Orbits legend:
LEO, low Earth orbit SSO or SSPO, near-polar Sun-synchronous orbit polar, polar orbit MEO, medium Earth orbit GTO, geostationary transfer orbit GEO, geostationary orbit (direct injection) HEO, high Earth orbit HCO, heliocentric orbit TLI, trans-lunar injection TMI, trans-Mars injection LMO Low Mars Orbit Vehicle Origin Manufacturer Height Maximum payload mass (kg) Reusable / Expendable Orbital launches including failures[a] Launch site(s) Dates of flight LEO GTO Other First Latest Angara A5 / Briz-M Russia Khrunichev 48.7 m 24,500 [1] 5,400 [2] N/A Expendable 2 [1] 2014 2020 Angara A5 / Orion Russia Khrunichev 54.9 m N/A 6,500[3] N/A Expendable 1[1] 2024 2024 Angara A5 / Persei Russia Khrunichev 54.9 m N/A 6,500[3] N/A Expendable 1[1] 2021 2021 Angara-1.2 Russia Khrunichev 42.7 m 3,500 [2] N/A 2,400 to SSO[4] Expendable 2 [5] 2022 2022 Atlas V 551 United States ULA 58.3 m 18,850 [6] 8,900 [6] 13,550 to SSO[7] 3,850 to GEO[6] Expendable 14 2006 2023 Atlas V N22 [b] United States ULA 52.4 m 13,000 [9] N/A N/A Expendable 2 [9] 2019[10] 2022 Ceres-1 (3)[c] China Galactic Energy 20 m 400 [12] N/A 300 to SSO[12] Expendable 9[13] 2022 2024 Ceres-1S [d] China Galactic Energy 20 m 400 [12] N/A 300 to SSO[12] Expendable 2[13] 2023 2024 Chollima-1 North Korea NADA > 38 m > 300 [14] N/A N/A Expendable 3 [15] 2023 2023 New-type satellite carrier rocket[16] North Korea Russia NADA Khrunichev
TBA TBA N/A N/A Expendable 1 [15] [16] 2024 2024 Electron United States New Zealand Rocket Lab 18 m 320 [17] N/A 200 to SSO[17] Partially reusable 49 [18] 2017 2024 Epsilon (2) Japan IHI [19] 24.4 m 1,500 [20] N/A N/A Expendable 1 [20] 2016 2016 Epsilon (2) / CLPS Japan IHI [19] 24.4 m N/A N/A 590 to SSO[20] Expendable 4 [20] 2018 2022 Falcon 9 Block 5 United States SpaceX 70 m 17,500 [21] 5,500 [22] N/A Partially reusable 293 [22] 2018 2024 22,800 [22] 8,300 [22] 4,020 to TMI[22] Expendable Falcon Heavy [23] United States SpaceX 70 m 30,000 [24] 8,000 [25] N/A Partially reusable 9 [25] 2018 2023 63,800 [25] 26,700 [25] 16,800 to TMI[25] Expendable Firefly Alpha United States Firefly Aerospace 29 m 1,030 [26] N/A 630 to SSO[26] Expendable 4 [27] 2021 2023 Gravity-1 China Orienspace 31.4 m 6,500 [28] N/A 4,200 to SSO[28] Expendable 1 [28] 2024 2024 GSLV Mk II India ISRO 49.1 m 6,000 [29] 2,250 [29] N/A Expendable 10 [30] 2010 2024 H-IIA 202 Japan Mitsubishi 53 m 8,000 [31] 4,000 [31] 5,100 to SSO[e] Expendable 33 [32] 2001 2023 H3-22S Japan Mitsubishi 57 m N/A[33] 3,500 N/A Expendable 2 [34] 2023 2024 Hyperbola-1 (2)[f] China i-Space 22.5 m 300 [36] N/A 300 to SSO[36] Expendable 5 [36] 2021 2023 Jielong 1 [37] China CALT 19.5 m N/A N/A 200 to SSO[38] Expendable 1 [37] 2019 2019 Jielong 3 China CALT 31.8 m N/A N/A 1,500 (500 km SSO)[39] Expendable 3 [39] 2022 2024 KAIROS Japan Space