A heavy-lift launch vehicle, or HLV or HLLV, is an orbital launch vehicle capable of lifting between 20,000 to 50,000 kg to low Earth orbit. According to NASA, as of August 2014, heavy-lift launch vehicles include the Ariane 5, the Falcon Heavy, Proton, the Long March 5 and the Delta IV Heavy.
Currently operational launch vehicles with demonstrated heavy-lift capability to LEO include:
Ariane 5 ECA & ES 1996 to present - European Space Agency (ESA) Payload to LEO: 21,000 kg (46,000 lb)Delta IV Heavy 2004 to present - United Launch Alliance (ULA) World's highest capacity rocket currently in operation. Payload to LEO: 28,790 kg (63,470 lb)The following HLLVs have not yet flown with a payload to LEO that would classify them as an HLLV:
Angara A5 2014 to present - Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center Payload to LEO: 24,500 kg (54,000 lb) Heaviest payload flown: 2,000 kg (4,400 lb) to GEOFalcon 9 FT 2015 to present - SpaceX Payload to LEO: 22,800 kg (50,300 lb) in a non-reusable configuration Heaviest payload flown: 9,600 kg (21,200 lb) to LEOLong March 5 (CZ-5) 2016 to present - China Academy of Launch Vehicle Technology (CALT) Payload to LEO: 25,000 kg (55,000 lb) Heaviest payload flown: ~4,000 kg (8,800 lb) to GEOProton-M 2001 to present - Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center Payload to LEO: 21,600 kg (47,600 lb) Heaviest payload flown: 6,740 kg (14,860 lb) to GTOThe following HLLVs were operational:
Saturn IB 1966 to 1975 (retired after 9 launches) Chrysler (S-IB), Douglas (S-IVB) Payload to LEO: 21,000 kg (46,000 lb) Titan IV 1989 to 2005 (retired after 39 launches) - Lockheed Martin Payload to LEO: 21,680 kg (47,800 lb) Space Shuttle 1981 to 2011 (retired after 135 launches) United Space Alliance, Thiokol/Alliant Techsystems (SRBs), Lockheed Martin/Martin Marietta (ET), Boeing/Rockwell (orbiter) Payload to LEO: 24,400 kg (53,800 lb) (cargo bay payload only) Proton-K 1967 to 2012 (retired after 311 launches) Khrunichev State Research and Production Space Center Payload to LEO: 19,760 kg (43,560 lb) (nominal), 22,776 kg (50,212 lb) (demonstrated with Zvezda) Four HLLVs are currently being developed:
Vulcan - United Launch Alliance Payload to LEO: 36,000 kg (79,000 lb) (estimated) Ariane 6 - European Space Agency Payload to LEO: Unknown Falcon Heavy in a partially reusable configuration - SpaceX Payload to LEO: 32,640 kg (71,960 lb)-38,080 kg (83,950 lb) (estimated)New Glenn - Blue Origin Payload to LEO: 35,000 kg (77,000 lb)-70,000 kg (150,000 lb) (estimated) (NASA's Ares I was in the planning stages when canceled in 2010) Payload to LEO: 25,400 kg (56,000 lb)
