Comparison of solid-fuelled orbital launch systems

This page contains the lift launch systems constructed by some solid fuel stages except final stage.

All stages solid fueled

Vehicle Stage number Origin Manufacturer Height (meter) Diameter (meter) Weight (ton) Mass to
LEO
(kg)		 Mass to
Other Orbit
(kg)		 Maiden flight Retired Record Status
ASLV 5  India ISRO 24 1 41 150 1987 1994 2/4 Retired
J-I 2(+1)  Japan NASDA / ISAS 33.1 1.8 88.5 1000 1996 1996 1/1* Retired
Kaituozhe-1  China Space Solid Fuel Carrier Co. SSO:50kg ? 2002 - 0/2 Active
L-4S 4  Japan Tokyo univ. 16.5 0.735 9.4 26 1966 1970 1/5 Retired
Minotaur I 4  United States Orbital Sciences 19.2 1.67 36.2 580 SSO: 331 2000 - 10/10 Active
Minotaur IV Lite 3  United States Orbital Sciences 23.88 2.34 86.3 - 2010 - 2/2* Active
Minotaur IV 4  United States Orbital Sciences 23.88 2.34 86.3 1735 2010 - 1/1 Active
Minotaur IV+ 4  United States Orbital Sciences 23.88 2.34 86.3 1985 2011 - 1/1 Active
Minotaur V 5  United States Orbital Sciences 1.67 GTO:640 TLI:447 (2011) - 0/0 Development
M-3C 3  Japan Tokyo univ. 20.2 1.41 41.8 195 1974 1979 3/4 Retired
M-3H 3  Japan Tokyo univ. 23.8 1.41 48.7 300 1977 1978 3/3 Retired
M-3S 3  Japan Tokyo univ. 23.8 1.41 48.7 300 1980 1984 4/4 Retired
M-3SII 3(+1)  Japan ISAS 27.8 1.41 61 770 1985 1995 7/8 Retired
M-4S 4  Japan Tokyo univ. 23.6 1.41 43.6 180 1970 1972 3/4 Retired
M-V 3(+1)  Japan ISAS 30.8 2.5 140 1850 Interplanetary: 500 1997 2006 6/7 Retired
Pegasus 3  United States Orbital Sciences 16.9 1.27 18.5 375 1990 10/11 Active(?)
Pegasus XL 3  United States Orbital Sciences 17.6 1.27 23.13 443 1994 - 26/29 Active
Scout 4(?)  United States NACA 23 1.01 21.5 1961 1994 Retired
Scout-A 4  United States NACA 25 1.01 17.85 Retired
Shavit 3  Israel IAI 15.3 1.352 23.2 160 1988 1990 2/2 Retired
Shavit1 (LK-A) 3  Israel IAI 17.2 1.352 27.3 240 1995 2004 2/4 Retired
Shavit2 (LK-1) 3  Israel IAI 19.5 1.352 31.2 350 2007 - 2/2 Active
SLV 4  India ISRO 22 1 17 40 1979 1983 3/4 Retired
RPS-420 4  Indonesia LAPAN 9.5 0.42 50 (2014) - 0/0 Development
Start-1 4  Russia MIT 22.7 1.61 47.2 532 SSO: 167 1993 - 6/6 Active
Taiwan SLV 4  Republic of China NSPO 50 - - 0/0 Development
Taurus 3+1  United States Orbital Sciences 27 2.35 69 1259 SSO: 889 1994 - 5/6 Active ?
Taurus XL 3+1  United States Orbital Sciences 32 2.35 77 1458 SSO: 1054 2004 - 1/3 Active
VLS-1 3  Brazil AEB 19.5 1.01 50.7 380 1997 - 0/2 Development
* Including suborbital mission

Partial liquid fueled

Vehicle Main stages (S:solid / L:liquid) Origin Manufacturer Height (meter) Diameter (meter) Weight (ton) Mass to
LEO
(kg)		 Mass to
Other Orbit
(kg)		 Maiden flight Retired Record Status
Ares I 1S+1L  United States Alliant Techsystems / Boeing 94 5.5 25000 (2015) 0/0 Development (to be cancelled)
Athena I 2S+1L  United States Lockheed Martin 1995 2001 3/4 Retired
Athena Ic 2S+1L  United States Lockheed Martin
Alliant Techsystems		 (2012) 0/0 Development
Athena II 3S+1L  United States Lockheed Martin 30.5 2.36 120.2 1896 1998 1999 2/3 Retired
Athena IIc 3S+1L  United States Lockheed Martin
Alliant Techsystems		 (2012) 0/0 Development
Minotaur IV HAPS  United States Orbital Sciences 23.88 2.34 86.3 2010 - 1/1 Active
3-stage PSLV 2S+1L  India ISRO 2.8 500 - - 0/0 Development
Vega 3S+1L  European Union ESA / ISA 30 3 137 2000(?) SSO: 1500 (2009) - 0/0 Development

See also