One 18 m 250 N/A 150 to SSO[40] Expendable 1 2024 2024 Kinetica 1 China CAS Space 30 m 2,000 [41] N/A 1,500 [41] (500 km SSO)Expendable 3 [41] 2022 2024 Kuaizhou 1A China ExPace 19.8 m 400 [42] N/A 250 to SSOExpendable 28 [42] 2013[g] 2024 Kuaizhou 11 China ExPace 25.3 m 1,500 [44] N/A 1,000 to SSO[44] Expendable 2 [45] 2020 2022 Long March 2C China CALT 38.8 m[46] 3,850 [47] N/A 2,100 to SSOExpendable 69 1982 2024 Long March 2C / YZ-1S China CALT 38.8 m[46] N/A N/A 2,500 to SSOExpendable 8 2018 2024 Long March 2D China SAST 41.1 m 4,000 [48] N/A 1,300 to SSO[49] Expendable 87 [50] 1992 2024 Long March 2D / YZ-3 China SAST 41.1 m N/A N/A 2,000 to SSOExpendable 3 2018 2024 Long March 2F China CALT 62 m 8,400 [51] N/A N/A Expendable 23 [50] 1999 2024 Long March 3A China CALT 52.5 m 6,000 [52] 2,600 [52] 5,000 to SSO1,420 to TLI[52] Expendable 27 [52] 1994 2018 Long March 3B/E China CALT 56.3 m 11,500 [52] 5,500 [52] 6,900 to SSO3,500 to TLI[52] Expendable 82 [52] 2007 2024 Long March 3B/E / YZ-1 China CALT 56.3 m N/A N/A 2,200 to MEOExpendable 14 2015 2023 Long March 3C China CALT 54.8 m 9,100 [52] 3,800 [52] 6,500 to SSO2,300 to TLI[52] Expendable 18 [52] 2008 2021 Long March 3C / YZ-1 China CALT 54.8 m N/A N/A N/A Expendable 2 [52] 2015 2016 Long March 4B China SAST 44.1 m 4,200 [53] 1,500 [53] 2,800 to SSO[53] Expendable 48 [53] 1999 2023 Long March 4C China SAST 45.8 m 4,200 [54] 1,500 [54] 2,800 to SSO[54] Expendable 53 [54] 2006 2023 Long March 5 China CALT 56.9 m N/A 14,000 [55] 15,000 to SSO[56] 4,500 to GEO[56] 8,200 to TLI[57] 6,000 to TMI[57] Expendable 7[56] 2017 2024 Long March 5 / YZ-2 China CALT 56.9 m N/A N/A 5,100 to GEO[56] Expendable 1[56] 2016 2016 Long March 5 B China CALT 56.9 m 25,000 [56] N/A N/A Expendable 4 [56] 2020[58] 2022 Long March 6 China SAST 29 m 1,500 [59] N/A 1,080 to SSO[59] Expendable 11 [59] 2015 2023 Long March 6A China SAST 50 m 8,000 [60] N/A 4,500 to SSO[61] Expendable 5 [62] 2022 2024 Long March 6C China CALT 43 m 4,500 N/A 2,400 to SSO Expendable 1 [63] 2024 2024 Long March 7 China CALT 53.1 m 14,000 [64] 7,000 5,500 to SSO[64] Expendable 7 [65] 2017[66] 2024 Long March 7 / YZ-1A China CALT 53.1 m N/A N/A 9,500 to SSOExpendable 1 [65] 2016[66] 2016 Long March 7A China CALT 60.13 m N/A 7,000 [58] 5,000 to TLIExpendable 6 [65] 2020 2023 Long March 8 822[67] China CALT 50.34 m 8,400 2,800 [68] 5,000 to SSO[68] 1,500 to TLIExpendable 2 [69] 2020 2024 Long March 8 820[67] China CALT 48 m 4,500 N/A 3,000 to SSOExpendable 1 [69] 2022 2022 Long March 11 China CALT 20.8 m 700 [70] N/A 350 to SSO[70] Expendable 12[70] 2015 2023 Long March 11H China CALT 20.8 m 700 [70] N/A 350 to SSO[70] Expendable 5[70] 2019 2023 LVM 3 India ISRO 43.4 m 10,000 [71] 4,000 [71] 3,000 to TLI Expendable 6 [72] 2017[h] 2023 Minotaur-C [74] United States