The Most Advanced Rocket, Ranked

Voting rules: Choose the rocket you think is the most advanced!

Updated on May 2, 2024 06:16

In the realm of space exploration, keeping tabs on technological advancements is crucial for enthusiasts and professionals alike. Understanding which rockets are at the forefront helps gauge the progress of our capabilities in space travel. A ranked list of the most advanced rockets aids in highlighting these engineering marvels, fueling discussions and educational insights. By participating in voting for the top rockets, users contribute to a dynamic, community-driven assessment of aerospace technology. This interaction not only fosters a deeper connection with the subject but also encourages a broader interest in the science behind these sophisticated machines. Each vote helps shape the public's understanding and appreciation of the strides being made in rocket science.

What Is the Most Advanced Rocket?

1

59
votes
Maldoror · Public domain

Saturn V

NASA

The Saturn V rocket was developed by NASA in the 1960s and remains the most powerful rocket ever built, with a total thrust of 7.5 million pounds. It was used to launch the Apollo missions to the moon.
The Saturn V was a powerful and advanced rocket used by NASA during the Apollo program to send astronauts to the Moon. It remains the tallest, heaviest, and most powerful rocket ever built.

Height: 363 feet (111 meters)

Diameter: 33 feet (10 meters)

Weight: 6.5 million pounds (2.97 million kilograms)

Payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO): 310,000 pounds (140,000 kilograms)

Payload to Trans Lunar Injection (TLI): 107,100 pounds (48,600 kilograms)
2

30
votes
spacex · CC0

Falcon Heavy

SpaceX

The Falcon Heavy is currently the most powerful operational rocket in the world, with a payload capacity of 64 metric tons. It was developed by SpaceX and has been used for both commercial and government missions.
The Falcon Heavy is a next-generation reusable heavy-lift launch vehicle designed and manufactured by SpaceX. It was introduced to the market in 2018 and has since become one of the most advanced rockets in operation.

Height: 70 meters (230 feet)

Diameter: 12.2 meters (39.9 feet)

Mass: 1,420,788 kg (3,125,735 pounds)

Payload to LEO: 63,800 kg (140,660 pounds)

Payload to GTO: 26,700 kg (58,860 pounds)
Falcon Heavy in other rankings
- Position 9 of 10 in Most reliable rocket
3

13
votes
U.S. Air Force/Joe Davila · Public domain

Delta IV Heavy

United Launch Alliance (ULA)

The Delta IV Heavy is the second most powerful operational rocket in the world, with a payload capacity of 28.8 metric tons. It is used primarily by the US military and has been in service since 2004.
The Delta IV Heavy is a powerful and advanced expendable launch system developed by United Launch Alliance (ULA). Its main purpose is to deliver large payloads, such as spacecraft or satellites, into orbit around Earth or on interplanetary trajectories. The rocket is known for its impressive capability and reliability in launching heavy payloads into space.

Height: 72 m (236 ft)

Diameter: 5.1 m (16.7 ft)

Mass: 733,000 kg (1,616,000 lb)

Payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO): 28,790 kg (63,470 lb)

Payload to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO): 14,220 kg (31,390 lb)
4

16
votes
篁竹水声 · CC BY 4.0

Long March 5

The Long March 5 is a heavy-lift rocket developed by China and has a payload capacity of 25 metric tons. It was first launched in 2016 and has been used for both commercial and government missions.
The Long March 5 is a Chinese heavy-lift launch vehicle designed for a variety of missions, including delivering satellites, crewed lunar missions, and assembling and resupplying space station modules. It is part of China's Long March rocket family and is currently the country's most advanced and powerful rocket.

