Medium-lift launch vehicle

Category of space launch vehicle

Clockwise from top left: Falcon 9, Soyuz-2, LVM3, Nuri, H-IIA, Long March 2D

Class overview
Name| Medium-lift launch vehicle
Preceded by| Small-lift launch vehicle
Succeeded by| Heavy-lift launch vehicle
Built| Since 1958
General characteristics
Capacity|

* US definition: 2,000 to 20,000 kg (4,400 to 44,100 lb)
* Russian definition: 5,000 to 20,000 kg (11,000 to 44,000 lb)

A medium-lift launch vehicle (MLV) is a rocket launch vehicle that is capable of lifting between 2,000 to 20,000 kg (4,400 to 44,100 lb) by NASA classification or between 5,000 to 20,000 kilograms (11,000 to 44,000 lb) by Russian classification[1] of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO).[2] An MLV is between a small-lift launch vehicle and a heavy-lift launch vehicle. Medium-lift vehicles comprise the majority of orbital launches as of 2024[update], with both the Soyuz and Falcon 9 having launched several hundred times.

## History

[edit]

Atlas-Centaur launching Surveyor 1 in 1966

### Soviet Union and Russia

[edit]

The Soviet R-7 family was based on the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Sputnik was a small-lift derivative that carried the first satellite into orbit, and the R-7 design quickly grew in capacity, with Luna launching in 1958. The 1960s saw the R-7 series continue to develop, with Vostok 1 carrying the first human into space, Voskhod carrying multiple crew members, and the first Soyuz. As of 2025[update], Soyuz variants are still operational and have launched over 1,100 times. The R-7 family has launched more times than any other family of orbital rockets.[3]

### United States

[edit]

The first US medium-lift vehicle was a purpose-built orbital launch vehicle, the Saturn I. Saturn I first launched in 1961, and the Saturn family would eventually grow into the heavy-lift Saturn IB and the super-heavy lift Saturn V.[4]

ICBM-derived launch vehicles for the US include the Atlas, Titan, and Delta families. Atlas-Centaur launched in 1962 and marked the first use of a Centaur upper stage. As of 2025[update], the derivative Atlas V is still operational; Centaur has seen extensive use on multiple vehicles and is operational on the Atlas V and Vulcan vehicles. Titan II GLV carried the Gemini spacecraft. The family was further developed into Titan III which utilized solid rocket boosters (SRBs), and in 1989, the heavy-lift Titan IV. Medium-lift versions of the Delta family include Delta II which utilized up to nine SRBs, and the Delta IV which could use optional SRBs or three first-stage cores as a heavy variant.

SpaceX introduced the Falcon 9 in 2010, designed to be a partially reusable launch vehicle. Falcon 9 underwent iterative upgrades and completed the first propulsive landing of an orbital rocket stage in 2015.[5] SpaceX then began regularly reusing first stages.[6] In 2022, Falcon 9 broke the record of 47 launches in one year held by Soyuz-U.[7] Falcon 9 launched 91 times in 2023 and 132 times in 2024.[8]

### Other

[edit]

China's Long March family and the European Ariane family were introduced in the 1970s. Japan launched the H-I in 1986 before developing the H-II and H3. India introduced the PSLV in 1993. South Korea's Nuri reached orbit in 2022.

## Rated launch vehicles

[edit]

### Operational

[edit]

Vehicle  | Origin  | Manufacturer  | Mass to LEO (kg)  | Mass to other orbits (kg)  | Launches  | First Flight

