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:

• Ariane 5ECA&ES 1996 to present - European Space Agency (ESA) 21,000 kg (46,000 lb)^[3]
• Proton-M 2001 to present - Russian 21,600 kg (47,600 lb)^[4]
• Delta IV Heavy 2004 to present - World's highest capacity rocket currently in operation. Payload to LEO 28,790 kg (63,470 lb).^[5]
• Falcon 9 full thrust 2015 to Present - SpaceX 22,800 kg (50,300 lb) (expendable configuration)^[6]
• Angara A5 24,500 kg (54,000 lb)^[7]

Former HLLVs

The following HLLVs were operational:

• Saturn IB from Apollo 5 1968 (retired after 9 launches) 21,000 kg (46,000 lb) ^[8]
• Titan IV 1989 to 2005 (retired after successful 35 launches) 21,680 kg (47,800 lb) ^[9]
• Space Shuttle 1981 to 2011 (retired after 135 launches) 24,400 kg (53,800 lb) of cargo bay payload only. ^[10]

In development

Four HLLVs are currently being developed:

• Long March 5 (CZ-5) - China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology^[11]
• Vulcan - United Launch Alliance^[12]
• Ariane 6 - European Space Agency^[13]
• Falcon Heavy in a partially reusable configuration - SpaceX (Other configurations are classified as a super heavy-lift launch vehicle since payload to LEO is over 50,000 kg)

Earlier concepts

• (NASA's Ares I was in the planning stages when canceled in 2010)^[14]

See also

• Sounding rocket non orbiting.
• Small-lift launch vehicle capable of lifting up to 2,000 kg to low Earth orbit.
• Medium-lift launch vehicle capable of lifting between 2,000 to 20,000 kg (4,400 to 44,100 lb) of payload into Low Earth orbit.
• Super heavy-lift launch vehicle capable of lifting more than 50,000 kg (110,000 lb) of payload into Low Earth orbit.
• Comparison of orbital launch systems
• Comparison of orbital rocket engines
• Comparison of space station cargo vehicles
• Rocket
• Spacecraft propulsion

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

• Mallove, Eugene F. and Matloff, Gregory L. The Starflight Handbook: A Pioneer's Guide to Interstellar Travel, Wiley. ISBN 0-471-61912-4.