Heavy-lift launch vehicle

A United Launch Alliance Delta IV-Heavy rocket carrying a National Reconnaissance Office payload launches Aug. 28, 2013, from Space Launch Complex-6 at Vandenberg Air Force Base, California.
Ariane 5 ES launch
Proton-M on the launch pad

A Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle, or HLV / HLLV, is an orbital launch vehicle capable of lifting between 20,000 to 50,000 kg to low Earth orbit.[1] The current Heavy-Lift Launch vehicles in service are the Ariane 5 in its ES and ECA variants, the Russian Proton-M and the United Launch Alliance Delta IV Heavy.[2]

Heavy lift launch vehicles

Currently operational heavy-lift launch vehicles include:

Former HLLVs

The following HLLVs were operational:

In development

Four HLLVs are currently being developed:

Earlier concepts

See also

References

  1. NASA Space Technology Roadmaps - Launch Propulsion Systems, p.11: "Small: 0-2t payloads, Medium: 2-20t payloads, Heavy: 20-50t payloads, Super Heavy: >50t payloads"
  2. NASA, Aug. 27, 2014, What Is a Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle?
  3. "Ariane 5 Users Manual, Issue 4, P. 39 (ISS orbit)" (PDF). Arianespace. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2007-09-27. Retrieved 2007-11-13.
  4. "Proton Launch System Mission Planner’s Guide, LKEB-9812-1990" (PDF). International Launch Services. pp. 2–2. Archived from the original on 2007-10-27. Retrieved 2007-11-12. LEO i = 51.6°, H = 200 km circular ... GTO (1800 m/s from GSO) i = 31.0°, Hp = 2100 km, Ha = 35,786 km
  5. Delta IV Launch Services User’s Guide, June 2013
  6. "Capabilities & Services". SpaceX. Retrieved 3 May 2016.
  7. Spaceflight101, Angara-a5
  8. Entering the Race to the Moon, Saturn IB Established Its Place in Space.
  9. astronautix.com, Titan IV
  10. astronautix.com, Space Shuttle
  11. Space launch report, CZ-5-7 Data Sheet
  12. Space Flight Now, ULA unveils its future with the Vulcan rocket family, April 13, 2015, by Justin Ray
  13. "Ariane 6 design finalized, set for 2020 launch". Space Daily. 28 January 2016. Retrieved 30 January 2016.
  14. "Constellation Is Dead, But Pieces Live On". Aviation Week, October 26, 2010.
Comparison of maximum payload to low Earth orbit (LEO) (Left to right). Space Shuttle payload includes 7 crew and cargo. Ares I payload includes 4 crew and inherent craft. Saturn V payload includes 3 crew, inherent craft and cargo. Ares V payload includes only cargo and inherent craft. The Saturn V was capable of lifting approximately 140 metric tons of payload to LEO. The Ares V was being designed to lift 188 metric tons to LEO.
Comparison of Saturn V, Shuttle, Ares I, Ares V, Ares IV, and SLS Block I

Further reading

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