|
|
|
|
|
|

Falcon 9 Block 5[a] |  United States | SpaceX | 18,500 (reusable)
22,800 (expendable)  | 7,350 to GTO (reusable)
8,300 to GTO (expendable)
4,020 to Mars  | 460 | 2018
Soyuz-2 |  Russia | Progress | 8,200 | 3,250 to GTO
4,400 to SSO  | 175  | 2006[b]
Long March 4B/4C |  China | SAST | 4,200 | 1,500 to GTO
2,800 to SSO  | 101  | 1999
Atlas V |  United States | ULA | 18,850 | 8,900 to GTO  | 99  | 2002
Long March 2D |  China | SAST | 3,500 | 1,300 to SSO  | 89  | 1992
Zenit-3 |  Ukraine | Yuzhmash | 7,000 | 6,160 to GTO  | 84  | 1999
Long March 3B/E |  China | CALT | 11,500 | 5,500 to GTO
6,900 to SSO  | 82  | 2007
Long March 2C |  China | CALT | 3,850 | 1,900 to SSO  | 77  | 1982
PSLV |  India | ISRO | 3,800 | 1,200 to GTO
1,750 to SSO  | 60  | 1993
Long March 3A |  China | CALT | 6,000 | 2,600 to GTO
5,000 to SSO  | 27  | 1994
Long March 2F |  China | CALT | 8,400 | 3,500 to GTO  | 23  | 1999
Long March 3C |  China | CALT | 9,100 | 3,800 to GTO
6,500 to SSO  | 18  | 2008
GSLV |  India | ISRO | 5,000 | 2,700 to GTO  | 16  | 2010
Long March 7/7A  |  China | CALT | 13,500 | 5,500 to SSO
7,000 to GTO  | 14  | 2016
LVM3 |  India | ISRO | 10,000 | 4,000 to GTO  | 7  | 2017[c]
Nuri |  South Korea | KARI | 3,300 | 1,900 to SSO (700 km)  | 3  | 2022[d]
Zhuque-2 |  China | LandSpace | 6,000 | 4,000 to SSO (500 km)  | 3  | 2022
Long March 8 |  China | CALT | 8,100 | 4,500 to SSO  | 3  | 2020
Angara 1.2 |  Russia | Khrunichev | 3,500[9] |  | 2  | 2022[c]
Vega C |  Italy
Europe[e] | Avio |  | 2,300 to SSO  | 2  | 2022
H3 |  Japan | Mitsubishi |  | 7,900 to GTO
4,000 to SSO  | 2  | 2023
Vulcan Centaur[f] |  United States | ULA | 10,800 (VC0)[g][10]
19,000 (VC2)[h] | 3,500 to GTO (VC0)
8,400 to GTO (VC2)  | 2  | 2024
Gravity-1 |  China | Orienspace | 6,500 | 4,000 to SSO  | 1  | 2024
Long March 6C |  China | CALT | 4,500 | 2,400 to SSO  | 1  | 2024
Ariane 6 (A62)  |  France
Europe[i] | Ariane Group | 10,350 | 5,000 to GTO  | 1  | 2024
Long March 12 |  China | CALT | 10,000 | 6,000 to SSO  | 1  | 2024[11]

### Under development

[edit]

Vehicle  | Origin  | Manufacturer  | Mass to LEO (kg)  | Mass to other orbits (kg)  | Expected Flight

|
|
|
|
|

Pallas-1 |  China | Galactic Energy | 5,000 | 3,000 to SSO | 2024[needs update]
Tianlong-3 |  China | Space Pioneer | 17,000 | 14,000 to SSO  | 2025
Neutron |  New Zealand
United States | Rocket Lab | 13,000 |  | 2025[12]
MLV |  United States | Firefly | 14,000[13] |  | 2025
Zhuque-3 |  China | LandSpace | 11,000-20,000  |  | 2025
Irtysh |  Russia | Progress | 18,000 | 5,000 to GTO  | 2025
Hyperbola-3 |  China | i-Space | 13,400 (expendable)
8,500 (reusable)[14] |  | 2025[14]
Nova |  United States | Stoke Space | 7,000 (expendable)

3,000 (re-usable)[15]

| 2,500 to GTO

1,250 to TLI

| 2025[16]
Unified Launch Vehicle |  India | ISRO | 4,500-15,000  | 1,500-6,000 to GTO  | 2026
Long March 10A |  China | CALT | 14,000 |  | 2026
Pallas-2 |  China | Galactic Energy | 14,000[17] |  | 2026[18]
Antares 330 |  United States | Northrop Grumman
Firefly | 10,800[19] |  | 2025
KSLV-III |  South Korea | Hanwha Aerospace | 10,000 | 7,000 to SSO  | 2030[20]

### Retired

[edit]

Vehicle  | Origin  | Manufacturer[j] | Mass to LEO (kg)  | Mass to other orbits (kg)  | Launches  | First Flight  | Last Flight

