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).NASA Space Technology Roadmaps – Launch Propulsion Systems, p.11 : "Small: 0-2t payloads, Medium: 2-20t payloads, Heavy: 20-50t payloads, Super Heavy: >50t payloads" An MLV is between a small-lift launch vehicle and a heavy-lift launch vehicle. Medium-lift vehicles comprise the majority of orbital launches , with both the Soyuz and Falcon 9 having launched several hundred times.
History
Soviet Union and Russia The Soviet R-7 family was based on the world's first intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM). Sputnik was a small-lift derivative that carried the first satellite into orbit, and the R-7 design quickly grew in capacity, with Luna launching in 1958. The 1960s saw the R-7 series continue to develop, with Vostok 1 carrying the first human into space, Voskhod carrying multiple crew members, and the first Soyuz. , Soyuz variants are still operational and have launched over 1,100 times. The R-7 family has launched more times than any other family of orbital rockets.
United States The first US medium-lift vehicle was a purpose-built orbital launch vehicle, the Saturn I. Saturn I first launched in 1961, and the Saturn family would eventually grow into the heavy-lift Saturn IB and the super-heavy lift Saturn V.
ICBM-derived launch vehicles for the US include the Atlas, Titan, and Delta families. Atlas-Centaur launched in 1962 and marked the first use of a Centaur upper stage. , the derivative Atlas V is still operational; Centaur has seen extensive use on multiple vehicles and is operational on the Atlas V and Vulcan vehicles. Titan II GLV carried the Gemini spacecraft. The family was further developed into Titan III which utilized solid rocket boosters (SRBs), and in 1989, the heavy-lift Titan IV. Medium-lift versions of the Delta family include Delta II which utilized up to nine SRBs, and the Delta IV which could use optional SRBs or three first-stage cores as a heavy variant.
SpaceX introduced the Falcon 9 in 2010, designed to be a partially reusable launch vehicle. Falcon 9 underwent iterative upgrades and completed the first propulsive landing of an orbital rocket stage in 2015. SpaceX then began regularly reusing first stages. In 2022, Falcon 9 broke the record of 47 launches in one year held by Soyuz-U. Falcon 9 has since continued to set new launch cadence records, launching 165 times in 2025.
Other China's Long March family and the European Ariane family were introduced in the 1970s. Japan launched the H-I in 1986 before developing the H-II and H3. India introduced the PSLV in 1993 and LVM3 in 2014. South Korea's Nuri reached orbit in 2022.
Rated launch vehicles
Operational
Vehicle Origin Manufacturer Mass to LEO (kg) Mass to other orbits (kg) Launches First FlightFalcon 9 Block 5SpaceX (reusable) 22,800 (expendable) to GTO (reusable) 8,300 to GTO (expendable) 4,020 to Mars2018Soyuz-2Progress to GTO4,400 to SSO1752006Long March 4B/4CSAST to GTO 2,800 to SSO1011999Atlas VULA to GTO992002Long March 2DSAST to SSO891992Zenit-3Yuzhmash to GTO841999Long March 3B/ECALT to GTO 6,900 to SSO822007Long March 2CCALT to SSO771982PSLVISRO to GTO to SSO601993Long March 3ACALT to GTO 5,000 to SSO271994Long March 2FCALT to GTO231999Long March 3CCALT to GTO 6,500 to SSO182008GSLVISRO to GTO162010Long March 7/7ACALT to SSO to GTO142016Long March 8/8ACALT to SSO142020LVM3ISRO to GTO72017NuriKARI to SSO (700 km)32022Zhuque-2LandSpace to SSO (500 km)32022Angara 1.2Khrunichev22022Vega CAvio to SSO52022H3Mitsubishi to GTO to SSO22023 Vulcan Centaur ULA (VC0) (VC2) to GTO (VC0) to GTO (VC2) 2 2024Gravity-1Orienspace to SSO12024Long March 6CCALT to SSO12024Ariane 6 (A62)Ariane Group to GTO32024Long March 12CALT to SSO52024Zhuque-3LandSpace-20,00012025Long March 12ACALT (expended) (reusable)12025
Under development
Vehicle Origin Manufacturer Mass to LEO (kg) Mass to other orbits (kg) Expected FlightPallas-1Galactic Energy to SSO2026Tianlong-3Space Pioneer to SSO2026Neutron Rocket Lab2026MLVFirefly2026IrtyshProgress to GTO2026Hyperbola-3i-Space (expendable) (reusable)2026NovaStoke Space7,000 (expendable) 3,000 (re-usable)2,500 to GTO 1,250 to TLI2026Unified Launch VehicleISRO-15,000-6,000 to GTO2026Long March 10ACALT2026Pallas-2Galactic Energy2026Antares 330Northrop GrummanFirefly2026KSLV-IIIHanwha Aerospace7,000 to SSO2030
Retired
Vehicle Origin Manufacturer Mass to LEO (kg) Mass to other orbits (kg) Launches First Flight Last FlightVostokRSC Energia19581991Saturn IChrysler & Douglas19611965Atlas-CentaurLockheed19621983Titan II GLVMartin19641966Titan IIICMartin to GTO1,200 to TMI19651982Molniya-MProgress19652010Proton-KKhrunichev19652012Soyuz originalOKB-119661975R-36 TsyklonYuzhmash–5,250–910 to GTO19672009Soyuz-LOKB-119701971Titan IIIDMartin19711982Soyuz-MOKB-119711976Soyuz-UProgress19732017Feng Bao 1SAST19731981Long March 2ACALT19741976Titan IIIEMartin Marietta to TMI19741977Delta 3920–5920McDonnell Douglas–3,84819801990N-IIMitsubishi19811987Soyuz-U2Progress19821995Atlas GLockheed19841989Long March 3CALT to GTO19842000Zenit-2Yuzhnoye19852004H-IMitsubishi to GTO19861992Long March 4ASAST19881990Ariane 4Aérospatiale to GTO19882003Delta IIULA to GTO 1,000 to HCO19892018Atlas I, II, IIILockheed–8,686–4,609 to GTO19902005Long March 2ECALT19901995H-II / IISMitsubishi to GTO19941999Long March 3BCALT to GTO 5,700 to SSO19962012Delta IIIBoeing to GTO19982000DneprYuzhmash to GTO 550 to TLI19992015Soyuz-FGProgress20012019Soyuz-2.1vProgress to SSO1320132025H-IIAMitsubishi to GTO5020012025GSLV Mk.IISRO to GTO20012010H-IIBMitsubishi to GTO20092020Falcon 9 v1.0SpaceX to GTO20102013Antares 110/120/130Orbital to SSO20132014Falcon 9 v1.1SpaceX to GTO20132016Falcon 9 Full Thrust Blocks 3 and 4SpaceX++ to GTO20152018Antares 230/230+Northrop Grumman to SSO20162023
Notes
See also Comparison of orbital launch systems Comparison of orbital rocket engines Comparison of space station cargo vehicles List of orbital launch systems Sounding rocket, suborbital launch vehicle Small-lift launch vehicle, capable of lifting up to to low Earth orbit Heavy-lift launch vehicle, capable of lifting between to low Earth orbit Super heavy-lift launch vehicle, capable of lifting more than to Low Earth orbit
References