Ariane 5

Ariane 5

Ariane 5 mock-up (Photo taken at Cité de l'espace)
Function	Heavy launch vehicle
Manufacturer	Astrium for ESA and Arianespace
Country of origin	Europe
Size
Height	46–52 metres (151–171 ft)
Diameter	5.4 metres (18 ft)
Mass	777,000 kilograms (1,710,000 lb)
Stages	2
Capacity
Payload to LEO	G: 16,000 kg ES: 21,000 kg
Payload to GTO	G: 6,200 kg G+: 6,950 kg GS: 6,100 kg ECA: 10,500 kg
Launch history
Status	Active
Launch sites	ELA-3, Guiana Space Centre
Total launches	60 (G: 16, G+: 3, GS: 6) (ECA: 33, ES: 2)
Successes	56 (G: 13, G+: 3, GS: 6) (ECA: 32, ES: 2)
Failures	2 (G: 1, ECA: 1)
Partial failures	2 (G)
Maiden flight	G: 4 June 1996 G+: 2 March 2004 GS: 11 August 2005 ECA: 11 December 2002 ES: 9 March 2008
Last flight	G: 27 September 2003 G+: 18 December 2004 GS: 18 December 2009
Notable payloads	Rosetta Automated Transfer Vehicle Herschel Space Observatory Planck
Boosters (Stage 0) - P230
No. boosters	2
Engines	1 Solid
Thrust	6,470 kN each (1,450,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	275 s
Burn time	129 seconds
Fuel	Solid
First stage (Ariane 5G)
Engines	1 Vulcain
Thrust	1,114 kN (250,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	430 s
Burn time	589 seconds
Fuel	LH2/LOX
First stage (Ariane 5 ECA) - EPC (Étage Principal Cryotechnique, Cryogenic main stage)
Engines	1 Vulcain 2
Thrust	1,340 kN (301,000 lbf)
Specific impulse	431 s
Burn time	650 seconds
Fuel	LH2/LOX
Fuel&Oxidizer mass/volume	170t LOX: 133t/120m³ LH2: 26t/390m³
Second stage (Ariane 5G)
Engines	1 Aestus
Thrust	27.4 kN (6,160 lbf)
Specific impulse	324 s
Burn time	1,100 seconds
Fuel	N2O4/MMH
Second stage (Ariane 5 ECA)
Engines	1 HM7-B
Thrust	64.7 kN (14,500 lbf)
Specific impulse	446 s
Burn time	960 seconds
Fuel	LH2/LOX

Ariane 5 is, as a part of Ariane rocket family, an expendable launch system used to deliver payloads into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) or low Earth orbit (LEO). Ariane 5 rockets are manufactured under the authority of the European Space Agency (ESA) and the Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). Astrium, an EADS company, is the prime contractor for the vehicles, leading a consortium of sub-contractors. Ariane 5 is operated and marketed by Arianespace as part of the Ariane programme. Astrium builds the rockets in Europe and Arianespace launches them from the Guiana Space Centre in French Guiana.

Ariane 5 succeeded Ariane 4, but was not derived from it directly. Ariane 5 has been refined since the first launch in successive versions, "G", "G+", "GS", "ECA", and most recently, "ES". ESA originally designed Ariane 5 to launch the manned mini shuttle Hermes, and thus intended it to be "human rated" from the beginning.

Two satellites can be mounted using a SYLDA carrier (SYstème de Lancement Double Ariane). Three main satellites are possible depending on size using SPELTRA (Structure Porteuse Externe Lancement TRiple Ariane). Up to eight secondary payloads, usually small experiment packages or minisatellites, can be carried with an ASAP (Ariane Structure for Auxiliary Payloads) platform.

By mid 2007, Arianespace has ordered a total of 99 Ariane 5 launchers from Astrium. The first batch ordered in 1995 consisted of 14 launchers, while the second—P2—batch ordered in 1999 consisted of 20 launchers. A third—PA—batch consisting of 25 ECA and 5 ES launchers was ordered in 2004. The latest batch ordered in mid 2007 consist of another 35 ECA launchers.^[1] Through these orders, the Ariane 5 will be the workhorse of Arianespace at least through 2015.

