expendable launch vehicle

An expendable launch system is a launch vehicle that can be launched only once, after which its components are destroyed during reentry or impact with Earth, or discarded in space. ELVs typically consist of several rocket stages that are discarded sequentially as their fuel is exhausted and the vehicle gains altitude and speed. As of 2024, fewer and fewer satellites and human spacecraft are launched on ELVs in favor of reusable launch vehicles. However, there are many instances where a ELV may still have a compelling use case over a reusable vehicle. ELVs are simpler in design than reusable launch systems and therefore may have a lower production cost. Furthermore, an ELV can use its entire fuel supply to accelerate its payload, offering greater payloads. ELVs are a proven technology in widespread use for many decades.

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Wikidata
ELV; expendable launch system
launch vehicle, 
SM-65F Atlas, Lambda, launch vehicle, Minotaur, Mu, North Korean kerolox space launch vehicle, NOTS-EV-1 Pilot, Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, Proton, R-7, Scout X-1, Shavit-1, Shavit-2, Shavit, SM-65D Atlas, SM-65E Atlas, Juno I, Space Launch System, Sputnik 8A91, Terran 1, Thor, Troposphère, Unha, Universal Rocket, Vanguard, Vega C, Vikram, VLS-1, Voskhod, Zenit, Vega, Ariane, Ashkenaz, Calvinist Republic of Ghent, Chinland, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Havilah, Kingdom of Martabam-hongsawatoi, Kingdom of Wolaita, Persia, Reman, Sikh Confederacy, Sweden, Tarshish, Angara, Ares IV, Falcon 1, Atlas-Able, Atlas-Agena, Atlas-Centaur, Atlas, Atlas-SLV3 Burner-2, Black Arrow, Capricornio, Delta, Dong Fang Hong 2, Ekran, Firefly Alpha, Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle, H3 Launch Vehicle, Juno II, 

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Location: KML, Cluster Map, Maps,

• 

  Angara ⓘ
  family of space-launch vehicles

• 

  Antares ⓘ
  launch vehicle produced by Northrop Grumman from the United States

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  Ares I ⓘ
  canceled NASA rocket for project Constellation.

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  Ares I-Y ⓘ
  cancelled test rocket in the NASA Constellation program

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  Ares IV ⓘ
  cancelled NASA rocket project

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  Ares V ⓘ
  canceled rocket from NASA's Constellation program

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  Ares V-Y ⓘ
  cancelled maiden flight of the Ares V launch vehicle

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  Ariane ⓘ
  European rocket family

• 

  Atlas E/F ⓘ
  type of American expendable launch vehicle

• 

  Atlas LV-3B ⓘ
  American launch system

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  Atlas SLV-3 ⓘ
  American launch vehicle

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  Atlas-Able ⓘ
  American expendable launch system

• 

  Atlas-Agena ⓘ
  American expendable launch system

• 

  Atlas-Centaur ⓘ
  series of space launch vehicles

• 

  Atlas-SLV3 Burner-2 ⓘ
  American launch vehicle

• 

  Black Arrow ⓘ
  British satellite carrier rocket developed during the 1960s

• 

  Chŏllima-1 ⓘ
  North Korean space launch vehicle

• 

  Cyclone-1M ⓘ
  proposed Ukrainian expendable launch vehicle

• 

  Cyclone-4M ⓘ
  proposed Ukrainian expendable launch vehicle

• 

  Delta ⓘ
  family of expendable launch systems

• 

  Falcon 1 ⓘ
  orbital launch vehicle made by SpaceX, predecessor of Falcon 9

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  Firefly Alpha ⓘ
  two-stage orbital launch vehicle

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  Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle ⓘ
  family of Indian satellite launch vehicles

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  H-II ⓘ
  Japanese family of rockets

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  H3 Launch Vehicle ⓘ
  Japanese expendable launch system

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  Jielong-3 ⓘ
  solid-propellant space launch vehicle of China

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  Juno I ⓘ
  four-stage American booster rocket

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  Juno II ⓘ
  American space launch vehicle used during the late 1950s and early 1960s

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  Lambda ⓘ
  series of Japanese rockets