Height: 57 meters

Diameter: 5 meters

Mass: 869,000 kg

Payload capacity to Low Earth Orbit: 25,000 kg

Payload capacity to Geostationary Transfer Orbit: 14,000 kg
5

13
votes
DLR German Aerospace Center · CC BY 2.0

Ariane 5

European Space Agency (ESA)

The Ariane 5 is a European heavy-lift rocket with a payload capacity of 21 metric tons. It has been in service since 1996 and is used primarily for commercial missions.
The Ariane 5 is a European heavy-lift space rocket designed for commercial and government missions. It is part of the Ariane rocket family and is currently one of the most advanced rockets in operation.

Height: 55.4 meters (182 ft)

Diameter: 5.4 meters (18 ft)

Mass at liftoff: 777 tonnes (1,713,699 lb)

Payload to low Earth orbit: 21,000 kg (46,297 lb)

Payload to geostationary transfer orbit: 10,500 kg (23,148 lb)
Ariane 5 in other rankings
- Position 5 of 10 in Most reliable rocket
6

10
votes
SLS

The Space Launch System (SLS) is a rocket currently in development by NASA and is intended to be the most powerful rocket ever built. It is expected to have a total thrust of 8.8 million pounds and a payload capacity of 130 metric tons.
The Space Launch System (SLS) is a highly advanced super heavy-lift expendable launch vehicle that is designed to propel spacecraft beyond Earth's orbit. It is the most powerful rocket ever built and is intended to enable various deep space exploration missions, including crewed missions to Mars.

Height: 98-109 meters (321-358 feet)

Diameter: 8.4-12.2 meters (27-40 feet)

Mass: 2.5-3.2 million kg (5.5-7 million lbs)

Payload to Low Earth Orbit: up to 95,000 kg (209,000 lbs)

Payload to Trans Lunar Injection: 26,500 kg (58,500 lbs)
7

13
votes
XYZtSpace · CC0

New Glenn

Blue Origin

The New Glenn is a heavy-lift rocket currently in development by Blue Origin, with a payload capacity of 45 metric tons. It is expected to be reusable and is being designed for both commercial and government missions.
New Glenn is a highly advanced, fully reusable rocket designed by Blue Origin. It is named in honor of John Glenn, the first American astronaut to orbit the Earth. New Glenn is intended to be a heavy-lift launch vehicle and will be capable of taking both crewed and uncrewed payloads to various destinations, including Earth's orbit and beyond.

Total Height: 95 meters

Diameter: 7 meters

Liftoff Thrust: 3.85 million kgf

Payload Capacity to Low Earth Orbit (LEO): 45,000 kg

Payload Capacity to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO): 13,000 kg
8

6
votes
Indian Space Research Organisation · GODL-India

GSLV Mk III

The Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III) is a heavy-lift rocket developed by India with a payload capacity of 10 metric tons. It was first launched in 2017 and has been used for both commercial and government missions.
GSLV Mk III (Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III) is a heavy-lift launch vehicle developed by the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). It is designed to launch larger payloads into geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) for both commercial and government applications.

Height: 43.43 meters

Diameter: 4 meters

Mass: 640,000 kilograms

Payload to GTO: 4,000 kilograms

Payload to LEO: 10,000 kilograms
9

2
votes
H3

The H3 is a heavy-lift rocket currently in development by Japan with a payload capacity of 8.8 metric tons. It is expected to be more cost-effective and reliable than its predecessor, the H-IIA rocket.
The H3 is an advanced rocket developed by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). It is designed to deliver payloads to orbit with improved performance and cost-effectiveness.

Height: 63 meters

Diameter: 5.2 meters

Mass: 520 metric tons

Payload to Low Earth Orbit (LEO): 6 tons

Payload to Geostationary Transfer Orbit (GTO): 4 tons
10

9
votes
Official SpaceX Photos · CC0

Falcon 9 Block 5

SpaceX

The Falcon 9 Block 5 is a reusable rocket developed by SpaceX with a payload capacity of 22.8 metric tons. It is the latest version of the Falcon 9 rocket and has been used for both commercial and government missions.
Falcon 9 Block 5 is the latest version of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket series. It is a two-stage reusable launch vehicle designed to deliver payloads to Earth orbit and beyond.

