparison of some of the launchers listed in the following table.

See also

Notes

  1. Number of Alpha launches current as of 12 March 2026.
  2. Number of Angara 1.2 + A5 launches current as of 23 April 2026.
  3. Number of Antares launches current as of 02 August 2023.
  4. The only currently available version, Antares 230+, has only one launch planned, in July 2023. After that, the development period will follow.
  5. Number of Ariane 6 launches current as of 30 April 2026.
  6. Number of Astra launches current as of 12 June 2022.
  7. Number of Atlas V launches current as of 29 May 2026
  8. All remaining planned launches are sold.
  9. Number of Ceres-1/Ceres-2 launches current as of 17 January 2026.
  10. Number of Chollima-1 launches current as of 27 May 2024.
  11. Number of Electron launches current as of 22 May 2026.
  12. NOTE: the numbers here exclude suborbital launches.
  13. Number of Epsilon launches current as of 12 October 2022.
  14. Number of Eris launches current as of 29 July 2025
  15. Number of Falcon 9 launches are updated via manual input into "Template:Falcon rocket statistics". Said page was last updated on May 30, 2026.
  16. One flight put primary but not secondary payload into correct orbit,[23] one rocket and payload were destroyed before launch in preparation for static fire[24][non-primary source needed] and thus is not counted.
  17. Upgraded to version 1.1 in 2013.
  18. Upgraded to version FT in 2015.
  19. Falcon rocket statistics template page last updated on May 30, 2026.
  20. Number of Gravity-1 launches current as of 11 October 2025.
  21. Number of GSLV Mark II launches current as of 30 July 2025.
  22. Number of H3 launches current as of 22 December 2025.
  23. Number of Hanbit-Nano launches current as of 23 December 2025.
  24. Number of Hyperbola-1 launches current as of 29 July 2025.
  25. Jielong 1 launch numbers current as of 17 August 2019.
  26. Jielong 3 launch numbers current as of 11 April 2026.
  27. Number of KAIROS launches current as of 5 March 2026.
  28. Number of Kuaizhou launches current as of 16 March 2026.
  29. Number of Kuaizhou launches excludes a successful suborbital test launch on 17 March 2012.
  30. According to cited reference, a KZ-11 3rd stage failed to ignite during the launch on 10 July 2020; also, the KZ-1A launch on 12 September 2020 experienced a 4th-stage failure. Both launches likely reached space.
  31. LauncherOne launch numbers current as of 9 January 2023.
  32. The parent company suspended operations and declared bankruptcy
  33. Lijian-1 launch numbers current as of 15 May 2026.
  34. Lijian-2 launch numbers current as of 30 March 2026.
  35. Number of Long March 2-3-4 family launches current as of 30 May 2026.
  36. The total number of launches in the CZ-2,3,4 series listed here does not include 6 possible launches [5 possilbe successes and 1 possible failure] of the CZ-2C (3) var. noted in reference.[49]
  37. Sources from List of Long March launches are unclear regarding whether 3 failed launches in the CZ-2,3,4 series reached space; thus the number quoted here is the minimum number of launches that reached space while the actual possible number could be greater than the quoted number by up to three.
  38. CZ-2F is the crew-rated launcher for the Shenzhou spacecraft.
  39. As of 21 February 2020, the following var. in the Long March 2-3-4 family of launchers have been retired: 2A, 2E, 3, 3B, and 4A.
  40. Number of Long March 5 family launches current as of 20 December 2025.
  41. Number of Long March 6 family launches current as of 12 May 2026.
  42. Number of Long March 7 family launches current as of 26 May 2026.
  43. Number of Long March 8 family launches current as of 17 May 2026.
  44. Number of Long March 11 family launches current as of 08 November 2025.
  45. Number of Long March 12 family launches current as of 1 June 2026.
  46. Number of GSLV LVM-3 launches current as of 24 December 2025.
  47. LVM-3 launch numbers do not include one successful suborbital flight.
  48. Number of Minotaur I launches current as of 15 June 2021.
  49. Number of Minotaur IV and V launches current as of 7 April 2026.
  50. Number of New Glenn launches current as of 29 May 2026.
  51. Number of Nuri launches current as of 26 November 2025.
  52. Number of OS-M launches current as of 27 March 2019.
  53. Number of Pegasus launches current as of 13 June 2021.
  54. Number of Proton launches current as of 12 February 2026.
  55. Number of PSLV launches current as of 12 January 2026.
  56. Number of Qaem-100 launches current as of 14 September 2024.
  57. Number of Qased launches current as of 27 September 2023.
  58. Number of Rokot+Strela launches current as of 26 December 2019.
  59. Number of RS1 launches current as of 20 January 2023.
  60. Number of Shavit launches current as of 2 September 2025
  61. Number of Simorgh launches current as of 6 December 2024.
  62. Number of TV2 launches current as of 04 December 2023.
  63. Number of SLS launches current as of 1 April 2026.
  64. Number of R-7 Semyorka/Soyuz launches current as of 25 April 2026.
  65. Due to the existence of ICBM variants, suborbital flights, and the large total number of flights, the number of launches reaching space and those reaching any orbit are not given here in order to lessen the possible dissemination of inaccurate information.
  66. The total number of launches and launch successes are taken from the List of R-7 launches and from the R-7 Semyorka Wikipedia pages.
  67. Number of Spectrum launches current as of 30 March 2025.
  68. Number of SS-520 launches current as of 3 February 2018.
  69. Number of SSLV launches current as of 16 August 2024.
  70. Number of Starship launches current as of 22 May 2026.
  71. Starship test launches are intended as pseudo-orbital flights (may be considered as suborbital) and so are included in this list for now.
  72. Number of Start-1/Start launches current as of 25 April 2006.
  73. Number of Taurus/Minotaur-C launches current as of 31 October 2017.
  74. Number of Tianlong-2 launches current as of 02 April 2023.
  75. Number of Tianlong-3 launches current as of 3 April 2026.
  76. Number of Unha-2/Unha-3 launches current as of 7 February 2016.
  77. Number of Vega (all versions) launches current as of 19 May 2026.
  78. Number of Vulcan launches current as of 12 February 2026.
  79. Number of Zenit launches current as of 26 December 2017.
  80. Number of Zhuque-2 launches current as of 14 May 2026.
  81. Number of Zhuque-3 launches current as of 03 December 2025.
  82. Number of H-II (all versions) launches current as of 28 June 2025.
  83. One N-I launch partially failed due to recontact between satellite and upper stage.
  84. Number of Safir launches current as of 29 August 2019. Number of launches and possible outcomes are in dispute. See main page at Safir.
  85. 5 of the 8 launches were suborbital (of which 2 failed); 3 of the 8 launches were intended for LEO (2 successes).[204]

References

Related Articles

Wikiwand AI