SpaceTRC / Space Age / Rocket comparison
From Saturn V to Starship: put rockets side by side.
Pick up to four rockets, then switch the measure: height, payload to low Earth orbit or liftoff thrust. The drawing and chart update instantly.
Rockets (up to 4)
Measure
Data table
Key specifications of ten rockets
| Rocket | Builder | Height | Diameter | LEO payload | Liftoff thrust | First flight | Reuse | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Starship (V3) | SpaceX · USA | 124 m | 9 m | 100,000 kg | 74,400* kN | 2023 | Fully (target) | In test flights |
| Saturn V | NASA · USA | 110.6 m | 10.1 m | 140,000 kg | 35,100 kN | 1967 | No | Retired (1973) |
| SLS Block 1 | NASA · USA | 98 m | 8.4 m | 95,000 kg | 39,100 kN | 2022 | No | Active |
| New Glenn | Blue Origin · USA | 98 m | 7 m | 45,000 kg | 17,100 kN | 2025 | First stage | Pad being rebuilt |
| Falcon Heavy | SpaceX · USA | 70 m | 12.2 m | 63,800 kg | 22,819 kN | 2018 | Side and centre cores | Active |
| Falcon 9 | SpaceX · USA | 70 m | 3.7 m | 22,800 kg | 7,607 kN | 2010 | First stage | Active |
| Long March 5 | CASC · China | 57 m | 5 m | 25,000 kg | 10,573 kN | 2016 | No | Active |
| Ariane 64 | Arianespace · Europe | 62 m | 5.4 m | 21,650 kg | 15,370 kN | 2026 | No | Active |
| Atlas V 551 | ULA · USA | 62.2 m | 3.8 m | 18,850 kg | 12,141 kN | 2002 | No | Completing final missions |
| Electron | Rocket Lab · USA/New Zealand | 18 m | 1.2 m | 300 kg | 224 kN | 2017 | Partial trials | Active |
LEO payloads are the maximum expendable values (reusable target for Starship). For Falcon Heavy the “diameter” column gives the total width of three cores. Atlas V first flew in 2002; the 551 configuration from 2006. *Starship thrust is the Block 2 Super Heavy value; SpaceX has not published the Block 3 figure. Values rounded.
Watch these rockets fly in the Launch schedule, or try landing one in the Falcon 9 landing simulator.