Northrop Grumman 27.9 m 1,458 [75] 445 [75] 1,054 to SSO[i] [75] Expendable 1 [75] 2017 2017 Minotaur I United States Northrop Grumman 19.2 m 580 [76] N/A N/A Expendable 12 [77] 2000 2021 Minotaur IV United States Northrop Grumman 23.9 m 1,735 [76] N/A 1170 to Polar Expendable 2 [78] [j] 2010 2020 Minotaur IV / HAPS United States Northrop Grumman 23.9 m N/A N/A N/A Expendable 1 [78] [k] 2010 2010 Minotaur IV / Orion 38 United States Northrop Grumman 23.9 m N/A N/A N/A Expendable 1 [78] [l] 2017 2017 Minotaur IV +
United States Northrop Grumman 23.9 m 1,950 [76] N/A 1430 to Polar Expendable 1[78] [m] 2011 2011 Minotaur V United States Northrop Grumman 24.6 m N/A 678 [78] 465 to HCO[78] Expendable 1 [78] 2013 2013 Nuri (KSLV-II) South Korea KARI 47.2 m 3,300 [79] N/A 1,900 to SSO[79] Expendable 3 [80] 2021 2023 Pegasus XL United States Northrop Grumman 16.9 m 454 [81] 125 365 to Polar Expendable 29 [82] 1994 2021 Pegasus XL United States Northrop Grumman 16.9 m 500 [81] N/A N/A Expendable 6 [82] 1997 2005 Proton-M Russia Khrunichev 57.2 m 23,700 [83] N/A N/A Expendable 1 [83] 2021 2021 Proton-M / Briz-M Russia Khrunichev 58.2 m N/A 6,300 [84] 3,300 to GEO[84] Expendable 101 [85] [86] [84] 2001 2023 Proton-M / Blok DM-03 Russia Khrunichev 57.2 m N/A 6,000 [84] 3,200 to GEO[84] Expendable 7 [85] [86] [84] 2010 2023 PSLV-CA India ISRO 44.4 m 2,100 [87] N/A 1,100 to SSO[87] Expendable 17 [88] [87] 2007 2023 PSLV-DL India ISRO 44.4 m N/A N/A 750 to polarExpendable 4 [89] 2019 2024 PSLV-QL India ISRO 44.4 m N/A N/A N/A Expendable 2 [90] 2019 2019 PSLV-XL India ISRO 44.4 m 3,800 [91] 1,300 [91] 1,750 to SSO[91] 550 to TMI [92] Expendable 25 [91] 2008 2023 Qaem 100 Iran IRGC 15.5 m 80 [93] N/A N/A Expendable 2 [n] 2023 2024 Qased Iran IRGC 18.8 m 40 [94] N/A N/A Expendable 3 [94] 2020 2023 Shavit-2 Israel IAI 22.1 m 400 in Retrograde [95] N/A N/A Expendable 6 [96] 2007 2023 Simorgh Iran Iranian Space Agency 26 m 350 [97] N/A N/A Expendable 7 [98] [97] [o] 2017 2024 GYUB TV2 South Korea MND 19.5 m 100 [99] N/A N/A Expendable 1 [100] 2023 2023 Soyuz-2.1a Russia TsSKB-Progress 51.4 m 7,020 from Baikonur 6,830 from Plesetsk 7,150 from Vostochny [101] N/A N/A Expendable 46 [102] [103] [104] 2013[p] 2024 Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat Russia TsSKB-Progress 46.9 m N/A 2,810 4,450 to SSO[103] Expendable 8 [102] [103] [104] 2006[q] 2018 Soyuz-2.1a / Fregat-M Russia TsSKB-Progress 46.9 m N/A 3,000 4,450 to SSO[103] Expendable 13 [102] [103] [104] 2006[r] 2023 Soyuz-2.1a / Volga Russia TsSKB-Progress 46.9 m N/A 2,000 N/A Expendable 1 [102] [103] [104] 2016[s] 2016 Soyuz-2.1b Russia TsSKB-Progress 44.1 m 8,200 from Baikonur 7,850 from Plesetsk 8,320 from Vostochny [101] 3,060 [106] N/A Expendable 17 [107] [106] 2008 2024 Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat