Short description: Rocket able to lift 2,000 kg to low Earth orbit
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Scout and Kosmos-3M, two of the most launched small-lift launch vehicles
Class overview
Name:
Small-lift launch vehicle
Operators:
Various space organizations
Preceded by:
Sounding rocket
Succeeded by:
Medium-lift launch vehicle
Built:
1957–
Building:
23
Active:
27
Retired:
54
General characteristics
Propulsion:
Various liquid-fueled engines and solid motors
Capacity:
<2 metric tons (NASA)
<5 metric tons (Russia)
A small-lift launch vehicle is a rocket orbital launch vehicle that is capable of lifting 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) or less (by NASA classification) or under 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lb) (by Roscosmos classification)[1] of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO). The next larger category consists of medium-lift launch vehicles.[2]
The first small-lift launch vehicle was the Sputnik rocket, launched by the Soviet Union, which was derived from the R-7 Semyorka ICBM. On 4 October 1957, the Sputnik rocket was used to perform the world's first satellite launch, placing the Sputnik 1 satellite into a low Earth orbit.[3][4][5]
The US responded by attempting to launch the Vanguard rocket.[6][7] However, the Vanguard TV3 launch attempt failed, with the 31 January 1958 launch of the Explorer 1 satellite using the Juno I rocket being the first successful US orbital launch. The Vanguard I mission was the second successful US orbital launch. This was the start of the space race.[8][9]
Since the late 1950s, small-lift launch vehicles have continued launching payloads to space. Medium-lift launch vehicles, heavy-lift launch vehicles, and super heavy-lift launch vehicles have also been extensively developed but have not completely superseded small launch vehicles. Small launch vehicles can meet the requirements of some spacecraft, and can also be less expensive than a larger launch vehicle would be.[citation needed]
Template:ToC
Contents
1Rated launch vehicles
2See also
3References
4Notes
5Further reading
6External links
Rated launch vehicles
Vehicle
Origin
Manufacturer
Mass to LEO (kg)
Mass to other orbits (kg)
Launches
Status
First flight
Last flight
Mission cost
SS-520
Japan
IHI
4
2
Retired
2017
2018
$4.5M[10]
Vanguard
United States
Martin
9[11]
11(+1)
Retired
1957
1959
Qased
Iran
IRGCASF
10∼50
3
Operational
2020
Juno I[12]
United States
Chrysler
11
6
Retired
1958
1959
Veloce 17
United States
Eldorado Space[13]
12
0
Development
Lambda 4S
Japan
Nissan Motors[14]
26[15]
5
Retired
1966
1977[16]
SLV
India
ISRO
40[17]
4
Retired
1979
1983
Juno II[18]
United States
Chrysler
41
10
Retired
1958
1961
Boeing Small Launch Vehicle[19]
United States
Boeing
45[20]
0
Development
Rocket 3
United States
Astra Space, Inc.
45[21]
7(+2)
Retired[22]
2020
2022
$2,5M (2020)[23]
Safir
Iran
Iranian Space Agency
50[24]
8
Retired
2008
2019
Vector-R
United States
Vector Space Systems
60[25]
0(+2)
Defunct
Blue Whale 1
South Korea
Perigee Aerospace
63[26]
50 to SSO
0
Development
(2022)
Black Arrow
United Kingdom
RAE
73[27]
4
Retired
1969[note 1]
1971
Qaem 100
Iran
IRGC
80[28]
2(+1)
Operational
2023
Naro-1
South Korea Russia
KARI/Khrunichev
100[29]
3
Retired
2009
2013
Volna
Russia
Makeyev
100[30]
1(+5)[31]
Retired
1995[note 2]
2005[31]
Kaituozhe-1
China
CALT
100[32]
2
Retired
2002
2003[33]
Agnibaan
India
Agnikul Cosmos
100
0
Development
(2022)
SK solid fueled TV2
South Korea
MND
> 100
1
Operational
2023
Diamant
France
SEREB
107[34][35]
12
Retired
1965
1975
Vector-H
United States
Vector Space Systems
110[36]
0
Defunct
ZERO
Japan
Interstellar Technologies
100 to SSO[37]
0
Development
(2023)
Capricornio[38]
Spain
Instituto Nacional de Técnica Aeroespacial
140
0
Canceled
ASLV
India
ISRO
150
4
Retired
1987
1994
Chetak
India
Bellatrix Aerospace
150
0
Development
(2023)
VLM[39]
Brazil
Brazilian General Command for Aerospace Technology
↑Includes 2 Kuaizhou-1 launches and 26 Kuaizhou-1A launches.
