Aerospace 101 Civil and Commercial SpaceSpace Security U.S. Space Launch Vehicles 101 PublishedDecember 4, 2017 Last UpdatedJune 14, 2022 The United States has been a leader in launch vehicles for decades and has recently seen an influx of new launch vehicles developed by commercial companies, such as SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic. With the increase of commercial reusable launch vehicles garnering more government contracts, costs have been declining while the capabilities of launch vehicles have been increasing. Note that current launch vehicles are those which have already launched a payload for a customer. While some launch vehicles may be far enough along in their development that they are operational, they will not be considered “current” until they demonstrate their capabilities by launching a customer payload. Current Space Launch Vehicles SpaceX SpaceX via Wikimedia Falcon 9: The Falcon 9 is SpaceX’s primary reusable orbital launch vehicle. The rocket has the ability to deorbit, glide, and land itself on either land or sea-based platforms. The Falcon 9 is set to become the first American rocket to transport astronauts to the Space Station since the Space Shuttle when it launches its Crew Demo-2 and Crew-1 missions later this year. First Launch: June 4th, 2010 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (22,800), SSO (8,159), GTO (6,700), IP (4,020) SpaceX via Wikimedia Falcon Heavy: Composed of three Falcon 9 cores, SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy is SpaceX’s premier heavy-lift vehicle. SpaceX has also demonstrated its ability to recover at least two of the three cores, making the rocket highly reusable. The Falcon Heavy is certified to compete for national security space launches. First Launch: February 6th, 2018 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (63,800), GTO (26,700) United Launch Alliance USAF via Wikimedia Delva IV Heavy:The Delta IV Heavy uses three common booster cores, providing heavy lift capabilities. Among other payloads, the Delta IV Heavy has carried classified satellites for the National Reconnaissance Office as well as the Parker Solar Probe for NASA. The Delta IV Heavy has also been involved in the development of the Orion spacecraft, launching its first test flight in 2014. First Launch: December 21, 2004 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (28,370), GTO (14,210), TLI (11,290) NASA via Wikimedia Atlas V: Consisting of a common core booster and up to five solid rocket boosters (SRBs), the Atlas V is a highly configurable rocket that can launch a diverse set of payloads. The Atlas V frequently delivers national security payloads for the United States and serves as the launch vehicle for the Boeing Starliner spacecraft which is set to deliver astronauts to the Space Station in late 2020 or early 2021. Atlas V has also sent multiple missions to Mars, including InSight and the Curiosity Rover. First Launch: August 21, 2002 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (18,850), GTO (8,900), TLI (6,330) Northrop Grumman NASA Antares: Originally designed by Orbital ATK, Northrop Grumman’s Antares rocket is used primarily to deliver the Cygnus cargo vessel to the space station under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services contract. The rocket is usually flown with two stages but can be launched with three. First Launch: April 21, 2013 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (8,000) NASA via Wikimedia Pegasus: Northrop Grumman’s Pegasus rocket is known for its air-launch capability. The rocket is strapped underneath a Stargazer L-1011 carrier aircraft, flown to altitude, released, and launched. The rocket has launched satellites like the Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX), which is currently mapping the limits of the Solar System, and ICON, which studies space weather. First Launch: April 5th, 1990 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (~450) NASA via Flickr Minotaur I: The Minotaur I uses residual Minuteman II first and second stages and pairs them with Orbital ATK third and fourth stages. Its use of recommissioned parts from Minuteman IIs allows for the Minotaur I to be an inexpensive option for launching smallsats, CubeSats, and nanosats. All Minotaur I launches have been successful. First Launch: January 27, 2000 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (580) USAF Minotaur IV and V: Similar to the Minotaur I, Minotaurs IV and V use decommissioned Peacekeeper intercontinental ballistic missile lower stages, paired with Orbital ATK upper stages. The rockets frequently launch national security payloads for the Air Force. First Launch: April 22, 2010 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (1,730) Senior Airman Ian Dudley, STRATCOM Minotaur IV and V: The Minotaur-C uses technology from the other Minotaur rockets and the Pegasus rocket. After its predecessor Taurus had a string of launch failures, Northrop Grumman redeveloped and rebranded the rocket into Minotaur-C. The rocket is capable of delivering NASA, commercial, and national security payloads. First Launch: March 13, 1994 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (2,180), GTO (640), IP (380) Rocket Lab NASA via Flickr Electron: Rocket Lab’s Electron launches smallsats for commercial, civil, and national