Contents 1 Vehicle Description 1.1 Cryogenic main stage 1.2 Solid boosters 1.3 Second stage 1.4 Fairing 2 Variants 3 Future developments 3.1 Ariane 5 ECB 3.2 Solid propellant stage 4 Notable launches 5 Ariane 5 flights 6 See also 7 References 8 External links

Vehicle Description

Cryogenic main stage

Ariane 5’s cryogenic H158 main stage (H173 for Ariane 5 ECA) is called the EPC (Étage Principal Cryotechnique - Cryotechnic Main Stage). It consists of a large tank 30.5 metres high with two compartments, one for 130 tonnes of liquid oxygen and one for 25 tonnes of liquid hydrogen, and a Vulcain engine at the base with thrust of 115 tonnes-force (1.13 meganewtons). This part of the first stage weighs about 15 tonnes when empty.

Solid boosters

Attached to the sides are two solid rocket boosters (SRBs or EAPs from the French Étages d’Accélération à Poudre), P238 (P241 for Ariane 5 ECA), each weighing about 277 tonnes full. Each delivers a thrust of about 630 tonnes-force (6.2 MN). These SRBs are usually allowed to sink to the bottom of the ocean, but like the Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Boosters they can be recovered with parachutes, and this is occasionally done for post-flight analysis. (Unlike Space Shuttle SRBs Ariane 5 boosters are not reused.) The most recent attempt was for the first Ariane 5 ECA mission. One of the two boosters was successfully recovered and returned to the Guiana Space Center for analysis.^[2] Prior to that mission, the last such recovery and testing was done in 2003.

The French M51 SLBM shares a substantial amount of technology with these boosters.

In March 2000 the nose cone of an Ariane 5 booster washed ashore on the South Texas coast, and was recovered by beachcombers.^[3]

Second stage

The second stage is on top of the main stage and below the payload. The Ariane 5G used the EPS (Étage à Propergols Stockables - Storable Propellant Stage), which is fueled by monomethylhydrazine (MMH) and nitrogen tetroxide, whereas the Ariane 5 ECA uses the ESC (Étage Supérieur Cryotechnique - Cryogenic Upper Stage), which is fueled by liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. Ariane 5G+ used and Ariane 5 GS and ES use an improved EPS upper stage.

The EPS upper stage is capable of re-ignition, which has been demonstrated twice. The first demonstration occurred during flight V26, which was launched on 5 October 2007. This was purely to test the engine, and occurred after the payloads had been deployed. The first operational use of restart capability as part of a mission, came on 9 March 2008, when two burns were made to deploy the first Automated Transfer Vehicle into a circular parking orbit.

Fairing

The payload and all upper stages are covered at launch by a fairing, which splits off once sufficient altitude has been reached (typically above 150 km).

Variants

• The original version is dubbed Ariane 5 G (Generic) with a launch mass of 737 tonnes. Its payload capability to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) was initially specified as 5,970 kg (13,200 lb), but was increased after the qualification flights to 6,200 kg (14,000 lb).

• The Ariane 5 G+ had an improved second stage, with a GTO capacity of 6,950 kg (15,300 lb) for a single payload. It flew three times in 2004.

• It was replaced in 2005 by the Ariane 5 GS, with the same EAP boosters as the ECA and ES variants and a first stage based on the later Evolution EPC, but with the original tank volumes and a Vulcain 1B engine. The GS was introduced following the failure of the first Ariane 5 ECA flight - since all the vehicles then in production were ECA versions, it was decided to modify some of them to use the original Vulcain engine while the failure was investigated. It can carry a single payload of 6,100 kg (13,000 lb) to GTO. The last of 6 Ariane 5 GS rockets was launched in 2009.

• The Ariane 5 ECA (Evolution Cryotechnique type A) has a GTO launch capacity of 10,000 kg (22,000 lb) for dual payloads or 10,500 kg (23,000 lb) for a single payload. This variant uses a new Vulcain 2 first-stage engine, and an ESC-A (Etage Supérieur Cryogénique-A) second stage, powered by an HM-7B engine, weighing 2,100 kg (4,600 lb) and carrying 14,000 kg (31,000 lb) of cryogenic propellant. The second stage was previously used as the third stage of Ariane 4; in ECA use, the tanks are modified to shorten stage length. The revised Vulcain has a longer, more efficient nozzle with more efficient flow cycle and denser propellant ratio. The new ratio demanded length modifications to the first-stage tanks. Also, the solid EAP casings have been lightened with new welds, and packed with more propellant. The ESC-A cryogenic second stage does not improve the performance to Low Earth orbit compared to Ariane 5G, and for this reason the Ariane 5 ECA will not be used to launch the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV).