Height: 70 meters

Diameter: 3.7 meters

Mass: 549,054 kg

Payload to Low Earth Orbit: approximately 22,800 kg

Payload to Geostationary Transfer Orbit: approximately 8,300 kg

Missing your favorite rocket?

Graphs

Discussion

Ranking factors for advanced rocket

Engine technology

The efficiency, thrust capabilities, and reliability of a rocket's engines are key indicators of its overall performance. Advanced engine designs such as full-flow staged combustion engines or nuclear thermal engines can provide significant gains in efficiency or power.
Staging and reusability

The number of stages and their design play a crucial role in determining a rocket's overall capability. Reusable rockets with one or more stages that can be recovered and refurbished for subsequent flights can greatly reduce costs and improve launch cadence.
Payload capacity

The primary function of a rocket is to transport a payload into space. The mass of payload a rocket can deliver to a specific orbit (e.g., Low Earth Orbit or Geostationary Transfer Orbit) is an essential measure of its capability.
Launch success rate

The overall reliability of a rocket is determined by the number of successful launches compared to the total number of launches. A high success rate is indicative of a reliable and well-designed rocket, while a lower success rate may point to potential design flaws or quality control issues.
Cost efficiency

The affordability of a rocket system directly influences its competitiveness in the commercial satellite market. Factors such as development costs, launch costs, and reusability can all have a significant impact on the cost efficiency of a rocket system.
Flight heritage and operational history

A rocket's flight heritage and operational history allows for assessment of its performance and reliability. Long histories with successful missions indicate a well-vetted and reliable platform.
Precision and orbital maneuverability

Advanced rockets should have the ability to precisely place payloads in the desired orbits and have high maneuverability for orbital adjustments and rendezvous situations.
Environmental impact

A rocket's environmental footprint, including factors such as greenhouse gas emissions, pollution from production and manufacturing, and the impact of disposal or reusability of stages, should also be considered.
Manufacturing and technology innovations

The use of new materials, manufacturing techniques, and technological innovations can lead to significant improvements in the design, performance, and cost of a rocket system.
Scalability and modularity

Advanced rockets should have the ability to be easily scaled or modularized for different missions and payloads. This flexibility enables more cost-effective and efficient launches for a variety of customers and missions.

About this ranking

This is a community-based ranking of the most advanced rocket. We do our best to provide fair voting, but it is not intended to be exhaustive. So if you notice something or rocket is missing, feel free to help improve the ranking!

Statistics

1851 views
170 votes
10 ranked items

Voting Rules

A participant may cast an up or down vote for each rocket once every 24 hours. The rank of each rocket is then calculated from the weighted sum of all up and down votes.

Trendings topics

Don't miss out on the currently trending topics of StrawPoll Rankings!

Space Exploration

The Most Beautiful Village in Nigeria: Ranking the Picturesque Gems

Aerospace Engineering

More information on most advanced rocket

When it comes to space exploration, rockets are the backbone of the industry. The development of rockets has come a long way since the first rocket was launched by Robert Goddard in 1926. Today, the most advanced rockets are capable of delivering payloads into orbit, landing on a drone ship, and even launching manned missions to space. One of the most advanced rockets currently in operation is SpaceX's Falcon Heavy. It is the most powerful operational rocket in the world and has the ability to lift over 63,000 kg (140,000 lbs) into orbit. It was designed to be reusable, with the ability to land its boosters back on Earth for future launches. Another advanced rocket is the Delta IV Heavy, which is operated by United Launch Alliance. This rocket has the ability to lift over 28,000 kg (62,000 lbs) into orbit and has been used for both commercial and military launches. Lastly, the Ariane 5 rocket, operated by the European Space Agency, is another advanced rocket capable of lifting over 21,000 kg (46,000 lbs) into orbit. It has been used for a variety of missions including launching communication satellites and supplying the International Space Station. Overall, these rockets represent the pinnacle of rocket technology and showcase the incredible advancements that have been made in space exploration.