|
|
|
|
|
|
|

Vostok |  Soviet Union | RSC Energia | 4,730 |  | 163 | 1958  | 1991
Saturn I |  United States | Chrysler & Douglas | 9,000 |  | 10 | 1961  | 1965
Atlas-Centaur |  United States | Lockheed | 5,100 |  | 61 | 1962  | 1983
Titan II GLV |  United States | Martin | 3,580 |  | 12 | 1964  | 1966
Titan IIIC |  United States | Martin | 13,100 | 3,000 to GTO
1,200 to TMI  | 36 | 1965  | 1982
Molniya-M |  Soviet Union
Russia | Progress | 2,400 |  | 280 | 1965  | 2010
Proton-K[k] |  Soviet Union
Russia | Khrunichev | 19,760 |  | 311 | 1965  | 2012
Soyuz original |  Soviet Union | OKB-1 | 6,450 |  | 32 | 1966  | 1975
R-36 Tsyklon |  Soviet Union
Ukraine | Yuzhmash | 2,820–5,250[22][23] | 500–910 to GTO[24] | 236 | 1967  | 2009
Soyuz-L |  Soviet Union | OKB-1 | 5,500 |  | 3 | 1970  | 1971
Titan IIID |  United States | Martin | 12,300 |  | 22 | 1971  | 1982
Soyuz-M |  Soviet Union | OKB-1 | 6,600 |  | 8 | 1971  | 1976
Soyuz-U |  Soviet Union
Russia | Progress | 6,900 |  | 786 | 1973  | 2017
Feng Bao 1 |  China | SAST | 2,500 |  | 8 | 1973  | 1981
Long March 2A |  China | CALT | 2,000 |  | 4 | 1974  | 1976
Titan IIIE |  United States | Martin Marietta | 15,400 | 3,700 to TMI  | 7 | 1974  | 1977
Delta 3920–5920  |  United States | McDonnell Douglas | 3,452–3,848  |  | 30 | 1980  | 1990
N-II[25] |  Japan | Mitsubishi | 2,000 |  | 8 | 1981  | 1987
Soyuz-U2 |  Soviet Union | Progress | 7,050 |  | 72 | 1982  | 1995
Atlas G |  United States | Lockheed | 5,900 |  | 7 | 1984  | 1989
Long March 3 |  China | CALT | 5,000 | 1,340 to GTO  | 14 | 1984  | 2000
Zenit-2 |  Soviet Union
Ukraine | Yuzhnoye | 13,740 |  | 36 | 1985  | 2004
H-I |  Japan | Mitsubishi | 3,200 | 1,100 to GTO  | 9 | 1986  | 1992
Long March 4A |  China | SAST | 4,000 |  | 2 | 1988  | 1990
Ariane 4 |  France
Europe[l] | Aérospatiale | 7,600 | 4,800 to GTO  | 116 | 1988  | 2003
Delta II |  United States | ULA | 6,100 | 2,170 to GTO
1,000 to HCO  | 156 | 1989  | 2018
Atlas I, II, III |  United States | Lockheed | 5,900–8,686  | 2,340–4,609 to GTO  | 80 | 1990  | 2005
Long March 2E |  China | CALT | 9,200 |  | 7 | 1990  | 1995
H-II / IIS  |  Japan | Mitsubishi | 10,060 | 4,000 to GTO  | 7 | 1994  | 1999
Ariane 5 |  France
Europe[m] | Ariane Group | 16,000 | 6,950 to GTO  | 117 | 1996  | 2023
Long March 3B |  China | CALT | 11,200 | 5,100 to GTO
5,700 to SSO  | 12 | 1996  | 2012
Delta III |  United States | Boeing | 8,290 | 3,810 to GTO  | 3 | 1998  | 2000
Dnepr |  Ukraine | Yuzhmash | 4,500 | 2,300 to GTO
550 to TLI  | 22 | 1999  | 2015
Soyuz-FG |  Russia | Progress | 6,900 |  | 70 | 2001  | 2019
Soyuz-2.1v |  Russia | Progress | 2,800 | 1,400 to SSO  | 13  | 2013  | 2025
H-IIA |  Japan | Mitsubishi | 15,000 | 6,000 to GTO  | 50  | 2001  | 2025
GSLV Mk.I |  India | ISRO | 4,000 | 2,150 to GTO  | 6 | 2001  | 2010
H-IIB |  Japan | Mitsubishi | 19,000 | 8,000 to GTO  | 9 | 2009  | 2020
Falcon 9 v1.0 |  United States | SpaceX | 10,450 | 4,540 to GTO  | 5 | 2010  | 2013
Antares 110/120/130 |  United States | Orbital | 5,100[26] | 1,500 to SSO  | 5 | 2013  | 2014
Falcon 9 v1.1 |  United States | SpaceX | 13,150 | 4,850 to GTO  | 15 | 2013  | 2016
Falcon 9 Full Thrust Blocks 3 and 4[n] |  United States | SpaceX | 15,600+[27] | 7,075+[28] to GTO  | 36 | 2015  | 2018
Antares 230/230+ |  United States | Northrop Grumman | 8,000[26] | 3,000 to SSO  | 13 | 2016  | 2023

## Notes

[edit]

1. ^ When launched with an expendable first stage, Falcon 9 Block 5 has the capacity of a heavy-lift launch vehicle
2. ^ A suborbital test flight was conducted in 2004, without the upper stage.
3. ^ a b A suborbital test flight was conducted in 2014, without the upper stage.
4. ^ A flight in 2021 failed to reach orbit.
5. ^ The lead manufacturer is from Italy, but the rocket has significant contributions from companies based in Belgium, France, Netherlands, Spain, Switzerland and Ukraine.
6. ^ Vulcan is often considered a heavy-lift launch vehicle and is capable of carrying over 20,000 kg to LEO when using four or six solid rocket boosters
7. ^ zero solid rocket boosters
8. ^ two solid rocket boosters
9. ^ The lead manufacturer is from France, but the rocket has significant contributions from companies based in Germany, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland and Sweden.
10. ^ Some vehicles were made by multiple manufacturers during their lifespan due to mergers and acquisitions. For brevity, only the final manufacturer is shown.
11. ^ Proton is usually considered to be a heavy-lift launch vehicle[21]
12. ^ The lead manufacturer is from France, but the rocket has significant contributions from companies based across Europe.
13. ^ The lead manufacturer is from France, but the rocket has significant contributions from companies based across Europe.
14. ^ When launched with an expendable first stage, Falcon 9 Full Thrust has the capacity of a heavy-lift launch vehicle