• The Ariane 5 ES (Evolution Storable) is used to launch the Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV) into a 260 km circular low Earth orbit inclined at 51.6°.^[4] It includes all the performance improvements of Ariane 5 ECA on EPC^[5] (Etage Principal Cryogénique—main stage) and EAP (Etage d'Accélération à Poudre—solid rocket booster) stages while the second stage is the EPS (Etage à Propergols Stockable) used on Ariane 5 GS variants. It is estimated that the Ariane 5 ES can put up to 21,000 kg (46,000 lb) in LEO. The first such launch occurred at 04:03 GMT on 9 March 2008.

Comparable rockets: Delta IV · Atlas V · Chang Zheng 5 · Angara · Proton · Falcon 9 · H-IIB

Future developments

Ariane 5 ECB

Ariane 5 ECB was planned to have an ESC-B upper stage using a new Vinci expander cycle type engine. The GTO capacity was to increase to 12,000 kg, but ECB was put on hold due to budget cuts.

At an ESA conference (December 2005) in Berlin there was no decision to restart or cancel the program, meaning it is currently on hold. The Vinci engine, which is designed to power the Ariane 5 ECB upper stage, is still being developed, though at a slower pace. At the ESA's Council of Ministers 25–26 November 2008 there was an agreement for the funding of a modernized second stage.^[6] On December 21, 2009 EADS Astrium was awarded a €200 million contract to develop the ECB.^[7]

Unlike the HM7-B engine, which is not capable of engine restarting, the Vinci engine is capable to do as such for up to five times, allowing increased flexibility, from additional payload capacity to possible direct-to-geosynchronous orbit (GSO) missions. The first successful test firing of this campaign took place on 27 May 2010, while the first flight test of the Vinci engine is not expected until 2016 or 2017.^[8]

Solid propellant stage

Work on the Ariane 5 EAP motors have been continued in the Vega programme. The Vega 1st stage engine—the P80 engine—is a shorter derivation of the EAP. The P80 booster casing is made of filament wound graphite epoxy, much lighter than the current stainless steel casing. A new composite steerable nozzle has been developed while new thermal insulation material and a narrower throat improve the expansion ratio and subsequently the overall performance. Additionally, the nozzle now has electromechanical actuators which have replaced the heavier hydraulic ones used for thrust vector control.

These developments will probably later make their way back into the Ariane programme.^[9] The incorporation of the ESC-B with the improvements to the solid motor casing and an uprated Vulcain engine would deliver 27,000 kilograms (60,000 lb) to LEO. This would be developed for any lunar missions but the performance of such a design may not be possible if the higher Max-Q for the launch of this rocket poses a constraint on the mass delivered to orbit.^[10]

Notable launches

Ariane 5's first test flight (Ariane 5 Flight 501) on 4 June 1996 failed, with the rocket self-destructing 37 seconds after launch because of a malfunction in the control software.^[11] A data conversion from 64-bit floating point value to 16-bit signed integer value to be stored in a variable representing horizontal bias caused a processor trap (operand error)^[12] because the floating point value was too large to be represented by a 16-bit signed integer. The software was originally written for the Ariane 4 where efficiency considerations (the computer running the software had an 80% maximum workload requirement^[12]) led to 4 variables being protected with a handler while 3 others, including the horizontal bias variable, were left unprotected because it was thought that they were "physically limited or that there was a large margin of error".^[12] The software, written in Ada, was included in the Ariane 5 through the reuse of an entire Ariane 4 subsystem despite the fact that the particular software containing the bug, which was just a part of the subsystem, was not required by the Ariane 5 because it has a different preparation sequence^[12] than the Ariane 4.

The second test flight (L502, on 30 October 1997) was a partial failure. The Vulcain nozzle caused a roll problem, leading to premature shutdown of the core stage. The upper stage operated successfully but could not reach the intended orbit.

A subsequent test flight (L503, on 21 October 1998) proved successful and the first commercial launch (L504) occurred on 10 December 1999 with the launch of the XMM-Newton X-ray observatory satellite.

Another partial failure occurred on 12 July 2001, with the delivery of two satellites into an incorrect orbit, at only half the height of the intended GTO. The ESA Artemis telecommunications satellite was able to reach its intended orbit on 31 January 2003, through the use of its experimental ion propulsion system.

The next launch did not occur until 1 March 2002, when the Envisat environmental satellite successfully reached an orbit 800 km above the Earth in the 11th launch. At 8111 kg, it was the heaviest single payload until the launch of the first ATV on March 9, 2008 (~9000 kg).