See also
Sounding rocket, suborbital launch vehicle
Medium-lift launch vehicle, capable of lifting between 2,000 and 20,000 kg to low Earth orbit
Heavy lift launch vehicle, capable of lifting between 20,000 and 50,000 kg to low Earth orbit
Super heavy-lift launch vehicles, capable of lifting more than 50,000 kg (110,000 lb) of payload into LEO
Comparison of orbital launch systems
List of orbital launch systems
Comparison of orbital rocket engines
Comparison of space station cargo vehicles
Rocket
Spacecraft propulsion
References
↑Osipov, Yuri (2004–2017). Great Russian Encyclopedia. Moscow: Great Russian Encyclopedia. https://bigenc.ru/technology_and_technique/text/3492657. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
↑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"
↑"ЦЭНКИ – Центр эксплуатации объектов наземной космической инфраструктуры". http://www.russian.space/.
↑"Vanguard Project – U.S. Naval Research Laboratory". https://www.nrl.navy.mil/accomplishments/rockets/vanguard-project/.
↑"The Vanguard Satellite Launching Vehicle — An Engineering Summary". B. Klawans. April 1960, 212 pages. Martin Company Engineering Report No 11022, PDF of an optical copy.
↑Kennedy, John F. (20 April 1961). "Memorandum for Vice President". The White House. Boston, MA: John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum. http://www.jfklibrary.org/Asset-Viewer/6XnAYXEkkkSMLfp7ic_o-Q.aspx.
↑Launius, Roger D. (July 1994). "President John F. Kennedy Memo for Vice President, 20 April 1961". Apollo: A Retrospective Analysis. Monographs in Aerospace History Number 3. Washington, D.C.: NASA. OCLC 31825096. http://www.hq.nasa.gov/office/pao/History/Apollomon/apollo1.pdf. Retrieved 1 August 2013. Key Apollo Source Documents .
↑"Not dead yet! What Bob Cringely has been up to... | I, Cringely". 23 January 2020. https://www.cringely.com/2020/01/23/not-dead-yet-what-bob-cringely-has-been-up-to/.
↑ 15.015.115.215.315.415.515.615.715.8"Satellite Launch Vehicles". Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS). http://www.isas.jaxa.jp/e/enterp/rockets/vehicles/index.shtml.
↑"DARPA Awards 6 Small Airborne Launch Vehicle Contracts – Parabolic Arc" (in en-US). 2 July 2012. http://www.parabolicarc.com/2012/07/02/darpa-awards-6-small-airborne-launch-vehicle-contracts/.
↑"Launch Services | Astra". 25 April 2020. https://astra.com/launch-services/.
↑"Astra cancels Rocket 3". 4 August 2022. https://spacenews.com/astra-cancels-rocket-3-to-focus-on-larger-vehicle/.
↑Sheetz, Michael (16 June 2020). "Rocket startup Astra trying for an orbital launch again in July, renewing fundraising efforts" (in en). https://www.cnbc.com/2020/06/16/san-francisco-startup-astra-is-going-for-its-first-orbital-rocket-launch-in-july.html.
↑جم, Jamejam, جام (3 February 2012). "ماهواره ملي"نويد علم و صنعت"بهفضا پرتاب شد". http://jamejamonline.ir/online/671170836222780565/ماهواره ملي نويد علم و صنعت بهفضا پرتاب شد.
↑"Vector-R — Vector Launch". 16 October 2016. http://vectorspacesystems.com/technology-4.
↑"Iran test launches new satellite-carrying rocket" (in en). https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/5/iran-test-launches-new-satellite-carrying-rocket.
↑"Novos lançadores de satélites e nova empresa espacial para Alcântara". Tecnodefesa. http://tecnodefesa.com.br/novos-lancadores-de-satelites-e-nova-empresa-espacial-para-alcantara-aeb/. Retrieved 12 April 2022.
↑"Shavit Data Sheet". http://www.spacelaunchreport.com/shavit.html.
↑"Status of North Korean Satellite unknown after prolonged Radio Silence, Reports of Tumbling – Spaceflight101" (in en-US). http://spaceflight101.com/status-of-north-korean-satellite-unknown-after-prolonged-radio-silence-reports-of-tumbling/.