Russia TsSKB-Progress 46.7 m N/A 3,000 4,900 to SSO[106] Expendable 13 [107] [106] 2006 2021 Soyuz-2.1b / Fregat-M Russia TsSKB-Progress 46.7 m N/A 3,250 4,900 to SSO[106] Expendable 40 [107] [106] 2011 2024 Soyuz-2.1v Russia TsSKB-Progress 44.1 m 2,800 [108] N/A 2,630 to polar[108] Expendable 5 [108] 2018 2024 Soyuz-2.1v / Volga Russia TsSKB-Progress 44.1 m N/A N/A 1,400 to SSO[108] Expendable 7 [108] 2013 2022 Starship V1[109] United States SpaceX 121 m 40,000 [110] - 50,000N/A N/A Fully reusable 4 2023 2024 SLS Block 1 United States NASA Boeing Northrop Grumman 98 m 95,000 [111] N/A 27,000 + to TLI[111] Expendable 1 [112] 2022[113] 2022 SSLV India ISRO 34 m 500 [114] N/A 300 to SSO[114] Expendable 2 [115] 2022 2023 Tianlong-2 China Space Pioneer 32.8 m 2,000 [116] N/A 1,500 to SSO[116] Expendable 1 [116] 2023 2023 Vega Europe Italy ArianeGroup Avio 31 m 2,300 [117] N/A 1,330 to SSO[118] 1,500 to polar[119]
Expendable 21 [120] 2012 2023 Vega-C Europe Italy ArianeGroup Avio 36.2 m 3,300 [121] N/A 2,200 to SSO 2,300 to polar[121] Expendable 2 [122] 2022 2022 Vulcan Centaur VC2 United States ULA 61.6 m 19,000 [123] 8,400 [123] 2,600 to GEO15,200 to polar 6,300 to TLI[123]
Expendable 1 [124] 2024 2024 Zhuque-2 B1 China LandSpace 49.5 m 4,000 [125] N/A 1,500 to SSO[125] Expendable 3 [125] 2022[126] 2023
^ Suborbital flight tests and on-pad explosions are excluded, but launches failing en route to orbit are included. ^ for Starliner [8] ^ Despite not being officially acknowledged by the manufacturer, significant changes between different iterations of the rocket lead to the identification of different variants.[11] ^ Sea-launched version of the third unofficial iteration of the Ceres-1 launch vehicle. ^ 5,100 kg to a 500-km Sun-synchronous orbit; 3,300 kg to 800 km[31] : 64–65 ^ Despite not being officially acknowledged by the manufacturer, significant changes between different iterations of the rocket lead to the identification of different variants.[35] ^ A suborbital test flight was conducted in March 2012.[43] ^ A suborbital test flight was conducted in 2014 (designated LVM-3/CARE ) without the cryogenic upper stage (CUS).[73] ^ Reference altitude 400 km ^ Additionally, two suborbital missions were conducted in 2010 and 2011.[78] ^ Additionally, two suborbital missions were conducted in 2010 and 2011.[78] ^ Additionally, two suborbital missions were conducted in 2010 and 2011.[78] ^ Additionally, two suborbital missions were conducted in 2010 and 2011.[78] ^ A suborbital test flight succeeded in 2022. ^ A suborbital test flight succeeded in 2016; both orbital flights in 2017 and 2019 failed.[97] ^ Suborbital test flight in 2004, without Fregat upper stage.[105] ^ Suborbital test flight in 2004, without Fregat upper stage.[105] ^ Suborbital test flight in 2004, without Fregat upper stage.[105] ^ Suborbital test flight in 2004, without Fregat upper stage.[105]
