List of worlds largest space launch systems

[kbd-raaf]

Keep in mind the Space Shuttle's engines and the solid rocket engines were specifically designed to be reused multiple times...and the solid ones have to survive a 100kph parachute splash landing in salt water.

That's quite an impressive feat of engineering right there.

Video of recovery of the solid rocket boosters:

I did a case study on the robotic arm that went into the space shuttle. 12 DOFs, $100M+ research budget.

The amount of engineering that went into that project alone is greater than is possible by most nations entire engineering talent.

 

[500]

The CZ-3B rocket is 12000kg of LEO, so it should be put in the 14th place.

Long March 3B - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I sorted them by take off weight.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

I sorted them by take off weight.

The LEO is what matter for a rocket.

 

[shuttler]

10. Atlas V 551 (USA)

Weight - 587 t
Height - 62.2 m
Payload to LEO - 18,500 kg
2002/2006-*

Atlas V had 43 launches with 1 partial failure. Atlas V 551 had 4 successful launches. Active.

11. H-IIB (Japan)

Weight - 531 t
Height - 56.6 m
Payload to LEO - 19,000 kg
2009-*

Developed from H-II/A with two first stage engines instead of 1. 4 successful launches. Active.

12. Falcon 9 v1.1 (USA)

Weight - 506 t
Height - 68.4 m
Payload to LEO - 13,150 kg
2010/2013-*

Very similar in design to Falcon 9 v1.0 but much larger. 3 successful launches. v1.0 had 5 successful launches (1 partial). Active.

13. Zenit-3F (USSR/Ukraine/Russia)

Weight - 471 t
Height - 59.6 m
Payload to LEO - 13,740 kg
1985-*

All versions of Zenit had total 81 launches, 10 failures and 3 partial failures. Active.

14. Ariane 44L (Europe)

Weight - 470 t
Height - 58.4 m
Payload to LEO - 10,200 kg
1988-2003

Derived from Ariane III. 116 launches total, 3 failures. Retired.

15. Long March 2F (China)

Weight - 464 t
Height - 62 m
Payload to LEO - 8,400 kg
1999-*

11 successful launches. A very similar in size and design Long March 3B had 25 launches, 1 failure and 1 partial failure. Both active.

16. GSLV (India)

Weight - 414 t
Height - 49 m
Payload to LEO - 5,000+ kg
2001-*

8 launches, 4 failures, 1 partial failure. Active.

17. Soyuz-U (USSR/Russia)

Weight - 313 t
Height - 51.1 m
Payload to LEO - 6,900 kg
1973-*

A largest member of Soyuz and R-7 family. 727 launches 19 failures. The most launched space system ever. Active.

The entire R-7 family had 1701 space launches so far including 1600 successful.
The Soyuz family had 905 space launches including 880 successful.

18. Delta III 8000 (USA)

Weight - 301 t
Height - 35 m
Payload to LEO - 8,290 kg
1998-2000

Derived from successful Delta II family but much heavier. 3 launches with 2 failures and 1 partial success. Retired.

---------------

All other systems are much lighter or are subclasses of the systems mentioned above.

you are deliberating putting india ahead of its postion which should be at the bottom of the list while omitting China's Changzheng CZ-3B (Long March) @12T LEO - a tactics that you people have been using to fool around the world

I sorted them by take off weight.

take off weight is less important to payload and the reach to orbits

 

[500]

you are deliberating putting india ahead of its postion which should be at the bottom of the list while omitting China's Changzheng CZ-3B (Long March) @12T LEO - a tactics that you people have been using to fool around the world

take off weight is less important to payload and the reach to orbits

Stop being butthurt. Especially since China is ahead of India in my list, so I dont understand the reason of ur whining. I just sorted rockets by take off weight and put the largest model from each family of rockets.

The LEO is what matter for a rocket.

The title of the thread says largest launchers, not most effective. LEO weight u see in wikipedia is most of cases is only estimate, take off weight data is more accurate. When it comes to Ariane 3 and CZ-3B, both are UDMH rockets with very similar take off weight, so their LEO weight should be very similar as well.

 

[shuttler]

Stop being butthurt. Especially since China is ahead of India in my list, so I dont understand the reason of ur whining. I just sorted rockets by take off weight and put the largest model from each family of rockets.

it is you jealous self bragging people who are eager to put india on some lists so as to blow up your fast deflating egoes
even with the massive support by the russians india's rocket is at the bottom last on the list in terms of payloads @ just 5t and a "+"

The title of the thread says largest launchers, not most effective. LEO weight u see in wikipedia is most of cases is only estimate, take off weight data is more accurate. When it comes to Ariane 3 and CZ-3B, both are UDMH rockets with very similar take off weight, so their LEO weight should be very similar as well.

no body without a bit of sense will rank by total weight
you can have the weight of a skyscrapper as rocket but carry the weight of a bag of rice.

 

[ChineseTiger1986]

Stop being butthurt. Especially since China is ahead of India in my list, so I dont understand the reason of ur whining. I just sorted rockets by take off weight and put the largest model from each family of rockets.


