Short description : Rocket able to lift 2,000 kg to low Earth orbit
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launch vehicles , and super heavy-lift launch vehicles have also been extensively developed but have not completely superseded small launch vehicles.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
Rated launch vehicles
Vehicle
Origin
Manufacturer
Mass toLEO (kg)
Mass toother 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
150
0
Development
(2023)
Shavit 2
Israel
IAE
160 [40]
12
Operational
1988
Scout
United States
US Air Force /NASA
174 [41]
125
Retired
1961
1994
Mu-4S
Japan
Nissan Motors[14]
180 [15]
4
Retired
1971
1972
Mu-3C
Japan
Nissan Motors[14]
195 [15]
4
Retired
1974
1979
Unha
North Korea
KCST
200 [42]
4
Operational
2009
Haribon SLS-1
Philippines
OrbitX
200 [43]
0
Development
(2023–2024)
DNLV
Malaysia
Independence-X Aerospace [44]
200
0
Development
(2023)
Volans
Singapore
Equatorial Space Systems [45]
220
150 to SSO
0
Development
(2023)
Zuljanah
Iran
Iranian Space Agency
220
0 (+2)
Development
(2021)
Shtil'
Russia
Makeyev
280 – 420[46]
2 [31]
Retired
1998
2006
Mu-3H
Japan
Nissan Motors[14]
300 [15]
3
Retired
1977
1978
Mu-3S
Japan
Nissan Motors[14]
300 [15]
4
Retired
1980
1984
Long March 1
China
CALT
300 [47]
2 [48]
Retired[49]
1970[48]
1971[48]
Zhuque-1
China
LandSpace
300 [50]
200 to SSO
1
Retired[51]
2018
2018
Electron
New Zealand United States
Rocket Lab
300 [52]
200 to SSO[52]
42
Operational
2017
$7.5M (2019)[53]
Jielong 1
China
CALT
200 to SSO
1 [54]
Operational
2019
Hyperbola-1
China
i-Space
300 [55]
6
Operational
2020
Chollima-1
North Korea
NADA
≥300 [56]
3
Operational
2023
Vikram 1
India
Skyroot Aerospace
315
255 to SSO[57]
0
Development
(2023)
Skyrora XL
United Kingdom
Skyrora
315 [58]
0
Development
(2023)[59]
Delta 1913
United States
McDonnell Douglas
328 [60]
1 [61]
Retired
1973
1973
Delta 2310
United States
McDonnell Douglas
336 [62]
3 [61]
Retired
1974
1981
Delta 1410
United States
McDonnell Douglas
340 [63]
1 [61]
Retired
1975
1975
Simorgh
Iran
Iranian Space Agency
350 [64]
6 (+1)
Operational
2016
Ceres-1
China
Galactic Energy
350 [65]
11
Operational
2020
VLS-1
Brazil
AEB , INPE
380 [66]
2 [note 3]
Retired
1997
2003
Delta 1604
United States
McDonnell Douglas
390 [67]
2 [61]
Retired
1972
1973
Hapith V
Taiwan
TiSPACE
390 [68]
350 to SSO
0
Development
Kuaizhou-1
China
CASC
400 [69]
250 to SSO
28 [lower-alpha 1]
Operational
2013[69]
Falcon 1
United States
SpaceX
420 [70]
5
Retired[71]
2006
2009
Pegasus
United States
Orbital
443 [72]
45 [73]
Retired
1990
2021
$56M (2014) [74]
Conestoga
United States
Space Services Inc.
500 [75]
3
Retired
1982
1995
Sputnik 8K71PS
Soviet Union
RSC Energia
500 [76]
2
Retired
1957
1957
Launcher One
United States
Virgin Orbit
500 [77]
300 to SSO
6
Retired
2020
$12M (2020)[78]
SSLV
India
ISRO / NSIL
500
300 to SSO
2
Operational
2022
$3.8 to $4.4M (2023) or ₹30 to ₹35 crore
Vikram II
India
Skyroot Aerospace
520
410 to SSO[57]
0
Development
TBD
Start-1
Russia
MITT
532 [79]
350 to SSO[80]
5 [81]
Operational
1993
Minotaur I
United States
Orbital
580 [82]
12 [83]
Operational
2000
$28.8M (2013) [84]
Long March 6
China
CALT
500 to SSO
11
Operational
2015
Rocket 4
United States
Astra Space, Inc.