security customers. The two-stage rocket features Rutherford engines whose primary components are 3D printed, reducing launch costs. Although the rocket is currently expendable, Rocket Lab aims to use helicopters to capture Electron rockets for reuse in the future. First Launch: May 25, 2017 Orbit Capabilities (kg): SSO (225) Blue Origin NASA via Wikimedia New Shephard: The New Shephard launch vehicle is designed to take research cargo and humans into space. Although the rocket will not insert its payload into orbit, it is capable of delivering its research and crew capsule to a suborbital microgravity environment for a short time. The rocket and the capsule are fully reusable. First Launch: April 29, 2015 Orbit Capabilities (kg): Suborbital flight only Planned Space Launch Vehicles NASA NASA via Wikimedia Space Launch System (SLS): SLS is a rocket being developed by NASA to provide future heavy-lift services for deep space and interplanetary missions. The SLS will be available in cargo and crew variants, the latter of which will utilize the Orion capsule. Marketed as the most powerful rocket built since the Saturn V, NASA has stated that it will be the only rocket capable of delivering the Orion capsule, astronauts, and cargo to the moon on one launch. The initial SLS rockets will use Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-25 engines recycled from the Space Shuttle program. At the end of FY2020, NASA will have spent $17 billion on the SLS. Each launch will cost around $2 billion, but NASA is trying to reduce the price. First Launch: Mid to Late 2021 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (~118,000), TLI (~40,000) SpaceX SpaceX via Wikipedia Starship: Starship is a planned spacecraft that will be used to transport cargo and human crew to Earth orbit and destinations throughout the solar system including the Moon and Mars. Starship will be composed of the Starship spacecraft, which will have 6 Raptor engines, and the Super Heavy Rocket, which will have up to 37 Raptor engines. NASA recently selected a Starship derivative as a potential lunar lander for its Artemis program. First Launch: N/A Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (~100,000), GTO (~21,000) United Launch Alliance ULA via Wikimedia Vulcan: Vulcan is a planned spacecraft that will deliver cargo and crew payloads to orbit and beyond, replacing the Atlas V and Delta IV. The rocket will use engines developed and manufactured by Blue Origin. Vulcan is set to debut in 2021 with its launch of the Peregrine lander. Sierra Nevada’s Dream Chaser will also launch cargo missions to the Space Station on Vulcan. First Launch: ~2021 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (~27,200), GTO (~14,400), TLI (12,100) Northrop Grumman Minotaur VI: Minotaur VI is a proposed expendable launch vehicle that will build on previous Minotaur rockets. By adding an additional Peacekeeper lower stage onto the Minotaur IV, the rocket will have five stages. First Launch: N/A Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (3,100) Northrop Grumman OmegA: Northrop Grumman’s OmegA is an upcoming launch vehicle designed to deliver national security payloads to orbit. OmegA’s Common Boost Segment, the main propulsive element of the rocket, was developed in a partnership with the Air Force. Unlike competitors like SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and ULA’s Vulcan, OmegA will be fully expendable. First Launch: Spring 2021 Orbit Capabilities (kg): GTO (~7,700) Blue Origin Blue Origin New Glenn: Blue Origin’s planned New Glenn orbital launch vehicle will be capable of launching cargo and crew payloads to orbit. New Glenn is slated to launch payloads for NASA as well as national security and commercial customers. Notably, OneWeb’s internet constellation is scheduled to launch on New Glenn. The rocket will also be able to launch in nearly any weather condition. First Launch: ~2021 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (45,000), GTO (13,000) Virgin Galactic Jeff Foust via Wikimedia SpaceShipTwo: SpaceShipTwo is a suborbital spaceplane that is air-launched from its carrier aircraft, WhiteKnightTwo. Released at an altitude of 50,000 feet, SpaceShipTwo uses a hybrid engine that uses elements of solid and liquid rockets to reach space. SpaceShipTwo will primarily be used for tourism and research. WhiteKnightTwo and SpaceShipTwo are fully reusable. First Launch: December 13, 2018 Orbit Capabilities (kg): Suborbital flight only Virgin Orbit Virgin Orbit LauncherOne: LauncherOne is a planned rocket that will be capable of delivering smallsat payloads to either LEO or SSO. The rocket is air-launched from a Boeing 747-400 aircraft called Cosmic Girl at an altitude of 35,000, lowering costs. Virgin Orbit will launch satellites for civil, commercial, and national security customers. First Launch: Mid-2020 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (500 KG), SSO (300) Firefly Wikimedia user Beseric Alpha: Alpha is a two-stage rocket that will launch smallsats to LEO and SSO. Firefly is attempting to reach a launch cadence of twice per month and is also working on a larger version of Alpha (called Beta) that will be capable of delivering payloads to LEO, SSO, and GTO. First Launch: Late 2020 Orbit Capabilities (kg): LEO (1,000), SSO (630) Return to the Aerospace 101 Archive