The title of the thread says largest launchers, not most effective. LEO weight u see in wikipedia is most of cases is only estimate, take off weight data is more accurate. When it comes to Ariane 3 and CZ-3B, both are UDMH rockets with very similar take off weight, so their LEO weight should be very similar as well.

The 12 tons LEO of CZ-3B is well known as the official statement in China.

中国巨无霸火箭推力超5000吨 远超美俄最高水平_大公资讯_大公网

 

[500]

it is you jealous self bragging people who are eager to put india on some lists so as to blow up your fast deflating egoes

I am nothing to do with India.

even with the massive support by the russians india's rocket is at the bottom last on the list in terms of payloads @ just 5t and a "+"

LEO weight is usually 2.5-3 times higher than GTO. So go and figure urself.

no body without a bit of sense will rank by total weight

Then why you entered here? I did not force u. Larger is not necessary better, its just larger.

Take some pill from ur butthurt for gods sake.

 

[shuttler]

I am nothing to do with India.

I reserve my opinion

LEO weight is usually 2.5-3 times higher than GTO. So go and figure urself.

where have I questioned that?

Then why you entered here? I did not force u.

you are posting something which I dont think sensible or even correct thus my comments

Larger is not necessary better.

that is exactly correct on your consideration of ranking by 'total weight' of the rocket which is meaningless

 

[500]

where have I questioned that?

Good, now take some math: 2160 kg (GTO) * 2.5 = 5400 kg LEO.

that is exactly correct on your consideration of ranking by 'total weight' of the rocket which is meaningless

I made a rank of largest SSN. I ranked attack subs by their displacement. Does it mean that bigger subs are better? - No, its just size rank.

 

[shuttler]

Good, now take some math: 2160 kg (GTO) * 2.5 = 5400 kg LEO.

silly recomendation
show it to your fellow countrymen

I made a rank of largest SSN. I ranked attack subs by their displacement. Does it mean that bigger subs are better? - No, its just size rank.

now switching from rocket to subs which is a completely different doctrine!

 

[500]

List of worlds most powerful rocket engines

1. SRB (USA)

1225 t thrust.

The most powerful rocket engine and the most powerful solid rocket engine. Two of them were used as Space Shuttle boosters.

2. RD-170 (USSR)

740 t thrust.

The most powerful liquid (RP-1/LOX) rocket engine. Unlike the second most powerful liquid rocket engine (US F-1) the RD-170 has 4 chambers, but its still lighter than single chamber F-1. This engine is used on boosters of Energia (4 boosters total) or fist stage on Zenith rocket.

3. P241 (Europe)

722 t thrust.

Solid engine. 2 of them are used as boosters for Ariane 5 rocket.

4. URSM (USA)

698 t thrust.

Solid engine. 2 of them are used as boosters on Titan IV rocket.

5. F-1 (USA)

690 t thrust.

The most powerful single chamber liquid rocket engine (RP-1/LOX). 5 of these engines were used on Saturn 5 first stage.

6. S125 (India)

480 t thrust.

Solid engine, used on a first stage on PSLV and GSLV rockets.

7. RD-264 (USSR)

461 t thrust.

The most powerful liquid N2O4/UDMH engine. 4 chambers (the most powerful single chamber is also a Soviet RD-253 from Proton-M with 170 t thrust). Used on R-36М (SS-18 Satan) ICMB first stage.

8. RD-180 (Russia)

423 t thrust.

2 chamber version of RD-170 engine. Used on US Atlas-3 and 5 rockets first stage.

9. RS-68A (USA)

320 t thrust.

The most powerful LH2/LOX engine. Used as a first stage and boosters on Delta 4 (boosters are for Heavy version). Thanks to its power Delta 4 is currently the only all LH2/LOX rocket in the world (others add solid/RP-1 boosters to first stage).

10. SRB-A3 (Japan)

235 t thrust.

Solid engine. Used as boosters on H-II rocket (2 or 4 on H-IIA and 4 on H-IIB).

 

[punit]

silly recomendation
show it to your fellow countrymen


now switching from rocket to subs which is a completely different doctrine!

lol the elite butthurt !!

 

[Counter-Errorist]

Just a suggestion. List them in reverse. It keeps your interest from waning after you've seen the top 3.

 

[kolinsky]

it is you jealous self bragging people who are eager to put india on some lists so as to blow up your fast deflating egoes
even with the massive support by the russians india's rocket is at the bottom last on the list in terms of payloads @ just 5t and a "+"



no body without a bit of sense will rank by total weight
you can have the weight of a skyscrapper as rocket but carry the weight of a bag of rice.

The payload is not the most important thing. The most important thing is how many choice you have. For small payload there should be small rocket, for big one there is big rocket. Otherwise, for a small satelite,you have to launch a bigger rocket. That is fine but costy.

For Indian rockets, they are big but the playload......
PSLV
first stage trust 1,090,000 lbf
GTO 1410 kg

LongMatch 3C
first stage trust 732,000 Ibf
GTO 3,800 kg

Yes PSLV has a powerful engine but......I have no comment....