A heavy-lift launch vehicle, HLV or HLLV, is an orbital
launch vehicle
A launch vehicle or carrier rocket is a rocket designed to carry a payload ( spacecraft or satellites) from the Earth's surface to outer space. Most launch vehicles operate from a launch pads, supported by a launch control center and sys ...
capable of lifting between
(by
NASA
The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research.
NASA was established in 1958, succeedin ...
classification) or between (by Russian classification) into
low Earth orbit
A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit around Earth with a period of 128 minutes or less (making at least 11.25 orbits per day) and an eccentricity less than 0.25. Most of the artificial objects in outer space are in LEO, with an altitude never m ...
(LEO).
[NASA Space Technology Roadmaps – Launch Propulsion Systems, p.11](_blank)
: "Small: 0-2t payloads, Medium: 2-20t payloads, Heavy: 20-50t payloads, Super Heavy: >50t payloads" , operational heavy-lift launch vehicles include the
Ariane 5, the
Long March 5, the
Proton-M and the
Delta IV Heavy.
In addition, the
Angara A5
The Angara rocket family (Russian: Ангара) is a family of launch vehicles being developed by the Moscow-based Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center. The launch vehicles are to put between and into low Earth orbit and ...
, the
Falcon 9 Full Thrust, and the
Falcon Heavy are designed to provide heavy-lift capabilities in at least some configurations but have not yet been proven to carry a 20-tonne payload into LEO. Several other heavy-lift rockets are in development. An HLV is between
medium-lift launch vehicle
A medium-lift launch vehicle (MLV) is a rocket launch vehicle that is capable of lifting between by NASA classification or between by Russian classification of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO).50t payloads" An MLV is between small-lift la ...
s and
super heavy-lift launch vehicle
A super heavy-lift launch vehicle can lift to low Earth orbit more than by United States (NASA) classification or by Russian classification. It is the most capable launch vehicle classification by mass to orbit, exceeding that of the heavy-lif ...
s.
Rated launch vehicles
See also
*
Comparison of orbital launch systems
*
List of orbital launch systems
*
Comparison of orbital rocket engines
This page is an incomplete list of orbital rocket engine data and specifications.
Current, Upcoming, and In-Development rocket engines
Retired and canceled rocket engines
See also
* Comparison of orbital launch systems
* Comparison of ...
*
Comparison of space station cargo vehicles
Comparison or comparing is the act of evaluating two or more things by determining the relevant, comparable characteristics of each thing, and then determining which characteristics of each are similar to the other, which are different, and t ...
*
Medium-lift launch vehicle
A medium-lift launch vehicle (MLV) is a rocket launch vehicle that is capable of lifting between by NASA classification or between by Russian classification of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO).50t payloads" An MLV is between small-lift la ...
, capable of lifting between 2,000 and 20,000 kg (4,400 to 44,100 lb) of payload into Low Earth orbit
*
Rocket
A rocket (from it, rocchetto, , bobbin/spool) is a vehicle that uses jet propulsion to accelerate without using the surrounding air. A rocket engine produces thrust by reaction to exhaust expelled at high speed. Rocket engines work entir ...
*
Small-lift launch vehicle, capable of lifting up to 2,000 kg to low Earth orbit
*
Sounding rocket
A sounding rocket or rocketsonde, sometimes called a research rocket or a suborbital rocket, is an instrument-carrying rocket designed to take measurements and perform scientific experiments during its sub-orbital flight. The rockets are used to ...
, suborbital launch vehicle
*
Spacecraft propulsion
*
Super heavy-lift launch vehicle
A super heavy-lift launch vehicle can lift to low Earth orbit more than by United States (NASA) classification or by Russian classification. It is the most capable launch vehicle classification by mass to orbit, exceeding that of the heavy-lif ...
, capable of lifting more than 50,000 kg (110,000 lb) of payload into Low Earth orbit
References
Further reading
* Mallove, Eugene F. and Matloff, Gregory L. ''The Starflight Handbook: A Pioneer's Guide to Interstellar Travel'', Wiley. .
{{Space exploration lists and timelines
Space launch vehicles