Upcoming launch vehicles
Vehicle Origin Manufacturer Height Payload mass to ... (kg) Reusable / Expendable Launch Site (s) Date of first flight LEO GTO Other Agnibaan India AgniKul Cosmos 18 m150 N/A 90 to SSOExpendable 2025 Angara A5 / KVTK Russia Khrunichev TBA TBA 7,500 N/A Expendable 2028 Angara A5M Russia Khrunichev TBA 26,800 4,100 -5,200N/A Expendable 2027 Angara A5P Russia Khrunichev TBA 18,800 N/A N/A Expendable 2028 Angara A5V Russia Khrunichev TBA 37,500 [127] N/A N/A Expendable 2028 Antares 330 United States Northrop Grumman Firefly Aerospace [a]
47 m10,800 [128] N/A N/A Expendable 2025 Ariane 6 A62 Europe ArianeGroup 63 m10,350 [129] : 45 5,000 [129] : 33 6,450 to SSO 3,000 to HEO 3,000 to TLI [129] : 40–49 Expendable 2024[130] Ariane 6 A64 Europe ArianeGroup 63 m21,650 [129] : 46 11,500 + [129] : 33 14,900 to SSO 5,000 to GEO 8,400 to HEO 8,500 to TLI [129] : 40–49 Expendable 2024[130] Aurora Canada Reaction Dynamics 18 m200 N/A TBA Expendable 2025 Aventura 1 Argentina TLON Space 10 m25 N/A N/A TBA Launch platform2025 Blue Whale 1 South Korea Perigee Aerospace 21 m165 [131] N/A 185 to SSOPartially reusable 2024 195 [131] 220 to SSOExpendable Cosmos Russia SR space 18.5 m390 N/A 310 to SSOTBA TBA Cyclone-4M Ukraine Yuzhnoye Yuzhmash 38.7 m5,000 [133] 1,000 [134] 3,350 to SSO[133] Expendable 2025[135] Dauntless United States Vaya Space 35 m1,100 [136] N/A 600 to SSOExpendable CCSFS , The Spaceport Company Launch Platform2026[136] Daytona I United States Phantom Space 18 m180 N/A 53 to SSOExpendable 2025[137] Epsilon S Japan JAXA 27.2 m1,400 N/A 600 to SSOExpendable 2024 Eris Block 1 Australia Gilmour Space Technologies 25 m305 [138] N/A N/A Expendable 2024[139] Gravity-2 China Orienspace 60 m8,600 - 16,000 5,800 10,900 to SSOPartially reusable 2024 Hanbit-Nano South Korea Innospace 17 m[140] 150 N/A 90 Expendable 2024 Hyperbola-3 China i-Space 69 m8,500 N/A N/A Partially reusable 2025[141] 13,400 Expendable H3-22L Japan Mitsubishi 63 mN/A[33] N/A N/A Expendable 2020s H3-24L Japan Mitsubishi 63 mTBA TBA > 6,500 to TLI Expendable 2024 H3-30S Japan Mitsubishi 57 mN/A[33] N/A 4,000 to SSOExpendable 2024 Jielong 4 China CALT TBA TBA N/A TBA Expendable TBA 2024 KSLV-III South Korea KARI 54 m10,000 3,500 7,000 to SSO1,800 to TLI
Expendable 2030 Long March 8A China CALT 50.3 mTBA 6,800 to SSON/A Expendable 2024 Long March 9 China CALT 114 m80,000 - 150,000[142] 66,000 53,000 to TLI[142] 40,000 to TMI[143] Partially/fully reusable 2033 Long March 10 China CALT 89 [b] - 93.2 m[c] 70,000 N/A 27,000 to TLIExpendable 2027 Long March 10A China CALT 67 m14,000 N/A N/A Partially reusable >2027 18,000 Expendable Long March 12 China CALT 59 m10,000 N/A 6,000 to