↑Matias, Jairus (7 January 2019). "Local space venture gears up for first rocket launch". BusinessWorld. https://www.bworldonline.com/local-space-venture-gears-up-for-first-rocket-launch/.
↑"Vysota / Volna / Shtil". https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/shtil_volna.htm.
↑"CZ-1". http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/cz1.htm.
↑ 48.048.148.2"CZ-1". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/cz-1.htm.
↑"CZ-1". http://astronautix.com/lvs/cz1.htm.
↑Jones, Andrew (2 August 2018). "Landspace of China to launch first rocket in Q4 2018". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/landspace-of-china-to-launch-first-rocket-in-q4-2018.
↑Jones, Andrew (12 July 2023). "China's Landspace reaches orbit with methane-powered Zhuque-2 rocket". SpaceNews. https://spacenews.com/chinas-landspace-reaches-orbit-with-methane-powered-zhuque-2-rocket/. Retrieved 12 July 2023.
↑ 52.052.1"Rocket Lab Increases Electron Payload Capacity, Enabling Interplanetary Missions and Reusability". https://www.rocketlabusa.com/news/updates/rocket-lab-increases-electron-payload-capacity-enabling-interplanetary-missions-and-reusability/.
↑"Rocket Lab adds new $7.5 million 'Mission Success' coin to its online store". 16 December 2019. https://social.techcrunch.com/2019/12/16/rocket-lab-adds-new-7-5-million-mission-success-coin-to-its-online-store/.
↑""双曲线一号S火箭"首飞成功!星际荣耀近期型谱计划出炉!(The Hyperbola 1-S Rocket Made Its First Flight Successfully! Interstellar Glory releases its future plans)" (in zh-CN). http://www.spaceflightfans.cn/29636.html.
↑Jeongmin Kim (1 June 2023). "North Korea rushed satellite launch after seeing ROK rocket success, Seoul says". NK News. https://www.nknews.org/2023/06/north-korea-rushed-satellite-launch-after-seeing-rok-rocket-success-seoul-says/.
↑ 57.057.157.2"Launch Vehicle | Skyroot Aerospace". 10 January 2019. https://skyroot.in/launch-vehicle/.
↑Speed, Richard. "Brit rocketeer Skyrora reckons it'll be orbital in 3 years – that is, if UK government plays ball". https://www.theregister.com/2019/08/22/skyrora/.
↑Etherington, Darrell (3 February 2020). "Launch startup Skyrora successfully tests 3D-printed rocket engines powered by plastic waste". TechCrunch. https://techcrunch.com/2020/02/03/launch-startup-skyrora-successfully-tests-3d-printed-rocket-engines-powered-by-plastic-waste/.
↑"Explorer: RAE B". https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/explorer_rae-b.htm.
↑ 61.0061.0161.0261.0361.0461.0561.0661.0761.0861.0961.1061.11Gunter, Krebs. "Delta". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/delta.htm.
↑"Photographic image of Simorga SIV" (JG). http://i004.radikal.ru/1508/a7/94ca7ddf9113.jpg.
↑Clark, Stephen (8 November 2020). "New Chinese rocket successful in debut launch". Spaceflight Now. https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/11/08/new-chinese-rocket-successful-in-debut-launch/.
↑"Northrop Grumman seeking to cut costs on small launch vehicles". 24 September 2018. https://spacenews.com/northrop-grumman-seeking-to-cut-costs-on-small-launch-vehicles/.
↑Abell, John C. (9 September 2009). "Sept. 9, 1982: 3-2-1 ... Liftoff! The First Private Rocket Launch". Wired. https://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/2009/09/dayintech0909privaterocket/.
↑"Launcher One Service Gide". Virgin Orbit. 2019. https://virginorbit.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/ServiceGuide_Sept2019.pdf. "Spacecraft mass-to-orbit of up to 500 kg to LEO (low inclination, 200 km, 28 deg site)"
↑Chang, Kenneth (25 May 2020). "Virgin Orbit Launch Attempt Ends Without Trip to Space". The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/05/25/science/virgin-orbit-launch-time.html.
↑"Minotaur I Space Launch Vehicle—Fact Sheet". Orbital Sciences Corporation. 2012. http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/Publications/Minotaur_I_Fact.pdf. "Spacecraft mass-to-orbit of up to 580 kg to LEO (28.5 deg, 185 km)"
↑"Minotaur Rocket" (in en-US). https://www.northropgrumman.com/space/minotaur-rocket.
