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Anexpendable launch system (orexpendable launch vehicle/ELV) is alaunch vehicle that can be launched only once, after which its components are destroyed duringreentry or impact with Earth, or discarded in space. ELVs typically consist of severalrocket stages that are discarded sequentially as their fuel is exhausted and the vehicle gains altitude and speed. As of 2024, fewer and fewersatellites andhuman spacecraft are launched on ELVs in favor ofreusable launch vehicles.[1] However, there are many instances where a ELV may still have a compelling use case over a reusable vehicle. ELVs are simpler in design thanreusable 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.[2]
Arianespace SA is a French company founded in March 1980 as the world's first commerciallaunch service provider. It operates theAriane 6, amedium-to-heavy-lift rocket. Arianespace is a subsidiary ofArianeGroup, a joint venture betweenAirbus andSafran.
European space launches involve collaboration between private industry and government agencies. Arianespace is responsible for marketing Ariane 6 launch services, preparing missions, and managing customer relations. At theGuiana Space Centre (CSG) inFrench Guiana, the company oversees teams that integrate and prepare launch vehicles. The launch infrastructure at CSG is owned by theEuropean Space Agency, while the site itself is managed byCNES, France's national space agency. The Ariane 6 rocket is designed and manufactured by ArianeGroup.
As of October 2025[update], Arianespace had conducted 355 missions and launched over 1,100 satellites across a span of 45 years.[3][4] Its first commercial launch,Spacenet 1, took place on 23 May 1984. In addition to its operations at CSG, Arianespace maintains its headquarters inÉvry-Courcouronnes, a suburb of Paris.
During the 1960s and 1970s, India initiated its own launch vehicle program in alignment with its geopolitical and economic considerations. In the 1960s–1970s, the country India started with a sounding rocket in the 1960s and 1970s and advanced its research to deliver the Satellite Launch Vehicle-3 and the more advancedAugmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV), complete with operational supporting infrastructure by the 1990s.[11]
Japan launched its first satellite,Ohsumi, in 1970, using ISAS'L-4S rocket. Prior to the merger, ISAS used smallMu rocket family of solid-fueled launch vehicles, while NASDA developed larger liquid-fueled launchers. In the beginning, NASDA used licensed American models.[12]
The first model of liquid-fueled launch vehicle developed domestically in Japan was theH-II, introduced in 1994. NASDA developed the H-II with two goals in mind: to be able to launch satellites using only its own technology, such as the ISAS, and to dramatically improve its launch capability over previous licensed models. To achieve these two goals, astaged combustion cycle was adopted for the first stage engine, theLE-7. The combination of theliquid hydrogen two-stage combustion cycle first stage engine andsolid rocket boosters was carried over to its successor, the H-IIA and H-IIB and became the basic configuration of Japan's liquid fuel launch vehicles for 30 years, from 1994 to 2024.[12]
In 2003, JAXA was formed by merging Japan's three space agencies to streamline Japan's space program, and JAXA took over operations of theH-IIA liquid-fueled launch vehicle, theM-V solid-fuel launch vehicle, and several observation rockets from each agency. The H-IIA is a launch vehicle that improved reliability while reducing costs by making significant improvements to the H-II, and the M-V was the world's largest solid-fuel launch vehicle at the time.[12]
In November 2003, JAXA's first launch after its inauguration, H-IIA No. 6, failed, but all other H-IIA launches were successful, and as of June 2025, the H-IIA had successfully launched 48 of its 49 launches. JAXA ended H-IIA operations by retiring it with H-IIA Flight No. 50, that was launched on 28 June 2025.[13]
JAXA operated theH-IIB, an upgraded version of the H-IIA, from September 2009 to May 2020 and successfully launched theH-II Transfer Vehicle six times. Thiscargo spacecraft was responsible for resupplying theKibo Japanese Experiment Module on theInternational Space Station.[14]
To be able to launch smaller mission on JAXA developed a new solid-fueled rocket, theEpsilon as a replacement to the retiredM-V. The maiden flight successfully happened in 2013. So far, the rocket has flown six times with one launch failure.
In January 2017, JAXA attempted and failed to put a miniature satellite into orbit atop one of its SS520 series rockets.[15] A second attempt on 2 February 2018 was successful, putting a four kilogram CubeSat into Earth orbit. The rocket, known as the SS-520-5, is the world's smallest orbital launcher.[16]
In 2023, JAXA began operating theH3, which will replace the H-IIA and H-IIIB; the H3 is a liquid-fueled launch vehicle developed from a completely new design like the H-II, rather than an improved development like the H-IIA and H-IIB, which were based on the H-II. The design goal of the H3 is to increase launch capability at a lower cost than the H-IIA and H-IIB. To achieve this, anexpander bleed cycle was used for the first time in the world for the first stage of the engine.[17][18][19]
Roscosmos uses a family of several launch rockets, the most famous of them being theR-7, commonly known as theSoyuz rocket that is capable of launching about 7.5 tons intolow Earth orbit (LEO). TheProton rocket (or UR-500K) has a lift capacity of over 20 tons to LEO. Smaller rockets includeRokot and other Stations.
Currently rocket development encompasses both a new rocket system,Angara, as well as enhancements of the Soyuz rocket,Soyuz-2 andSoyuz-2-3. Two modifications of the Soyuz, the Soyuz-2.1a and Soyuz-2.1b have already been successfully tested, enhancing the launch capacity to 8.5 tons to LEO. Future projects include theSoyuz successor launch rocket.