600 [85]
0
Development[86]
(2023)
Long March 11
China
CALT
700 [87]
17
Operational
2015[88]
Paektusan
North Korea
KCST
700 [89]
1
Retired
1998
Vikram III
India
Skyroot Aerospace
720
580 to SSO[57]
0
Development
TBD
Long March 1D (CZ-1D)
China
CALT
740 [90]
0(+3)
Retired
1995[note 4]
2002
Tronador II
Argentina
CONAE
750 [91]
0
Development
2029
Mu-3SII
Japan
Nissan Motors[14]
770 [15]
8
Retired
1985
1995
Athena I
United States
Lockheed Martin
795 [92]
515 to GTO
4 [93]
Retired
1995
2001
$17M (2000)[94]
Delta 3913
United States
McDonnell Douglas
816 [95]
1 [61]
Retired
1981
1981
Miura 5
Spain
PLD Space
900
0
Development
(2024)[96]
Alpha
United States
Firefly Aerospace
1,000 [97]
600 to SSO
4
Operational
2021
$15M (2020) [98]
J-I
Japan
IHI Corporation Nissan Motors[14]
1,000 [99]
0(+1)
Retired
1996
1996
Spectrum
Germany
Isar Aerospace
1,000
700 to SSO
0
Development
(2023)
Delta 1910
United States
McDonnell Douglas
1,066 [100]
1 [61]
Retired
1975
1975
N-I
Japan United States
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
1,200 [101]
7
Retired
1975
Epsilon
Japan
IHI Aerospace[102]
1,200 [15]
5
Operational[15]
2013
$38M[103]
Terran 1
United States
Relativity Space
1,250
1
Retired
2023
2023
$10M (2019)[104]
Delta 0900
United States
McDonnell Douglas
1,300 [105]
818 to SSO[61]
2 [61]
Retired
1972
1972
Sputnik 8A91
Soviet Union
RSC Energia
1,327
2
Retired
1958
1958
RS1
United States
ABL Space Systems
1,350 [106]
400 to GTO
1
Operational
2023
$12M (2021)[107]
Atlas LV-3B [108]
United States
Convair
1,360
9
Retired
1960
1963
Strela
Russia
Khrunichev
1,400 [109]
3 [110]
Operational[110]
2003
H-I
Japan United States
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
1,400 [111]
9
Retired
1986
1992
Minotaur-C
United States
Orbital
1,450 [112]
1,050 [112] to SSO
10 [113]
Operational[114]
1994
$45M[115]
Kosmos-3M
Soviet Union Russia
NPO Polyot
1,500 [116]
442 [117]
Retired
1967
2010
Kuaizhou-11
China
CASC
1,500
1,000 to SSO
2
Operational
SK solid fueled LV
South Korea
MND
1,500
0
Development
TBD
Minotaur IV
United States
Orbital
1,735 [118]
7 [119]
Operational
2010[120]
$50M[121]
M-V
Japan
Nissan Motors[14] (−2000) IHI AEROSPACE[102] (−2006)
1,800 – 1,850[15]
7
Retired
1997
2006
Athena II
United States
Lockheed Martin
1,800 [122]
3 [123]
Retired[124]
1998
1999
$46M (2014)[125]
Delta 1900
United States
McDonnell Douglas
1,800 [61]
1 [61]
Retired
1973
1973
Delta 2910
United States
McDonnell Douglas
1,887 [61]
6 [61]
Retired
1975
1978
Hyperbola-2
China
i-Space
1,900 [126]
4
Development
Rokot
Soviet Union Russia
Khrunichev
1,950 [127]
1,200 to SSO
34
Retired
1990
2019
$41M
Vega
Italy
Avio
1,450 to SSO
21
Operational
2012
$37M[115]
Kinetica 1
China
CAS Space
2,000
1,500 to SSO
3
Operational
2022
Tianlong-2
China
Space Pioneer
2,000 [128]
1,500 to SSO
1
Operational
2023
Jielong 3
China
CALT
1,500 to SSO
2 [129]
Operational
2022
↑ 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
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↑ "Juno II" . http://www.astronautix.com/j/junoii.html .
↑ "Boeing Unveils Air-Launched Space-Access Concept" . http://www.aviationweek.com/Article.aspx?id=/article-xml/AW_05_21_2012_p25-458597.xml&p=1 .
↑ "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 .
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↑ "Vector-R — Vector Launch" . 16 October 2016. http://vectorspacesystems.com/technology-4 .
↑ "Perigee Aerospace Inc." . https://perigee.kr/ .
↑ "Black Arrow" . http://www.astronautix.com/lvs/blaarrow.htm .
↑ "Iran test launches new satellite-carrying rocket" (in en). https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2022/11/5/iran-test-launches-new-satellite-carrying-rocket .
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↑ 31.0 31.1 31.2 "Vysota / Volna / Shtil" . http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/shtil_volna.htm .
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↑ "Aura / Signe 3 (D 2B)" . https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/aura.htm .
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↑ "Vysota / Volna / Shtil" . https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/shtil_volna.htm .
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↑ Krebs, Gunter. "Jielong-1 (Smart Dragon-1, SD 1)" . https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/jielong-1.htm .
↑ ""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/ .
↑ 57.0 57.1 57.2 "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 .
↑ 61.00 61.01 61.02 61.03 61.04 61.05 61.06 61.07 61.08 61.09 61.10 61.11 Gunter, Krebs. "Delta" . Gunter's Space Page. http://space.skyrocket.de/doc_lau/delta.htm .
↑ "NASA – NSSDCA – Spacecraft – Details" . https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=1976-077A .
↑ "GEOS 3" . https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/geos-3.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/ .
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↑
"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) "
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↑ Korea, Christoph Bluth, ISBN :9780745633572
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↑ 102.0 102.1 "Projects&Products" . IHI Aerospace. http://www.ihi.co.jp/ia/en/product/rocket.html .
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↑ 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 .
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Notes
↑ Suborbital test in 1969, first orbital launch attempt in 1970
↑ First orbital launch attempt in 2005
↑ A third rocket exploded before launch
↑ Suborbital test flights in 1995, 1997 and 2002, no orbital launches attempted
Further reading
Isakowitz, Hopkins, and Hopkins International Guide to Space Launch Systems , AIAA. ISBN :1-56347591-X.
External links
Original source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Small-lift launch vehicle. Read more