Super heavy-lift launch vehicle

Comparison of maximum payloads to low-Earth orbit (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.

A super heavy-lift launch vehicle (SHLLV) is a launch vehicle capable of lifting more than 50,000 kg (110,000 lb) of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO).^[1][2]

Successful vehicles

Three vehicles have successfully launched super heavy lift payloads:

• Saturn V, with an Apollo program payload of a Command Module, Service Module, and Lunar Module. The three had a total mass of 118,000 kg (260,000 lb).^[3] When the third stage and earth-orbit departure fuel was included, Saturn V actually placed 140,000 kg (310,000 lb) into low earth orbit.^[4]
• The Space Shuttle orbited a combined 122,534 kg (270,142 lb) when launching the Chandra X-ray Observatory on STS-93.^[5][6]
• Energia, with a one-time payload of an unmanned Buran orbiter at 62,000 kg (137,000 lb).^[7]

The Space Shuttle and Energia-Buran orbiter differed in that both launched what was essentially a reusable, manned third stage that carried cargo internally. Though a cargo version of Shuttle was proposed, it was never built. A cargo version of Energia was developed and launched, however the Polyus module it carried failed to achieve orbit. Similarly, four Soviet N1 rockets launched with a payload capacity of 95,000 kg (209,000 lb), but all four failed shortly after lift-off (1969-1972).^[8]

In development

Two rockets are currently undergoing active development:

• Falcon Heavy, 53,000 kg (117,000 lb)^[9]
• Space Launch System (SLS), 130,000 kg (290,000 lb)^[10]

Numerous super-heavy lift vehicles have been proposed and received various levels of development prior to their cancellation. Perhaps furthest along was the U.S. Ares V for the Constellation program. This was designed to carry 188,000 kg (414,000 lb) and was cancelled in 2010, though much of the work has been carried forward into the SLS program. While the 130,000 kg (290,000 lb) class Long March 9 has been proposed by China, it is not currently in development.^[11] Similarly, the Russian Angara A7 rocket has been proposed with a lifting capability of 35,000 kg (77,000 lb) to 50,000 kg (110,000 lb), though this would put it into the heavy lift class.^[12]

See also

• Comparison 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
• Medium-lift launch vehicle, capable of lifting 2,000 to 20,000 kg (4,400 to 44,000 lb) of payload into low-Earth orbit
• Heavy-lift launch vehicle, capable of lifting 20,000 to 50,000 kg (44,000 to 110,000 lb) of payload into low-Earth orbit

References

1. McConnaughey, Paul K.; et al. (November 2010). "Draft Launch Propulsion Systems Roadmap: Technology Area 01" (PDF). NASA. Section 1.3. Small: 0–2 t payloads; Medium: 2–20 t payloads; Heavy: 20–50 t payloads; Super Heavy: > 50 t payloads
2. "Seeking a Human Spaceflight Program Worthy of a Great Nation" (PDF). Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee. NASA. October 2009. p. 64-66. ...the U.S. human spaceflight program will require a heavy-lift launcher ... in the range of 25 to 40 mt ... this strongly favors a minimum heavy-lift capacity of roughly 50 mt....
3. "Saturn V". Astronautix.com.
4. Alternatives for Future U.S. Space-Launch Capabilities (PDF), The Congress of the United States. Congressional Budget Office, October 2006, pp. X,1, 4, 9
5. "Heaviest payload launched - shuttle". Guinness World Records.
6. "STS-93". Shuttlepresskit.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2000.
7. Gregersen, Erik (2010). Unmanned Space Missions (1st ed.). New York: Britannica Educational. p. 46. ISBN 978-1-61530-018-1.
8. "N1 Moon Rocket". Russianspaceweb.com.
9. "Falcon Heavy". SpaceX.com.
10. Wall, Mike (29 July 2015). "NASA's Next Megarocket Could Launch Mission to Europa". Space.com.
11. Covault, Craig (18 July 2012). "First Look: China's Big New Rockets". AmericaSpace.
12. "Angara A7". Spaceflight 101. Retrieved July 2014.

Further reading

• Mallove, Eugene F.; Matloff, Gregory L. (1989). The Starflight Handbook: A Pioneer's Guide to Interstellar Travel. Wiley. ISBN 0-471-61912-4.