↑"Spaceflight Now | Minotaur Launch Report | Student-built satellites, military payloads put in orbit". https://spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/ors3/131119launch/.
↑"Launch Services | Astra". 25 April 2020. https://astra.com/launch-services/.
↑"Launch System 2 Update". 7 November 2022. https://astra.com/news/launch-system-2-update/.
↑"China reveals CZ-11 anti-ASAT rocket". 8 October 2015. https://chinadailymail.com/2015/10/08/chinas-reveals-cz-11-anti-asat-rocket/.
↑Barbosa, Rui (25 September 2015). "China debuts Long March 11 lofting Tianwang-1 trio". http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/09/china-debuts-long-march-11-lofting-tianwang-1-trio/.
↑Mazzini Puga, Luciana (9 June 2023). "Hacia la soberanía espacial: el lanzador de satélites Tronador II estará listo en 2029" (in es). Agencia de Noticias Cientificas. https://agencia.unq.edu.ar/?p=12795.
↑"Explorer: DE 1, 2". https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/explorer_de.htm.
↑"Spanish startup PLD Space gears up for 2022 suborbital launch" (in en-US). 24 November 2021. https://spacenews.com/spanish-startup-pld-space-gears-up-for-2022-suborbital-launch/.
↑"Spaceflight Now | Breaking News | Japan's 'affordable' Epsilon rocket triumphs on first flight". https://spaceflightnow.com/epsilon/sprinta/130914launch/#.UjSh0cbkt8E.
↑Knapp, Alex. "Relativity Space Just Raised $140 Million To Send Its 3D-Printed Rockets Into Orbit". https://www.forbes.com/sites/alexknapp/2019/10/01/relativity-space-just-raised-140-million-to-send-its-3d-printed-rockets-into-orbit/.
↑"Rocket" (in en-US). https://ablspacesystems.com/rocket/.
↑Sheetz, Michael (25 October 2021). "Rocket builder ABL raises $200 million, increasing valuation to $2.4 billion" (in en). https://www.cnbc.com/2021/10/25/rocket-builder-abl-space-raises-200-million-at-2point4-billion-valuation.html.
↑ 115.0115.1Office, U. S. Government Accountability (16 August 2017). Surplus Missile Motors: Sale Price Drives Potential Effects on DOD and Commercial Launch Providers (Report). https://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-17-609.
↑"Cosmos-1, 3, 3M and 3MU – SL-8 – C-1". http://www.russianspaceweb.com/cosmos3.html.
↑"Minotaur IV Fact sheet". Orbital Sciences Corporation. 2010. http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/Publications/Minotaur_IV_Fact.pdf.
↑"Minotaur-3/-4/-5/-6 (OSP-2 Peacekeeper SLV)" (in en). https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/minotaur-4.htm.
↑Krebs, Gunter. "Minotaur-3/-4/-5 (OSP-2 Peacekeeper SLV)". Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/minotaur-4.htm.
↑"Spaceflight Now | Minotaur Launch Report | Minotaur rocket poised to send research to new heights". https://spaceflightnow.com/minotaur/stps26/101118preview/.
↑"NASA, Athena Mission Planner's Guide 26 August 2012". https://www.nasa.gov/sites/default/files/files/Athena_MPG_01-23-12.pdf.
↑"Lockheed Targets 2014 for Athena 2 Rideshare Debut". 7 May 2012. https://spacenews.com/lockheed-targets-2014-athena-2-rideshare-debut/.
↑"Hyperbola-2" (in en). http://www.i-space.com.cn/index.php?m=content&c=index&a=lists&catid=4.
↑"Russia's Rokot launches with three Rodnik satellites". 23 September 2015. https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/09/russias-rokot-launches-three-rodnik/.
↑China 'N Asia Spaceflight [@CNSpaceflight] (16 October 2022). "Finally we have more data of the mysterious Tianlong-2: 32.8m tall 5.7m D3.35m fairing 190t liftoff thrust with 7 TH-11(?) 1 300KN closed-cycle kerolox TH-11 vacuum in 2nd stage TH-31 upper stage for payloads deployment 2t to LEO 1.5t to 500km SSO". https://twitter.com/CNSpaceflight/status/1581667259012947968.