Super heavy-lift launch vehicle

Comparison of Energia, Falcon Heavy, Long March 9, SLS, New Glenn, N1, Saturn V, and BFR

A super heavy-lift launch vehicle (SHLLV) is a launch vehicle capable of lifting more than 50 t (110,000 lb) of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO).[1][2]

Flown vehicles

Retired

  • Saturn V, with an Apollo program payload of a Command Module, Service Module, and Lunar Module. The three had a total mass of 45 tonnes (99,000 lb).[3][4] When the third stage and Earth-orbit departure fuel was included, Saturn V actually placed 140 t (310,000 lb) into low Earth orbit.[5] The final launch of Saturn V placed a 77,111 kg (170,001 lb) payload into LEO.
  • The Space Shuttle orbited a combined[lower-alpha 1] 122,534 kg (270,142 lb) when launching the Chandra X-ray Observatory on STS-93.[6] Chandra and its two-stage Inertial Upper Stage booster rocket weighed 22,753 kg (50,162 lb).[7]
  • Energia launched two payloads, only one of which reached orbit, before the program was cancelled: the Polyus weapons platform at approximately 80 t (180,000 lb) and Buran orbiter. The system was designed to launch up to 105 t (231,000 lb) to low Earth orbit.[8][9] Polyus failed to enter orbit due to a software error on the kick-stage.

The Space Shuttle and Buran differed from traditional rockets in that both launched what was essentially a reusable, manned stage that carried cargo internally.

Unproven

  • Falcon Heavy is rated to launch 63.8 t (141,000 lb) to low Earth orbit (LEO) in a fully expendable configuration. In a partially reusable configuration in which its two boosters are recovered, it can launch an estimated 57 t (126,000 lb) to LEO.[10][11][lower-alpha 2] Its first launch occurred on 6 February 2018, but it has not yet launched a heavy or super-heavy payload.

Comparison

Rocket Configuration LEO payload First flight First >50t payload Operational Reusable
Saturn V Apollo 140 t (310,000 lb)A 1967 1967 Retired No
Space Shuttle 122.5 t (270,142 lb)B 1981 1981 Retired Partially
Energia Buran 100 t (220,000 lb)C 1987 1987 Retired Partially
Falcon Heavy Expendable (0/3)D 63.8 t (141,000 lb) N/AF N/A UnprovenF No
Part. reusable (2/3)E 57 t (126,000 lb)[10] N/AF N/A UnprovenF Partially
SLS Block 1 95 t (209,000 lb)[12] 2020 (planned)[13] N/A Development No
Block 1B 105 t (231,000 lb)[14] 2024 (planned)[15] N/A Development No
Block 2 130 t (290,000 lb)[16] 2029 (planned)[17] N/A Development No
New Glenn 2-stage 45+ t (99,000+ lb)[18] 2020 (planned)[18] N/A Development Partially
3-stage TBAG N/A N/A Development Partially
BFR 100+ t (220,000+ lb)[19]H 2022 (planned) N/A Development Fully
Long March 9 140 t (310,000 lb)[20] 2028 (planned)[21] N/A Development No

^A Includes mass of Apollo Command/Service Modules, Apollo Lunar Module, Spacecraft/LM Adapter, Saturn V Instrument Unit, S-IVB stage, and propellant for translunar injection; payload mass to LEO is about 122.4 t (270,000 lb)[22]
^B Includes mass of orbiter and payload during STS-93; deployable payload is 27.5 t (61,000 lb)
^C Required upper stage or payload to perform final orbital insertion
^D No stages recovered, fairing recovery possible
^E Booster cores recovered, center core expended, fairing recovery possible
^F As of 2018, it has not yet flown in this configuration; only flown in its most reusable configuration with all three cores making landing attempts.
^G Though payload capacity has not been officially announced, the 45 t (99,000 lb) payload for the two-stage variant[18] and thrust levels for the first stage suggest placement of the vehicle in the super-heavy lift class.[23]
^H Does not include dry mass of spaceship

Proposed designs

The Space Launch System (SLS) is a super heavy-lift launch vehicle currently under development in the U.S. by NASA.[24] The Block 1 configuration is currently targeted for launch in June 2020,[13] with other configurations of increasingly higher lift capacities from 2023 to 2029.[17] Block 1 will be capable of launching a minimum of 70 t (150,000 lb) to low-Earth orbit, and approximately 26 t (57,000 lb) to a trans-lunar injection point.[25][26]