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  Launch Vehicle Mark III ⓘ
  launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation

• 

  Long March ⓘ
  Chinese rocket family

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  Minotaur ⓘ
  family of American rockets

• 

  Mu ⓘ
  series of Japanese solid-fueled carrier rockets

• 

  North Korean kerolox space launch vehicle ⓘ
  North Korean space launch vehicle

• 

  NOTS-EV-1 Pilot ⓘ
  U.S. expendable launch system

• 

  NOTS-EV-2 Caleb ⓘ
  U.S. military expendable launch system

• 

  Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle ⓘ
  expendable system for launching satellites, developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation

• 

  Proton ⓘ
  family of Soviet/Russian launch vehicles

• 

  R-56 ⓘ
  family of Soviet rockets developed by the OKB-586 bureau

• 

  R-7 ⓘ
  rocket family

• 

  Rocket ⓘ
  family of launch vehicles developed by Astra

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  Scout X-1 ⓘ
  American expendable launch system and sounding rocket used in the early 1960s

• 

  Shavit ⓘ
  Israeli small-lift launch vehicle

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  Shavit-1 ⓘ
  Israeli small-lift launch vehicle

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  Shavit-2 ⓘ
  small-lift launch vehicle produced by Israel from 1982 onwards

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  SM-65B Atlas ⓘ
  prototype of the Atlas missile

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  SM-65D Atlas ⓘ
  first operational version of the U.S. Atlas missile

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  SM-65E Atlas ⓘ
  variant of the Atlas missile

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  SM-65F Atlas ⓘ
  variant of the Atlas missile

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  Space Launch System ⓘ
  NASA's super heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle

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  Space Launcher System ⓘ
  1960s-era design program of the US Air Force

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  SPARK ⓘ
  American expendable launch system

• 

  Sputnik 8A91 ⓘ
  Soviet Union space launch vehicle

• 

  Terran 1 ⓘ
  retired expendable two-stage, 3D-printed, small-lift launch vehicle

• 

  Thor ⓘ
  American rocket family

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  Troposphère ⓘ
  Congolese rocket family first established in 2007 at private enterprise Développement Tous Azimuts

• 

  Tsyklon ⓘ
  family of Soviet/Ukrainian launch vehicles

• 

  Tsyklon ⓘ
  Soviet expendable launch vehicle

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  Tsyklon-2 ⓘ
  Soviet/Ukrainian expendable launch vehicle

• 

  Tsyklon-3 ⓘ
  Soviet/Ukrainian expendable launch vehicle

• 

  Tsyklon-4 ⓘ
  cancelled Ukrainian expendable launch vehicle

• 

  Unha ⓘ
  family of North Korean expendable launch vehicles

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  Universal Rocket ⓘ
  Soviet rocket family

• 

  Vanguard ⓘ
  American small-lift launch vehicle

• 

  Vega ⓘ
  family of European orbital launch vehicles

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  Vega C ⓘ
  orbital launch vehicle by the European Space Agency

• 

  Vikram ⓘ
  Indian rocket family

• 

  VLS-1 ⓘ
  Brazilian Space Agency satellite launcher

• 

  Zenit ⓘ
  rocket for launching satellites

• 

  Atlas ⓘ
  family of American missiles and space launch vehicles

• 

  RM-90 Blue Scout II ⓘ
  retired American sounding rocket and orbital launch vehicle