The first launch of the ECA variant on 11 December 2002 ended in failure when a main booster problem caused the rocket to veer off-course, forcing its self-destruction three minutes into the flight. Its payload of two communications satellites (Stentor and Hot Bird 7), valued at about EUR 630 million, was lost in the ocean. The fault was determined to have been caused by a leak in coolant pipes allowing the nozzle to overheat. After this failure, Arianespace SA delayed the expected January 2003 launch for the Rosetta mission to 26 February 2004, but this was again delayed to early March 2004 due to a minor fault in the foam that protects the cryogenic tanks on the Ariane 5. As of November 2010, the failure of the first ECA launch was the last failure of an Ariane 5; since then, all subsequent launches have been successful, with 44 consecutive successes that stretch back to 9 April 2003 with the launch of INSAT-3A and Galaxy 12 satellites.

On 27 September 2003 the last Ariane 5 G boosted three satellites (including the first European lunar probe, SMART-1), in Flight 162. On 18 July 2004 an Ariane 5 G+ boosted what was at the time the heaviest telecommunication satellite ever, Anik F2, weighing almost 6,000 kg.

The first successful launch of the Ariane 5 ECA took place on 12 February 2005. The payload consisted of the XTAR-EUR military communications satellite, a 'SLOSHSAT' small scientific satellite and a MaqSat B2 payload simulator. The launch had been originally scheduled for October 2004, but additional testing and the military requiring a launch at that time (of an Helios 2A observation satellite) delayed the attempt.

On 11 August 2005, the first Ariane 5GS (featuring the Ariane 5 ECA's improved solid motors) boosted Thaïcom-4/iPStar-1, the heaviest telecommunications satellite to date at 6,505 kg,^[13] into orbit.

On 16 November 2005, the third Ariane 5 ECA launch (the second successful ECA launch) took place. It carried a dual payload consisting of Spaceway-F2 for DirecTV and Telkom-2 for PT Telekomunikasi of Indonesia. This was the rocket's heaviest dual payload to date, at more than 8,000 kg.

On 27 May 2006, an Ariane 5 ECA rocket set a new commercial payload lifting record of 8.2 tonnes. The dual-payload consisted of the Thaicom 5 and Satmex 6 satellites.^[14]

On 4 May 2007 the Ariane 5 ECA set another new commercial record, lifting into transfer orbit the Astra 1L and Galaxy 17 communication satellites with a combined weight of 8.6 tonnes, and a total payload weight of 9.4 tonnes.^[15] This record was again broken by another Ariane 5 ECA, launching the Skynet 5B and Star One C1 satellites, on 11 November 2007. The total payload weight for this launch was 9,535 kg.^[16]

On 9 March 2008, the first Ariane 5 ES-ATV was launched to deliver the first ATV called Jules Verne to the International Space Station. The ATV was the heaviest payload ever launched by a European rocket, providing supplies to the space station with necessary propellant, water, air and dry cargo. This was the first operational Ariane mission which involved an engine restart in the upper stage. (The ES-ATV Aestus EPS upper stage was restartable while the ECA HM7-B engine was not.)

On 1 July 2009, an Ariane 5 ECA launched TerreStar-1, the largest commercial telecommunication satellite ever built.

On 28 October 2010, an Ariane 5 ECA launched Eutelsat's W3B (part of its W Series of satellites) and Broadcasting Satellite System Corporation (B-SAT)'s BSAT-3b satellites into orbit. However, the W3B satellite failed to operate shortly after the successful launch and was written off as a total loss due to an oxidizer leak in the satellite's main propulsion system.^[17] The BSAT-3b satellite, however, is operating normally.^[18]

On 22 April 2011, the Ariane 5 ECA flight VA-201 broke a commercial record, lifting Yahsat 1A and Intelsat New Dawn with a total payload weight of 10,064 kg to transfer orbit.^[19]