The 140 t (310,000 lb) to LEO capable Long March 9 has been proposed by China.[27] It has a targeted capacity of 50 t (110,000 lb) to lunar transfer orbit and first flight by 2030.[28]

In August 2016, Russia's RSC Energia announced plans to develop a super heavy-lift launch vehicle using existing components instead of pushing the less-powerful Angara A5V project.[29][30] This would allow Russia to launch missions towards establishing a permanent Moon base with simpler logistics, launching just one or two 80-to-160-tonne super-heavy rockets instead of four 40-tonne Angara A5Vs implying quick-sequence launches and multiple in-orbit rendezvous.[29] In February 2018, the КРК СТК (space rocket complex of the super-heavy class) design was updated to lift at least 90 tonnes to LEO and 20 tonnes to lunar polar orbit, and to be launched from Vostochny Cosmodrome.[31]

Cancelled designs

Comparison of Saturn V, Sea Dragon and Interplanetary Transport System
Comparison of Space Shuttle, Ares I, Saturn V and Ares V

Numerous super-heavy lift vehicles have been proposed and received various levels of development prior to their cancellation.

As part of the Soviet Lunar Project four N1 rockets with a payload capacity of 95 t (209,000 lb), were launched but all failed shortly after lift-off (1969-1972).[32] The program was suspended in May 1974 and formally cancelled in March 1976.[33][34]

The U.S. Ares V for the Constellation program was intended to reuse many elements of the Space Shuttle program, both on the ground and flight hardware, to save costs. The Ares V was designed to carry 188 t (414,000 lb) and was cancelled in 2010, though much of the work has been carried forward into the SLS program.

A 1962 design proposal, Sea Dragon, called for an enormous 150 m (490 ft) tall, sea-launched rocket capable of lifting 550 t (1,210,000 lb) to low Earth orbit. While the design was validated by TRW, the project never moved forward due to the closing of NASA's Future Projects Branch.[35][36]

SpaceX's first publicly released design of its Mars transportation infrastructure was the ITS launch vehicle unveiled in 2016. The payload capability was to be 550 t (1,210,000 lb) in an expendable configuration (equal to the Sea Dragon) or 300 t (660,000 lb) in a reusable configuration.[37] In 2017, it was succeeded by BFR.

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The Space Shuttle orbiter itself contributed to reaching low Earth orbit therefore the validity of its inclusion as payload mass is debatable.
  2. ↑ A partially reusable configuration where three cores are recovered is classified as a heavy-lift launch vehicle since payload to LEO is under 50,000 kg.