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From August 2002 to April 2013, with a total budget of 502.5 billion won for 11 years, domestic researchers focused on developingNaro-1, the first space launch vehicle in the country capable of launching a 100-kg class small satellite into lowEarth's orbit. About 150 private companies, includingKorean Air,Hanwha, Korea Fiber, and Doowon Heavy Industries, participated in the Naro development project and were responsible for on-site technologies such as parts design and production, ground and launch facility production, and launch vehicle assembly.[20]
The first rocket launched in 2021 wasNuri, which was designed, manufactured, tested, and launched using purely domestic technology, including the engine. It was developed over 12 years, starting in March 2010, with an investment of 1.9572 trillion won.[21] The goal of the Nuri development project was to build a launch vehicle that could place a 1.5-ton practical satellite into low Earth orbit (600–800 km). The engines installed in units 1–3 are as follows. First stage: 4 liquid engines with a thrust of 75 tons (clustered); Second stage: 1 liquid engine with 75 tons of thrust; Third stage: 1 liquid engine with 7 tons of thrust.[22]
The 7-ton engine and 75-ton engineKRE-075 were developed to operate in extreme environments of high pressure, extremely low temperature, and ultra-high temperature. The launch pad is located at theNaro Space Center inGoheung, South Jeolla Province, and was built byHyundai Heavy Industries from 2016 to 2021.[23] Nuri is scheduled for its fourth launch in November 2025.[24]
As the need arose to develop theKSLV-III into areusable launch vehicle, the KASA prepared a plan to improve the launch vehicle development project. The chief of KASAYoon Young-bin explained the reason, saying, "We decided that it was time to discuss ways to simultaneously achieve the two tasks of launching a lunar lander on one's own and developing an economically feasible national space launch vehicle."[25]
Several governmental agencies of the United States purchase ELV launches.NASA is a major customer with theCommercial Resupply Services andCommercial Crew Development programs, also launching scientific spacecraft. The vast majority of launch vehicles for its missions, from theRedstone missile to theDelta,Atlas,Titan andSaturn rocket families, have been expendable. As its flagship crewed exploration replacement for the partially reusableSpace Shuttle, NASA's newest ELV, theSpace Launch System flew successfully in November 2022 after delays of more than six years. It is planned to serve in a major role on crewed exploration programs going forward.[26][27]
TheUnited States Air Force is also an ELV customer, having designed the Titan, Atlas, and Delta families. TheAtlas V from the 1994 Evolved ELV (EELV) program remains in active service, operated byUnited Launch Alliance.[28] TheNational Security Space Launch (NSSL) competition has selected two EELV successors, the expendableVulcan Centaur and partially reusableFalcon 9, to provide assured access to space.[29]
Iran has developed an expendable satellite launch vehicle namedSafir SLV. Measuring 22 m in height with a core diameter of 1.25 m, with two liquid propellant stages, a single thrust chambered first stage and a two-thrust chambered, step-throttled second stage, the SLV has a lift off mass exceeding 26 tons. The first stage consists of a lengthened up-ratedShahab-3C. According to the technical documentation presented in the annual meeting of theUnited Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs, it is a two-stage rocket with all liquid propellant engines. The first stage is capable of carrying the payload to the maximum altitude of 68 kilometres.[30]
The Safir-1B is the second generation of Safir SLV and can carry a satellite weighing 60 kg into anelliptical orbit of 300 to 450 km. The thrust of the Safir-1B rocket engine has been increased from 32 to 37 tons.
In 2010, a more powerful rocket namedSimorgh was built. Its mission is to carry heavier satellites into orbit.[31][32] The Simorgh rocket is 27 meters (89 feet) long, and has a mass of 77 tonnes (85 tons). Its first stage is powered by four main engines, each generating up to 29,000 kilograms (64,000 pounds) of thrust, plus a fifth which will be used forattitude control, which provides an additional 13,600 kilograms (30,000 pounds). At liftoff, these engines will generate a total of 130,000 kilograms (290,000 pounds) of thrust. Simorgh is capable of putting a 350-kilogram (770 lb) payload into a 500-kilometer (310-mile) low Earth orbit. In 2015, Israeli media reported that the missile is capable of taking a crewed spacecraft or satellite into space.[33][34] The first flight of the Simorgh rocket occurred on 19 April 2016.[35]
The Israel Space Agency is one of only seven countries that both build their own satellites and launch their own launchers.[dubious –discuss] TheShavit is aspacelaunch vehicle capable of sending payload intolow Earth orbit.[38] The Shavit launcher has been used to send every Ofeq satellite to date.
The development of the Shavit began in 1983 and its operational capabilities were proven on three successful launches of the Ofek satellites on September 19, 1988; April 3, 1990; and April 5, 1995. The Shavit launchers allows low-cost and high-reliability launch of micro/mini satellites to alow Earth orbit. The Shavit launcher is developed by Malam factory, one of four factories in the IAI Electronics Group. The factory is very experienced in development, assembling, testing and operating system for use in space.
The Shavit is atriple-stage launchersolid propellantbooster based on the 2-stageJericho-IIballistic missile. The first and second stage engines are manufactured by Ta'as, and use solid fuel.[39] The third stage engines are manufactured byRafael Advanced Defense Systems. The next generation Shavit rockets, now called the Shavit-2 are being developed. The Shavit-2 is said to be made available for commercial launches in the near future.
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