Ariane 5 flights

Date & Time (UTC)	Flight (Vol)	Configuration	Serial number	Payload	Result	#
1996-06-04 12:34:06	V-88[20]	5G	501	Cluster	Failure	1
1997-10-30 13:43:00	V-101	5G	502	MaqSat-H, TEAMSAT, MaqSat-B, YES	Partial failure[21]	2
1998-10-21 16:37:21	V-112	5G	503	MaqSat 3, ARD	Success	3
1999-12-10 14:32:07	V-119	5G	504	XMM-Newton	Success	4
2000-03-21 23:28:19	V-128	5G	505	INSAT-3B, AsiaStar	Success	5
2000-09-14 22:54:07	V-130	5G	506	Astra 2B, GE-7	Success	6
2000-11-16 01:07:07	V-135	5G	507	PAS-1R, Amsat P3D, STRV 1C, STRV 1D	Success	7
2000-12-20 00:26:00	V-138	5G	508	Astra 2D, GE-8, LDREX	Success	8
2001-03-08 22:51:00	V-140	5G	509	Eurobird 1, BSAT-2a	Success	9
2001-07-12 22:58:00	V-142	5G	510	Artemis, BSAT-2b	Partial failure[22]	10
2002-03-01 01:07:59	V-145	5G	511	Envisat	Success	11
2002-07-05 23:22:00	V-153	5G	512	Stellat 5, N-Star c	Success	12
2002-08-28 22:45:00	V-155	5G	513	Atlantic Bird 1, Meteosat 8	Success	13
2002-12-11 22:22:00	V-157	5ECA	517	Hot Bird 7, Stentor	Failure[23]	14
2003-04-09 22:52:19	V-160	5G	514	INSAT-3A, Galaxy 12	Success	15
2003-06-11 22:38:15	V-161	5G	515	Optus and Defence C1, BSAT-2c	Success	16
2003-09-27 23:14:46	V-162	5G	516	INSAT-3E, eBird 1, SMART-1	Success	17
2004-03-02 07:17:44	V-158	5G+	518	Rosetta	Success	18
2004-07-18 00:44:00	V-163	5G+	519	Anik F2	Success	19
2004-12-18 16:26:00	V-165	5G+	520	Helios 2A, Essaim 1, 2, 3, 4, PARASOL, Nanosat 01	Success	20
2005-02-12 21:03:00	V-164	5ECA	521	XTAR-EUR, Maqsat-B2, Sloshsat	Success	21
2005-08-11 08:20:00	V-166	5GS	523	Thaicom 4	Success	22
2005-10-13 22:32:00	V-168	5GS	524	Syracuse 3A, Galaxy 15	Success	23
2005-11-16 23:46:00	V-167	5ECA	522	Spaceway F2, TELKOM-2	Success	24
2005-12-21 22:33:00	V-169	5GS	525	INSAT-4A, Meteosat 9	Success	25
2006-03-11 22:32:50	V-170	5ECA	527	Spainsat, Hot Bird 7A	Success[24]	26
2006-05-26 21:09	V-171	5ECA	529	Satmex 6, Thaicom 5	Success[25]	27
2006-08-11 22:15	V-172	5ECA	531	JCSAT-10, Syracuse 3B	Success[26]	28
2006-10-13 20:56:00	V-173	5ECA	533	DirecTV-9S, Optus D1, LDREX-2	Success[27]	29
2006-12-08 22:08:00	V-174	5ECA	534	WildBlue 1, AMC-18	Success[28]	30
2007-03-11 22:03	V-175	5ECA	535	Skynet 5A, INSAT-4B	Success[29]	31
2007-05-04 22:29	V-176	5ECA	536	Astra 1L, Galaxy 17	Success[30]	32
2007-08-14 23:44	V-177	5ECA	537	Spaceway-3, BSAT-3A	Success[31]	33
2007-10-05 22:02	V-178	5GS	526	Intelsat 11, Optus D2	Success[32]	34
2007-11-14 22:06	V-179	5ECA	538	Skynet 5B, Star One C1	Success[33]	35
2007-12-21 21:41	V-180	5GS	530	RASCOM-QAF 1, Horizons-2	Success[34]	36
2008-03-09 04:03	V-181	5ES	528	ATV-1 "Jules Verne"	Success[35]	37
2008-04-18 22:17	V-182	5ECA	539	Star One C2, Vinasat-1	Success[36]	38
2008-06-12 22:05	V-183	5ECA	540	Turksat 3A, Skynet 5C	Success[37]	39
2008-07-07 21:47	V-184	5ECA	541	Badr-6, ProtoStar I	Success[38]	40
2008-08-14 20:44	V-185	5ECA	542	AMC-21, Superbird 7	Success[39]	41
2008-12-20 22:35	V-186	5ECA	543	Eutelsat W2M, Hot Bird 9	Success[40]	42
2009-02-12 22:09	V-187	5ECA	545	Hot Bird 10, NSS-9, Spirale A, Spirale B	Success[41]	43
2009-05-14 13:12	V-188	5ECA	546	Herschel, Planck	Success[42]	44
2009-07-01 19:52	V-189	5ECA	547	TerreStar-1	Success[43]	45
2009-08-21 22:09	V-190	5ECA	548	JCSAT-12, Optus D3	Success[44]	46
2009-10-01 21:59	V-191	5ECA	549	Amazonas 2, COMSATBw-1	Success[45]	47
2009-10-29 20:00	V-192	5ECA	550	NSS-12, Thor 6	Success[46]	48
2009-12-18 16:26	V-193	5GS	532	Helios 2B	Success[47]	49
2010-05-21 22:01	V-194	5ECA	551	Astra 3B, COMSATBw-2	Success[48]	50
2010-06-26 21:41	V-195	5ECA	552	Arabsat-5A, COMS-1	Success[49]	51
2010-08-04 20:59	V-196	5ECA	554	Nilesat 201, RASCOM-QAF 1R	Success[50]	52
2010-10-28 21:51	V-197	5ECA	555	Eutelsat W3B, BSAT-3b	Success[51]	53
2010-11-26 18:39	V-198	5ECA	556	Intelsat 17, HYLAS 1	Success[52]	54
2010-12-29 21:27	V-199	5ECA	557	Koreasat 6, HispaSat-1E	Success[53]	55
2011-02-16 21:50	V-200	5ES	544	ATV-2 "Johannes Kepler"	Success[54]	56
2011-04-22 21:37	VA-201	5ECA	558	Yahsat 1A, Intelsat New Dawn	Success[55]	57
2011-05-20 20:38	VA-202	5ECA	559	ST-2, GSAT-8	Success[56]	58
2011-08-06 22:52	VA-203	5ECA	560	Astra 1N, BSAT 3c	Success[57]	59
2011-09-21 21:38	VA-204	5ECA	561	Arabsat 5C, SES 2	Success[58]	60