References

  1. ↑ McConnaughey, Paul K.; et al. (November 2010). "Draft Launch Propulsion Systems Roadmap: Technology Area 01" (PDF). NASA. Section 1.3. Small: 0–2 t payloads; Medium: 2–20 t payloads; Heavy: 20–50 t payloads; Super Heavy: > 50 t payloads
  2. ↑ "Seeking a Human Spaceflight Program Worthy of a Great Nation" (PDF). Review of U.S. Human Spaceflight Plans Committee. NASA. October 2009. p. 64-66. ...the U.S. human spaceflight program will require a heavy-lift launcher ... in the range of 25 to 40 mt ... this strongly favors a minimum heavy-lift capacity of roughly 50 mt....
  3. ↑ "Apollo 11 Lunar Module". NASA.
  4. ↑ "Apollo 11 Command and Service Module (CSM)". NASA.
  5. ↑ Alternatives for Future U.S. Space-Launch Capabilities (PDF), The Congress of the United States. Congressional Budget Office, October 2006, pp. X, 1, 4, 9
  6. ↑ "STS-93". Shuttlepresskit.com. Archived from the original on 18 January 2000.
  7. ↑ "Heaviest payload launched - shuttle". Guinness World Records.
  8. ↑ "Polyus". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  9. ↑ "Buran". Encyclopedia Astronautica. Retrieved 14 February 2018.
  10. 1 2 Musk, Elon [@elonmusk] (12 February 2018). "Side boosters landing on droneships & center expended is only ~10% performance penalty vs fully expended. Cost is only slightly higher than an expended F9, so around $95M" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ↑ "Capabilities & Services". SpaceX. Retrieved 13 February 2018.
  12. ↑ Harbaugh, Jennifer, ed. (9 July 2018). "The Great Escape: SLS Provides Power for Missions to the Moon". NASA. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  13. 1 2 Clark, Stephen (20 November 2017). "NASA expects first Space Launch System flight to slip into 2020". Spaceflight Now. Retrieved 24 May 2018.
  14. ↑ "Space Launch System" (PDF). NASA Facts. NASA. 11 October 2017. FS-2017-09-92-MSFC. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  15. ↑ Sloss, Philip (11 September 2018). "NASA updates Lunar Gateway plans". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  16. ↑ Creech, Stephen (April 2014). "NASA's Space Launch System: A Capability for Deep Space Exploration" (PDF). NASA. p. 2. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  17. 1 2 Gebhardt, Chris (6 April 2017). "NASA finally sets goals, missions for SLS – eyes multi-step plan to Mars". NASASpaceFlight.com. Retrieved 21 August 2017.
  18. 1 2 3 Foust, Jeff (7 March 2017). "Eutelsat first customer for Blue Origin's New Glenn". SpaceNews. Retrieved 5 April 2017.
  19. ↑ Musk, Elon (17 September 2018). First Private Passenger on Lunar BFR Mission. SpaceX. Retrieved 18 September 2018 – via Youtube.
  20. ↑ Mizokami, Kyle (20 March 2018). "China Working on a New Heavy-Lift Rocket as Powerful as Saturn V". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 20 May 2018.
  21. ↑ Wong, Brian (20 September 2018). "Long March 9 will take 140 tons to low-earth orbit starting 2028". Next Big Future. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  22. ↑ https://www.space.com/33691-space-launch-system-most-powerful-rocket.html
  23. ↑ Leahy, Bart (12 September 2016). "Blue Origin reveals New Glenn launch vehicle plans". Spaceflight Insider. Retrieved 9 October 2016.
  24. ↑ "Space Launch System" (PDF). NASA Facts. NASA. 2016. FS-2016-02-04-MSFC. Retrieved 14 April 2018.
  25. ↑ "Space Launch System" (PDF). NASA Facts. NASA. 11 October 2017. FS-2017-09-92-MSFC. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  26. ↑ "Space Launch System Lift Capabilities" (PDF). NASA. 12 February 2018. Retrieved 4 September 2018.
  27. ↑ Covault, Craig (18 July 2012). "First Look: China's Big New Rockets". AmericaSpace.
  28. ↑ "China achieves key breakthrough in multiple launch vehicles". Space Daily. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  29. 1 2 "Russia's A5V moon mission rocket may be replaced with new super-heavy-lift vehicle". RT.com. 22 August 2016. Energia and Roscosmos are “working on a super heavy-lift launch vehicle (SHLLV) that would use an engine that we already have, the RD-171,” Vladimir Solntsev told Izvestia newspaper. [...] The proposed new SHLLV would initially have a LEO lift of 80 tonnes with a potential to increase the figure to 120 tonnes or even 160 tonnes, according to Solntsev.
  30. ↑ "«Роскосмос» создаст новую сверхтяжелую ракету". Izvestia (in Russian). 22 August 2016.
  31. ↑ "РКК "Энергия" стала головным разработчиком сверхтяжелой ракеты-носителя" [RSC Energia is the lead developer of the super-heavy carrier rocket]. RIA.ru. RIA Novosti. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 3 February 2018.
  32. ↑ "N1 Moon Rocket". Russianspaceweb.com.
  33. ↑ Harvey, Brian (2007). Soviet and Russian Lunar Exploration. Springer-Praxis Books in Space Exploration. Springer Science+Business Media. p. 230. ISBN 978-0-387-21896-0.
  34. ↑ van Pelt, Michel (2017). Dream Missions: Space Colonies, Nuclear Spacecraft and Other Possibilities. Springer-Praxis Books in Space Exploration. Springer Science+Business Media. p. 22. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-53941-6. ISBN 978-3-319-53939-3.
  35. ↑ Grossman, David (3 April 2017). "The Enormous Sea-Launched Rocket That Never Flew". Popular Mechanics. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  36. ↑ “Study of Large Sea-Launch Space Vehicle,” Contract NAS8-2599, Space Technology Laboratories, Inc./Aerojet General Corporation Report #8659-6058-RU-000, Vol. 1 – Design, January 1963
  37. ↑ "Making Humans a Multiplanetary Species" (PDF). SpaceX. 27 September 2016. Archived from the original (PDF) on 28 September 2016. Retrieved 29 September 2016.

Further reading

  • Mallove, Eugene F.; Matloff, Gregory L. (1989). The Starflight Handbook: A Pioneer's Guide to Interstellar Travel. Wiley. ISBN 0-471-61912-4.

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