Archive-name: space/launchers Last-modified: $Date: 95/07/06 17:09:08 $ Compilation copyright (c) 1994 by Jonathan P. Leech. This document may be redistributed in its complete and unmodified form. Other use requires written permission of the author. ORBITAL AND PLANETARY LAUNCH SERVICES Much of the following data comes from _International Reference Guide to Space Launch Systems_ by Steven J. Isakowitz, 1991 edition. The launcher FAQ was compiled and is maintained by Josh Hopkins. His address is jbhopkin@uiuc.edu. Special thanks go to Wales Larrison for help with prices and vehicle summaries at the end of the document. Feedback is appreciated. Up to date data on number of launches or failures would be especially useful. Notes: * Unless otherwise specified, LEO and polar payloads are for a 100 nm orbit. * Reliablity data generally includes launches through Dec 1990. When applicable, reliability data for a family of vehicles includes launches of types no longer operational. Reliability data is subject to interpretation and is for comparison purposes only. * Only operational vehicle families are included. Vehicle types which had not yet flown when the FAQ was last updated are marked with an asterisk. * Data on price is for comparison purposes only. Costs for government vehicles are somewhat meaningless and commercial prices vary from bid to bid. Vehicle | Payload kg (lbs) | Reliability | Price (nation) | LEO Polar GTO | | ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Ariane 35/40 87.5% (ESA) AR40 4,900 3,900 1,900 1/1 $65m (10,800) (8,580) (4,190) AR42P 6,100 4,800 2,600 1/1 $67m (13,400) (10,600) (5,730) AR44P 6,900 5,500 3,000 0/0 ? $70m (15,200) (12,100) (6,610) AR42L 7,400 5,900 3,200 0/0 ? $90m (16,300) (13,000) (7,050) AR44LP 8,300 6,600 3,700 6/6 $95m (18,300) (14,500) (8,160) AR44L 9,600 7,700 4,200 3/4 $115m (21,100) (16,900) (9,260) * AR5 18,000 ??? 6,920 0/0 $105m (39,600) (15,224) [300nm] Atlas 213/245 86.9% (USA) Atlas E -- 820 -- 15/17 $45m (1,800) Atlas I 5,580 4,670 2,250 1/1 $70m (12,300) (10,300) (4,950) Atlas II 6,395 5,400 2,680 0/0 $75m (14,100) (11,900) (5,900) Atlas IIA 6,760 5,715 2,810 0/0 $85m (14,900) (12,600) (6,200) Atlas IIAS 8,390 6,805 3,490 0/0 $115m (18,500) (15,000) (7,700) Delta 189/201 94.0% (USA) Delta 6925 3,900 2,950 1,450 14/14 $45m (8,780) (6,490) (3,190) Delta 7925 5,045 3,830 1,820 1/1 $50m (11,100) (8,420) (4,000) Energia 2/2 100% (Russia) Energia 88,000 80,000 ??? 2/2 $110m (194,000) (176,000) H series 22/22 100% (Japan) H-2 10,500 6,600 4,000 2/2 $160m (23,000) (14,500) (8,800) Kosmos 371/377 98.4% (Russia) Kosmos 400 km circular orbit $??? 51 degrees - 1400 kg 83 degrees - 1105 kg Lockheed Launch Vehicle 0/0 (U.S) * LLV-1 1,100 ??? ??? $15m ? (2,400) * LLV-2 1,800 ??? ??? (4,000) * LLV-3 3,600 ??? ??? (8,000) Long March 23/25 92.0% (China) * CZ-1D 720 ??? 200 0/0 $10m (1,590) (440) CZ-2C 3,200 1,750 1,000 12/12 $20m (7,040) (3,860) (2,200) CZ-2E 9,200 ??? 3,370 1/1 $40m (20,300) (7,430) * CZ-2E/HO 13,600 ??? 4,500 0/0 $60m (29,900) (9,900) CZ-3 ??? ??? 1,400 6/7 $33m (3,100) * CZ-3A ??? ??? 2,500 0/0 $???m (5,500) CZ-4 4,000 ??? 1,100 2/2 $???m (8,800) (2,430) Pegasus/Taurus 4/4 100% (USA) Pegasus 455 365 125 5/6 $13.5m (1,000) (800) (275) Taurus 1,450 1,180 375 1/1 $15m (3,200) (2,600) (830) Proton 164/187 87.7% (Russia) Proton 20,000 ??? 5,500 164/187 $35-70m (44,100) (12,200) SCOUT 99/113 87.6% (USA) SCOUT G-1 270 210 54 13/13 $12m (600) (460) (120) * Enhanced SCOUT 525 372 110 0/0 $15m (1,160) (820) (240) Shavit 2/2 100% (Israel) Shavit ??? 160 ??? 2/2 $22m (350) Space Shuttle 37/38 97.4% (USA) Shuttle/SRB 23,500 ??? 5,900 37/38 [I'm not going (51,800) (13,000) to touch the price issue] SLV 2/6 33.3% (India) (400km) (900km polar) ASLV 150 ??? ??? 0/2 $???m (330) PSLV 3,000 1,000 450 1/2 $???m (6,600) (2,200) (990) * GSLV 8,000 ??? 2,500 0/0 $???m (17,600) (5,500) Titan 160/172 93.0% (USA) Titan II ??? 1,905 ??? 2/2 $43m (4,200) Titan III 14,515 ??? 5,000 2/3 $158m (32,000) (11,000) [1988$] Titan IV/SRM 17,700 14,100 6,350 5/6 $315m-$360m (39,000) (31,100) (14,000) Titan IV/SRMU 21,640 18,600 8,620 0/0 $???m (47,700) (41,000) (19,000) Vostok 1358/1401 96.9% (Russia) [650km] Vostok 4,730 1,840 ??? ?/149 $14m (10,400) (4,060) Soyuz 7,000 ??? ??? ?/944 $15m (15,400) Molniya 1500kg (3300 lbs) in ?