## See also

[edit]

* Comparison of orbital launch systems
* Comparison of orbital rocket engines
* Comparison of space station cargo vehicles
* List 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
* Heavy-lift launch vehicle, capable of lifting between 20,000 and 50,000 kg (44,000 and 110,000 lb) to low Earth orbit
* Super heavy-lift launch vehicle, capable of lifting more than 50,000 kg (110,000 lb) to Low Earth orbit

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Osipov, Yuri (2004–2017). Great Russian Encyclopedia. Moscow: Great Russian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
2. ^ NASA Space Technology Roadmaps – Launch Propulsion Systems, p.11 Archived 24 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine: "Small: 0-2t payloads, Medium: 2-20t payloads, Heavy: 20-50t payloads, Super Heavy: >50t payloads"
3. ^ Siddiqi, Asif. "Soviet/Russian Launch Vehicles". U.S. Centennial of Flight Commission. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
4. ^ Kirk, Benny (1 September 2022). "NASA's Saturn IB Rocket Doesn't Get Enough Love, Let's Change That". autoevolution. Retrieved 15 January 2025.
5. ^ Chang, Kenneth (21 December 2015). "Spacex Successfully Lands Rocket after Launch of Satellites into Orbit". The New York Times. Retrieved 22 December 2015.
6. ^ Berger, Eric (20 September 2023). "SpaceX breaks another booster reuse record, but did anyone see it?". Ars Technica. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
7. ^ "Most launches in a single year (single rocket model)". Guinness World Records. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
8. ^ Romera, Alejandro (3 January 2025). "SpaceX achieves record-breaking 2024, looks ahead to 2025". NASASpaceFlight. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
9. ^ "Angara Launch Vehicle Family". Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. Retrieved 2 September 2018.
10. ^ "Vulcan". ULA. Retrieved 27 December 2024.
11. ^ Jones, Andrew (30 November 2024). "China launches first Long March 12 from new commercial spaceport in boost for country's lunar plans". Space News. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
12. ^ "Rocket Lab Completes Archimedes Engine Build, Begins Engine Test Campaign". www.businesswire.com. 6 May 2024. Retrieved 7 May 2024.
13. ^ "Medium Launch Vehicle". Firefly Aerospace. Retrieved 11 March 2023.
14. ^ a b Jones, Andrew (11 December 2023). "China's (reusable) rocket race heats up with new hop test". SpaceNews. Retrieved 1 April 2024.
15. ^ "Nova". Stoke Space / 100% reusable rockets / USA. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
16. ^ Bek, Nate (5 October 2023). "Stoke Space fuels up with $100M in funding in quest to build fully reusable rockets". GeekWire. Retrieved 7 June 2025.
17. ^ "三年回望：我们为什么坚定投资星河动力" [Three-year review: Why we firmly invest in Galactic Energy]. 3sNews (in Chinese). Taibo. 20 February 2021. Retrieved 4 March 2021.
18. ^ Jones, Andrew (22 July 2023). "Galactic Energy registers sixth consecutive successful launch". SpaceNews. Retrieved 17 September 2023.
19. ^ "CRS NG-23". nextspaceflight. Retrieved 21 December 2024.
20. ^ "韓 달 착륙 위한 '차세대 발사체' 본격 착수". Newsis (in Korean). 9 May 2024.
21. ^ "Proton". NASA. Retrieved 20 December 2024.
22. ^ "Tsiklon-2". Archived from the original on 27 December 2016.
23. ^ "Tsiklon-4". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 22 August 2016. Retrieved 8 August 2016.
24. ^ "Tsyklon-4M (Cyclone-4M) prepares a move to Canada".
25. ^ "N-2". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Archived from the original on 8 November 2013. Retrieved 12 June 2013.
26. ^ a b Krebs, Gunter. "Antares (Taurus-2)". Gunter's Space Page. Retrieved 22 September 2018.
27. ^ Burghardt, Thomas (11 November 2019). "SpaceX and Cape Canaveral Return to Action with First Operational Starlink Mission". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 11 November 2019.
28. ^ Krebs, Gunter. "Telstar 19V (Telstar 19 Vantage)". Gunter's Space Page. Gunter. Retrieved 7 August 2018.

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