|
Space Launch Vehicles
Posted by
vkthakur
on
Sunday, November 27, 2005 (EST)
An overview of contemporary space launch vehicles of the world
|
|
|
|
Launcher
|
LEO Payload (Tons)
|
Polar Orbit Payload (Tons)
|
GTO Payload (Tons)
|
Cost (Million $)
|
Success Rate
|
Remarks
|
|
Ariane 5
|
18
|
9.50
|
6.80
|
105.00
|
|
|
|
Ariane 5 ECA
|
|
|
10.00
|
|
|
|
|
Ariane 5 ES ATV
|
21.00
|
|
|
|
|
The maiden flight of the Ariane 5 ES ATV is planned for 2006 with the first ATV mission to the ISS
|
|
Atlas 5 Baseline Intermediate
|
20.00
|
|
5.00
|
|
|
The baseline Atlas V intermediate configuration uses the Common Core Booster(TM) and the Centaur upper stage developed for the Atlas IIIB.
|
|
Atlas 5 Heavy
|
|
|
6.50
|
|
|
Uses three Common Core Boosters_ coupled together.
|
|
Delta IV Medium
|
|
|
4.23
|
|
|
The Delta IV is composed of five vehicle configurations based on a common booster core (CBC) first stage powered by the RS-68 engine. Delta IV second stages are derived from the Delta III second stage, using the same RL10B-2 engine, but with two sizes of expanded fuel and oxidizer tanks, depending on the model.
|
|
Delta IV Medium + (4,2)
|
10.45
|
|
5.85
|
|
|
The Delta IV Medium+ (4,2) vehicle uses a single CBC powered by an RS-68 engine, and a four-meter second stage and fairing plus two GEMs.
|
|
Delta IV Medium + (5,2)
|
10.43
|
|
4.64
|
100.00
|
|
Uses a single CBC powered by an RS-68 engine and a five-meter second stage. It is augmented by two solid rocket strap-on graphite epoxy motors (GEMs).
|
|
Delta IV Medium + (5,4)
|
11.48
|
|
6.57
|
110.00
|
|
Uses a single CBC powered by an RS-68 engine and a five-meter second stage. It is augmented by four solid rocket strap-on graphite epoxy motors (GEMs).
|
|
Delta IV (Heavy)
|
|
|
12.80
|
|
|
The Delta IV Heavy consists of three CBCs joined together in parallel, each with its own RS-68 engine, and uses a five-meter second stage and fairing.
|
|
Energia
|
100.00
|
|
20.00
|
|
|
|
|
GSLV
|
8.00
|
|
2.50
|
|
3/3
|
|
|
GSLV 3
|
|
|
4.00
|
|
|
|
|
Long March 2F
|
9.20
|
|
3.37
|
|
23/25
|
|
|
Long March 5
|
25.00
|
|
|
|
|
Designed. Development has yet to start
|
|
Proton
|
22.00
|
|
4.70
|
|
|
Three stage versions of the Proton are used for launching 20 ton payloads into LEO. Four stage versions are used for launching 4.70 ton payloads into GTO
|
|
PSLV
|
3.00
|
1.00
|
0.45
|
|
|
|
|
Soyuz
|
7.00
|
|
1.70
|
15.00
|
|
|
|
Soyuz 2
|
|
|
3.00
|
|
|
|
|
Shuttle / SRB
|
23.50
|
|
5.90
|
|
|
|
|
Vega
|
|
2.00
|
|
|
|
The first launch is planned for 2007 from Europe's Spaceport in French Guiana
|
|
Zenit
|
13.74
|
11.38
|
4.30
|
65.00
|
|
|
|
Falcon 1
|
0.570
|
N/A
|
N/A
|
6.7
|
|
The first privately funded space launch vehicle developed by SpaceX is slated for launch in Feb 2006
|
|
|
|
|
|
|