U.S. Launch Vehicles 101

The Antares launch vehicle is produced by Orbital ATK and is the company’s main workhorse for launch. It is also the newest operating rocket for the company. Most notably, the Antares is used by Orbital ATK in a contract to launch cargo to the International Space Station through 2024.

First Launch: April 21st, 2013

Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (6,250), SSO (1,500), GTO (2,750), IP (1,800)

The Atlas V is produced by the United Launch Alliance and is modular which allows for two separate series of vehicles that allows for a range of payloads at a range of orbits. The Atlas V has proven to be an effective and powerful launcher; notably, sending the Curiosity Rover to Mars in 2011 and in 2013 the MAVEN (Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN) to search for the presence of water on Mars.

First Launch: August 21st, 2002

Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (19,050), SSO (14,490), GTO (8,700)

The Delta series is produced by the United Launch Alliance (ULA), which is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and The Boeing Company. The Delta series often contracts out to the U.S. government to launch both civil and military payloads, but will also service commercial payloads.

Delta II

The two most notable payloads launched by a Delta II rocket are the NASA Spirit and Opportunity rovers, sent to the surface of Mars in early 2004. Boasting a highly modular configuration, the Delta II can be tailored depending on the orbit required and size of the payload.

First Launch: November 26th, 1990

Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (5,030), SSO (3,123), GTO (2,171), IP (1,508)

 

Delta IV

The Delta IV is a larger, but equally modular variant as the Delta II. With a common booster core and optional strap-on boosters, the Delta IV provides a significantly heavier lift capability than the Delta II. The Delta IV also meets requirements by both the U.S. Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) to launch classified government payloads into orbit.

First Launch: November 20th, 2002

Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (14,140), GTO (7,300), IP (2,722)

 

Delta IV Heavy

The Delta IV Heavy uses three common booster cores instead of one, providing heavy-lift capabilities. The Delta IV Heavy notably carries the Orion series, classified intelligence satellites, into geostationary orbit for the U.S. government.

First Launch: December 21st, 2004

Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (28,790), GTO (14,220), IP (9,000)

The Falcon series has been developed by SpaceX and currently comprises of the retired Falcon 1, the operational Falcon 9, and the soon-to-be operational Falcon Heavy.

Falcon 9

The Falcon 9 is the first commercial reusable orbital launch vehicle to date. The rocket has the ability to deorbit, glide, and land itself on either land or sea-based platform. A common payload is the Dragon cargo capsule, which resupplies the Space Station.

First Launch: June 4th, 2010

Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (22,800), SSO (8,159), GTO (6,700), IP (4020)

 

Falcon Heavy

SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy is composed of three Falcon 9 cores, giving the company the ability to launch the heaviest of payloads into orbit. SpaceX reports that the Falcon Heavy is able to life twice the capacity, or more, of the Delta-4 Heavy. The Falcon Heavy had an extremely successful first test launch and SpaceX was able to recover 2 of the 3 cores for reuse.

First Launch: February 6th, 2018

Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (63,800), GTO (26,700)

Virgin Orbit developed the LauncherOne as a response to the growing small satellite market. LauncherOne is an air-launch system, which deploys from a 747 flying at approximately 35,000 feet. Virgin boasts a minimum of 6-month lead time for deployment and multiple configurations for launch. LauncherOne already has several payloads lined up including some of the OneWeb constellation, intended to provide global internet, and a U.S. Air Force Space Test Program payload.

First Launch: Expected 2018

Orbit Capabilities (kg): SSO (300), LEO (500)

Orbital ATK’s Pegasus is a unique due to its mid-air release. The rocket is strapped underneath a Stargazer L-1011 carrier aircraft, flown to altitude, released, and launched. The Pegasus boasts delivering satellites into orbit in under 10 minutes after release. Air-launch allows for a lower cost, but also a lower payload capacity. The Pegasus has launched satellites like the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX), which is currently mapping the limits of the Solar System.

First Launch: April 5th, 1990

Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (500), GTO (125)

Orbital ATK’s Minotaur series uses a combination of decommissioned government rocket motors for the rocket’s lower stages and Orbital ATK upper stages to deliver payloads for a low-cost solution.

Minotaur I

The Minotaur I uses residual Minuteman II first and second stages, reusing decommissioned rocket motors and pairs them with Orbital ATK third and fourth stages. Using recommissioned parts from Minuteman IIs allows for a low-cost option for launch. Notably, the Minotaur I is a low-cost option for launching smallsats, CubeSats, and nanosats.

First Launch: January 27th, 2000

Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (580)

Minotaur IV, V, VI

Similar to the Minotaur I, Minotaurs IV, V, and VI use decommissioned Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missile lower stages, paired with Orbital ATK upper stages. A Minotaur-5 launched the Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer (LADEE).

First Launch: April 22nd, 2010

Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (1,950), SSO (1,430), GTO (678), IP (465)

Minotaur-C (formerly known as Taurus)

A combination of the Pegasus and Minotaur, the Minotaur-C has been marked by several payload losses, recently returning to the market after a six-year hiatus to launch a cluster of imaging nanosats.

First Launch: March 13th, 1994

Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (2,180), GTO (640), IP (380)

The New Glenn launch vehicle by Blue Origin is still under development and will have a reusable first stage. Notably, the massive satellite constellation being developed by OneWeb, intended to provide global internet, is slated to launch on the New Glenn.

First Launch: Expected 2020

Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (45,000), GEO (13,000)

The Stratolaunch launch vehicle is being developed by the Stratolaunch Systems Corporation and is an air-launch platform. The vehicle uses dual fuselages and six Boeing 747 engines and is the largest aircraft built to date with a 385-foot wingspan. However, the company has not yet chosen an air-launch rocket to host payloads and are not close to completing full testing and operating status.

The Vulcan launch vehicle is the United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) next-generation launch system that is planned to host a variety of payloads and will replace both the Atlas V and Delta IV families. ULA plans on using Blue Origin’s BE-4 rocket engines which can be enhanced by Orbital ATK’s boosters. Additionally, ULA is planning to replace the upper stage of the rocket in 2023 with a more powerful engine, known as the Advanced Cryogenic Evolved Stage (ACES). Notably, ULA and Bigelow Aerospace announced in November 2017 that the two companies will work together to place a habitat into Low Lunar Orbit by the end of 2022 to serve as a lunar depot.

First Launch: Expected 2019

Orbit Capabilities (kg): Three-core Vulcan to GTO (23,000), one-core Vulcan with ACES to GTO (15,100)