SSOExpendable 2024 Maia France MaiaSpace 50 mTBA N/A N/A Partially reusable 2025 Miura 5 Spain PLD Space 35.7 m840 N/A 540 to SSOPartially reusable 2026[144] MLV United States Firefly Aerospace 55.7 m16,000 N/A N/A Expendable 2025[145] Nebula-1 China Deep Blue Aerospace TBA 1,000 N/A N/A Partially reusable 2024 [146] Nebula-2 China Deep Blue Aerospace TBA 20,000 N/A N/A Partially reusable 2025 [146] Neutron United States New Zealand Rocket Lab 42.8 m8,000 [d] - 13,000N/A N/A Partially reusable 2025[147] 15,000 Expendable New Glenn United States Blue Origin 98 m45,000 [148] 13,000 N/A Partially reusable 2024 NGLV LEO India ISRO 88 m7,700 [e] N/A N/A Partially reusable TBA 9,900 Partially reusable 16,900 Expendable NGLV GEO India ISRO 92 mN/A 5,200 N/A Partially reusable TBA 25,000 8,900 Expendable Nova United States Stoke Space 28.5 m1,500 N/A N/A Fully reusable TBA OB-1 Mk1 France HyPrSapce 11 m200 N/A N/A Expendable 2026[149] Pallas-1 China Galactic Energy 42 m5,000 N/A 3,000 to SSOPartially reusable 2024[150] Prime United Kingdom Orbex 19 m180 N/A 100 to SSO[f] [151] Expendable 2024 RFA One Germany RFA 30 m1,600 [152] 450 [152] 1,300 to SSOExpendable 2024[153] Rocket 4 United States Astra 18.9 m500 N/A 350 to SSOExpendable 2024 Rokot-M Russia Khrunichev TBA 1,950 N/A N/A Expendable 2024 RS1 B2 United States ABL Space Systems 27 m1,350 [154] 400 975 to SSO750 to MEOExpendable 2024 ŞİMŞEK-1 Turkey Roketsan TBA 400 N/A N/A Expendable 2027 Siraya Taiwan TASA 25 m200 N/A N/A Expendable TBD TBA Sirius 1 France Sirius Space 24.7 mTBA N/A 175 to SSO Expendable TBD 2025 Skyrora XL United Kingdom Skyrora 22.7 m315 N/A 315 to SSO[155] Expendable 2024 GYUB[156] South Korea MND 26.8 m500 [99] N/A N/A Expendable TBA SLS Block 1B [g] United States NASA / Boeing Northrop Grumman 111 m105,000 [157] N/A 37,000 to TLI[158] Expendable 2028 SLS Block 2 [h] United States NASA / Boeing Northrop Grumman 111 m130,000 [159] N/A 45,000 to HCO[158] Expendable 2033 SL1 Germany HyImpulse 30 m500 N/A N/A Expendable 2025 Soyuz-5 (Irtysh) Russia TsSKB-Progress RSC Energia 61.87 m18,000 [160] N/A 2,500 to GEOExpendable 2025[161] Soyuz-7 (Amur) Russia JSC SRC Progress 55 m10,500 [162] 2,600 4,700 to SSOPartially reusable 2028 13,600 [162] Expendable Spectrum Germany Isar Aerospace 28 m1,000 [163] N/A 700 to SSO[163] Expendable 2025 [164] Terran R United States Relativity Space 82 m23,500 5,500 [165] N/A Partially reusable 2026[165] 33,500 Expendable Tianlong-3 China Space Pioneer 71 m17,000 N/A 14,000 to SSOPartially reusable 2024 [146] Tronador II-250 Argentina CONAE 27 m500 N/A N/A Expendable 2030 Vega-E Europe ESA ASI 36.2 m3,000 [166] N/A N/A Expendable 2026 Vikram 1 [167] India Skyroot Aerospace [168] 20 m315 to 45º inclination 500 km LEON/A 200 to 500 km SSPOExpendable 2024 Vikram 2 [167] India Skyroot