Medium-lift launch vehicle
Category of space launch vehicle
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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 a small-lift launch vehicle and a heavy-lift launch vehicle. Medium-lift vehicles comprise the majority of orbital launches as of 2024[update], with both the Soyuz and Falcon 9 having launched several hundred times.
| 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 |
|
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History
Soviet Union and Russia
The Soviet R-7 family was based on the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Sputnik was a small-lift derivative that carried the first satellite into orbit, and the R-7 design quickly grew in capacity, with Luna launching in 1958. The 1960s saw the R-7 series continue to develop, with Vostok 1 carrying the first human into space, Voskhod carrying multiple crew members, and the first Soyuz. As of 2026[update], Soyuz variants are still operational and have launched over 1,100 times. The R-7 family has launched more times than any other family of orbital rockets.[3]
United States
The first US medium-lift vehicle was a purpose-built orbital launch vehicle, the Saturn I. Saturn I first launched in 1961, and the Saturn family would eventually grow into the heavy-lift Saturn IB and the super-heavy lift Saturn V.[4]
ICBM-derived launch vehicles for the US include the Atlas, Titan, and Delta families. Atlas-Centaur launched in 1962 and marked the first use of a Centaur upper stage. As of 2025[update], the derivative Atlas V is still operational; Centaur has seen extensive use on multiple vehicles and is operational on the Atlas V and Vulcan vehicles. Titan II GLV carried the Gemini spacecraft. The family was further developed into Titan III which utilized solid rocket boosters (SRBs), and in 1989, the heavy-lift Titan IV. Medium-lift versions of the Delta family include Delta II which utilized up to nine SRBs, and the Delta IV which could use optional SRBs or three first-stage cores as a heavy variant.
SpaceX introduced the Falcon 9 in 2010, designed to be a partially reusable launch vehicle. Falcon 9 underwent iterative upgrades and completed the first propulsive landing of an orbital rocket stage in 2015.[5] SpaceX then began regularly reusing first stages.[6] In 2022, Falcon 9 broke the record of 47 launches in one year held by Soyuz-U.[7] Falcon 9 has since continued to set new launch cadence records, launching 165 times in 2025.[8][9]
Other
China's Long March family and the European Ariane family were introduced in the 1970s. Japan launched the H-I in 1986 before developing the H-II and H3. India introduced the PSLV in 1993 and LVM3 in 2014. South Korea's Nuri reached orbit in 2022.
Rated launch vehicles
Operational
| Vehicle | Origin | Manufacturer | Mass to LEO (kg) | Mass to other orbits (kg) | Launches | First Flight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Falcon 9 Block 5[a] |  United States |
SpaceX | 18,500 (reusable) 22,800 (expendable) |
7,350 to GTO (reusable) 8,300 to GTO (expendable) 4,020 to Mars |
580 | 2018 |
| Soyuz-2 |  Russia |
Progress | 8,200 | 3,250 to GTO 4,400 to SSO |
175 | 2006[b] |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| LVM3 | India |
ISRO | 10,000 | 4,000 to GTO | 7 | 2017[c] |
| Nuri |  South Korea |
KARI | 3,300 | 1,900 to SSO (700 km) | 3 | 2022[d] |
| 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[10] | 2 | 2022[c] | |
| Vega C |  Italy Europe[e] |
Avio | 2,300 to SSO | 5 | 2022 | |
| H3 |  Japan |
Mitsubishi | 7,900 to GTO 4,000 to SSO |
2 | 2023 | |
| Vulcan Centaur[f] | United States |
ULA | 10,800 (VC0)[g][11] 19,000 (VC2)[h] |
3,500 to GTO (VC0) 8,400 to GTO (VC2) |
2 | 2024 |
| Gravity-1 | China |
Orienspace | 6,500 | 4,000 to SSO | 1 | 2024 |
| Long March 6C | China |
CALT | 4,500 | 2,400 to SSO | 1 | 2024 |
| Ariane 6 (A62) |  France Europe[i] |
Ariane Group | 10,350 | 5,000 to GTO | 3 | 2024 |
| Long March 12 | China |
CALT | 10,000 | 6,000 to SSO | 5 | 2024[12] |
| Zhuque-3 | China |
LandSpace | 11,000- 20,000 |
1 | 2025 |
Under development
| Vehicle | Origin | Manufacturer | Mass to LEO (kg) | Mass to other orbits (kg) | Expected Flight |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pallas-1 | China |
Galactic Energy | 5,000 | 3,000 to SSO | 2026 |
| Tianlong-3 | China |
Space Pioneer | 17,000 | 14,000 to SSO | 2026 |
| Neutron |  New Zealand United States |
Rocket Lab | 13,000 | 2026[13] | |
| MLV | United States |
Firefly | 14,000[14] | 2026 | |
| Irtysh | Russia |
Progress | 18,000 | 5,000 to GTO | 2026[15] |
| Hyperbola-3 | China |
i-Space | 13,400 (expendable) 8,500 (reusable)[16] |
2026[17] | |
| Nova | United States |
Stoke Space | 7,000 (expendable)
3,000 (re-usable)[18] |
2,500 to GTO
1,250 to TLI |
2026[19] |
| 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[20] | 2026[21] | |
| Antares 330 | United States |
Northrop Grumman Firefly |
10,800[22] | 2026[23] | |
| KSLV-III | South Korea |
Hanwha Aerospace | 10,000 | 7,000 to SSO | 2030[24] |
Retired
| Vehicle | Origin | Manufacturer[j] | 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[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[26][27] | 500–910 to GTO[28] | 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[29] | 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[l] |
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[m] |
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 | |
| Soyuz-2.1v | Russia |
Progress | 2,800 | 1,400 to SSO | 13 | 2013 | 2025 |
| H-IIA | Japan |
Mitsubishi | 15,000 | 6,000 to GTO | 50 | 2001 | 2025 |
| 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[30] | 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 Blocks 3 and 4[n] | United States |
SpaceX | 15,600+[31] | 7,075+[32] to GTO | 36 | 2015 | 2018 |
| Antares 230/230+ | United States |
Northrop Grumman | 8,000[30] | 3,000 to SSO | 13 | 2016 | 2023 |
Notes
- When launched with an expendable first stage, Falcon 9 Block 5 has the capacity of a heavy-lift launch vehicle
- A suborbital test flight was conducted in 2004, without the upper stage.
- 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.
- Vulcan is often considered a heavy-lift launch vehicle and is capable of carrying over 20,000 kg to LEO when using four or six solid rocket boosters
- zero solid rocket boosters
- two solid rocket boosters
- Some vehicles were made by multiple manufacturers during their lifespan due to mergers and acquisitions. For brevity, only the final manufacturer is shown.
- Proton is usually considered to be a heavy-lift launch vehicle[25]
- When launched with an expendable first stage, Falcon 9 Full Thrust has the capacity of a heavy-lift launch vehicle
See also
- 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