/258 $???M Highly eliptical orbit Zenit 12/13 92.3% (Russia) Zenit 13,740 11,380 4,300 12/13 $65m (30,300) (25,090) (9,480) The following information on other proposed launch systems is provided by Wales Larrison. The asterisks mark vehicles which seem most likely to make it off the drawing board. Aerospatiale air launched (France) --study of two-stage launch vehicle launched from Airbus-type aircraft. Reported capable of 1000 Kg to LEO low-Earth orbit. Used M4 and M5 solid rocket boosters, and studied for European military uses. No data since early 1992. Probably shelved. Argentina -- small orbital launcher, derivative of Argentinian sounding rocket program. Some interesting rumors that suitable large solids were poured as part of secret military ICBM effort under military Junta rule several years ago, but program records destroyed when civilian government took over. Sweden (Bofors/Saab) -- small all solid sounding rocket to use Kiruna launch range in northern Sweden. Probably subsumed into IMI effort (Saab is teamed on Orbex). No data for several years. TRW -- Proposed development of launch vehicle using pressure-fed "dumb" boosters. Studied extensively at TRW in late 1960's and revived in late 1980's. Rumors of company-funded propulsion tests. Rumors this is being proposed as joint program with GDC or MDC for upgrade in MLV-3 proposal effort. -- Lots of rumors but no solid data that this is real program. OrbEx - Small all solid vehicle. "ORBital EXpress". CTA had a contract with BMDO for these vehicle, but it was cancelled. CTA has put the project on hold. PacAstro - Little data. Estimate $5-10 M per launch. All solid, very small launcher. PacAstro now has three contracts with KITcom of Australia, worth about $10 million. The PA-2 is advertised as carrying 750 lbs to orbit for $6 million dollars. * Russian ICBM derivatives -- Several proposed, usually SS-18 or SS-25 derivatives. Would used converted strategic ICBMs to launch small payloads. Bid on several international smallsat launchers. Political concerns due to use for MCTR and number of launches tightly regulated by START treaties and verification activities. Prices discussed are absolute rock- bottom. [There is also converted SLBM called the "Surf" which seems likely to make it off the drawing boards] Space Clipper (NPO Yuznoye - Ukraine) - Proposed derivative of SS-18 utilizing air-launched ICBM as first stage of orbital launcher for small sats. Used AN-124 aircraft as carrier. Extensively publicized as part of IAF. 500 Kg into LEO. No customers, no contracts. SEALAR (Sea Eagle) - Mobile SEA LAunched Rocket. Supported by Navy Research lab funding. Estimated cost $ 10 M/launch. Projected first launch data of 1996 (dependent upon NRL funding) Bob Truax company. Suborbital test planned. Sonda IV (Brazil)- Small orbital launcher derivative. Project appears to be on indefinite hold for political reasons. Zefiro (Italy) - Small launcher derivative of Scout vehicle, utilizing new solid booster. From Gilarini in Italy. Cost unknown. Proposed to be ready for qual flights in late 1995. * J-1 (Japan) - Small all-solid launcher from NASDA H-2 solid boosters combined with M-3S II solids from ISAS launcher program. Paper by Tateu Hosomura of Nissan Motor Co., Japan's principal solid- booster manufacturer, at IAF claimed first flight in mid- 1995. Capable of 900 kilograms in LEO, with growth to 2000 Kg. Believed funded in 1993 NASDA/ISAS budget. Aussroc (Australia) - Eventual derivative of small indigenous sounding rocket currently being test fired. Last sounding rocket test failed. Probably 5-10 years away for orbital launch attempt if not fully funded by national government (currently shared industry/ university/ government). Would use old Woomera launch range. Bristol (Canada) - Proposed small launcher, based upon Black Brant series of sounding rockets. Proposed development program to be shared with Canadian Space Agency. 500 lb to LEO class launcher. Requires development of new solid booster by Bristol. Capricornia (Spain) - small 3 stage booster. Project canceled. * COMET/Conestoga -- small all solid vehicle being developed to launch the COMET orbital launch/return payload system. COMET has been subject to signifcant cost overruns and delays. EER is marketing Conestoga for other missions as well, but does not appear to have been very sucessful.