Aerospace TBA 520 to 45º inclination 500 km LEON/A 410 to 500 km SSPOExpendable TBA Vikram 3 [167] India Skyroot Aerospace TBA 720 to 45º inclination 500 km LEON/A 580 to 500 km SSPOExpendable TBA Volans V500 Singapore Equatorial Space Systems TBA 150 N/A N/A Expendable TBA 2026 Vulcan Centaur VC0 United States ULA 61.6 m10,800 3,500 2,300 to TLIExpendable 2020s Vulcan Centaur VC4 United States ULA 61.6 m24,600 11,700 4,900 to GEO 9,200 to TLIExpendable 2024 Vulcan Centaur VC6 United States ULA 61.6 m27,200 [169] 14,400 [169] 6,500 to GEO 11,500 to TLIExpendable 2020s Zephyr France Latitude 19 m100 N/A 80 to SSO Expendable 2025 Zero Japan Interstellar Technologies 32 m800 N/A 250 to SSOExpendable 2025 Zhuque-2 B2 China LandSpace 49.5 m 6,000 [125] N/A 4,000 to SSO[125] Expendable 2024 Zhuque-3 China LandSpace 76.6 m12,500 (RTLS)[146] TBA TBA Partially reusable 2025 [146] 18,300 (barge)[146] Partially reusable 21,000 [170] Expendable Zuljanah Iran Iranian Space Agency 25.5 m220 [171] N/A N/A Expendable 2020s
^ provides the first stage, including engines ^ Height for uncrewed version ^ Height for crewed version ^ When first stage returned to launch site ^ When first stage returned to launch site ^ Reference altitude 500 km ^ with EUS ^ with EUS and advanced boosters Launch systems by country edit The following chart shows the number of launch systems developed in each country, and broken down by operational status. Rocket variants are not distinguished; i.e., the Atlas V series is only counted once for all its configurations 401–431, 501–551, 552, and N22.
AUS
BRZ
CHN
EUR
ESP
FRA
IND
IRN
ISR
JPN
NKR
NZL
RUS
SKR
TWN
UKR
UK
USA
Operational In development Retired^ There are many different methods. Each mestylethod has drawbacks and advantages, and spacecraft propulsion is an active area of research. However, most spacecraft today are propelled by forcing a gas from the back/rear of the vehicle at very high speed through a supersonic de Laval nozzle . This sort of engine is called a rocket engine . ^ The first medieval rockets were solid-fuel rockets powered by gunpowder; they were used by the Chinese, Indians, Mongols and Arabs, in warfare as early as the 13th century. ^ Such as the Pegasus rocket and SpaceShipOne . ^ Most satellites have simple reliable chemical thrusters (often monopropellant rockets ) or resistojet rockets for orbital station-keeping and some use momentum wheels for attitude control . Soviet bloc satellites have used electric propulsion for decades, and newer Western geo-orbiting spacecraft are starting to use them for north-south stationkeeping and orbit raising. Interplanetary vehicles mostly use chemical rockets as well, although a few have used ion thrusters and Hall effect thrusters (two different types of electric propulsion) to great success.