See also

• Comparison of heavy lift launch systems

References

External links

• Astrium Ariane 5 page
• Ariane 5 User's Manual
• Ariane launches page on LyngSat
• ESA description of the Ariane 5
• Ariane 5 technical notes, available as PDF from http://www.arianespace.com/site/documents/document_sub_index.html
• (English) [1]
• (English) Actually Launch on Arianespace Homepage
• (English) The last and the next Launch
• BBC News report on the (delayed) successful launch of the Ariane 5 ECA flight on November 16, 2005.
• Vinci Engine development
• Watch an Ariane 5 launch (webcast begins 20 mins before launch).
• Ariane 5 rocket explodes
• Ariane 5 launch schedules

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Expendable launch systems Current Ariane 5 Atlas V Delta II IV Dnepr-1 GSLV H-IIA H-IIB Kaituozhe-1 Kosmos-3M Long March 1D 2C 2D 2F 3A 3B 3C 4B 4C Minotaur I IV Naro-1 Paektusan Pegasus Proton K M PSLV Rokot Safir Shavit Shtil' Start-1 Strela Soyuz U FG 2 Taurus Unha VLS-1 Volna Zenit 2 2M 3SL 3SLB 3F Planned Angara Antares Athena Ic IIc GSLV III Haas Long March 5 6 7 Minotaur V RPS-420 Rus-M Soyuz-1 Simorgh TSLV Tsyklon-4 Vega Previous Ariane 1 2 3 4 ASLV Athena I II Atlas B D E/F G H I II III LV-3B SLV-3 Able Agena Centaur Black Arrow Caleb Conestoga Delta A B C D E G J L M N 0100 1000 2000 3000 4000 5000 III Diamant Energia Europa Falcon 1‡ Feng Bao 1 H-I H-II J-I Juno I Juno II Kosmos 1 2I 3 Lambda 4S Long March 1 2A 2E 3 4A Mu 4S 3C 3H 3S 3SII V) N1 N-I N-II Pilot R-7 Luna Molniya M Polyot Soyuz L M U2 Soyuz/Vostok Sputnik Voskhod Vostok L K 2 2M Saturn I IB V INT-21 Scout SLV Sparta Thor Able Ablestar Agena Burner Delta DSV-2U Thorad-Agena Titan II GLV IIIA IIIB IIIC IIID IIIE 34D 23G CT-3 IV Tsyklon 2 3 Vanguard ‡ – Falcon 1 was designed for partial reuse. However, recovery failed on the first three flights and the remaining vehicles were flown expendably.

European orbital launch systems Active Ariane 5 Soyuz-STK (Russo-European) In development Vega Haas Retired Diamant Black Arrow Europa Ariane 1 Ariane 2 Ariane 3 Ariane 4