• 

  Voskhod ⓘ
  Russian launch vehicle

• 

  Soyuz ⓘ
  Russian and Soviet rocket family

• 

  Pegasus ⓘ
  air-launched rocket

• 

  Capricornio ⓘ
  cancelled Spanish launch vehicle

• 

  Vega ⓘ
  retired European expendable orbital launch vehicle

• 

  Lijian-1 ⓘ
  series of Chinese solid-fuel rockets

• 

  RS1 ⓘ
  American small-lift orbital launch vehicle

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Frameless

Type	Subtype	Date	Description	Notes	Source
class	rocket		Angara	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Antares	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Ares I	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Ares I-Y	Ares I,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Ares IV	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Ares V	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Ares V-Y	Ares V,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Ariane	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Atlas E/F	SM-65 Atlas, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Atlas LV-3B	Atlas, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Atlas SLV-3	Atlas, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Atlas-Able	Atlas, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Atlas-Agena	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Atlas-Centaur	Atlas, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Atlas-SLV3 Burner-2	Atlas, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Black Arrow	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Chŏllima-1	expendable launch vehicle, three-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Cyclone-1M	expendable launch vehicle, liquid-propellant rocket, small-lift launch vehicle, three-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Cyclone-4M	expendable launch vehicle, liquid-propellant rocket, medium-lift launch vehicle, two-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Delta	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Falcon 1	Falcon, expendable launch vehicle, small-lift launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Firefly Alpha	expendable launch vehicle, small-lift launch vehicle, two-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		H-II	expendable launch vehicle, liquid-propellant rocket, medium-lift launch vehicle, two-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		H3 Launch Vehicle	expendable launch vehicle, liquid-propellant rocket, medium-lift launch vehicle, two-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Jielong-3	expendable launch vehicle, small-lift launch vehicle, solid-propellant rocket,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Juno I	Redstone, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Juno II	PGM-19 Jupiter, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Lambda	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Launch Vehicle Mark III	expendable launch vehicle, medium-lift launch vehicle, three-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Long March	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Minotaur	expendable launch vehicle, multistage rocket, solid-propellant rocket,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Mu	expendable launch vehicle, solid-propellant rocket,	Wikidata
class	rocket		North Korean kerolox space launch vehicle	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		NOTS-EV-1 Pilot	aerial rocket, anti-satellite weapon, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		NOTS-EV-2 Caleb	aerial rocket, anti-satellite weapon, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Proton	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		R-56	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		R-7	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Rocket	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Scout X-1	expendable launch vehicle, small-lift launch vehicle, sounding rocket,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Shavit	expendable launch vehicle, small-lift launch vehicle, solid-propellant rocket,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Shavit-1	expendable launch vehicle, small-lift launch vehicle, solid-propellant rocket,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Shavit-2	expendable launch vehicle, small-lift launch vehicle, solid-propellant rocket,	Wikidata
class	rocket		SM-65B Atlas	SM-65 Atlas, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		SM-65D Atlas	SM-65 Atlas, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		SM-65E Atlas	SM-65 Atlas, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		SM-65F Atlas	SM-65 Atlas, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Space Launch System	expendable launch vehicle, super heavy-lift launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Space Launcher System	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		SPARK	expendable launch vehicle, three-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Sputnik 8A91	expendable launch vehicle, liquid-propellant rocket,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Terran 1	expendable launch vehicle, small-lift launch vehicle, two-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Thor	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Troposphère	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Tsyklon	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Tsyklon	expendable launch vehicle, two-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Tsyklon-2	expendable launch vehicle, liquid-propellant rocket, two-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Tsyklon-3	expendable launch vehicle, liquid-propellant rocket, three-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Tsyklon-4	expendable launch vehicle, liquid-propellant rocket, three-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Unha	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Universal Rocket	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Vanguard	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Vega	expendable launch vehicle, four-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Vega C	expendable launch vehicle, four-stage-to-orbit, small-lift launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Vikram	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket		VLS-1	expendable launch vehicle, solid-propellant rocket,	Wikidata
class	rocket		Zenit	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket	1957	Atlas	expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket	1961	RM-90 Blue Scout II	expendable launch vehicle, solid-propellant rocket, sounding rocket,	Wikidata
class	rocket	1963	Voskhod	R-7, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket	1966	Soyuz	R-7, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket	1987	Pegasus	aerial rocket, expendable launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket	1990	Capricornio	expendable launch vehicle, three-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata
class	rocket	2012	Vega	expendable launch vehicle, four-stage-to-orbit, small-lift launch vehicle,	Wikidata
class	rocket	2022	Lijian-1	expendable launch vehicle, small-lift launch vehicle, solid-propellant rocket,	Wikidata
class	rocket	2023	RS1	expendable launch vehicle, small-lift launch vehicle, two-stage-to-orbit,	Wikidata