Heavy-lift launch vehicle

From left: Falcon Heavy, Long March 5, Proton-M
Class overview
Name	Heavy-lift launch vehicle
Preceded by	Medium-lift launch vehicle
Succeeded by	Super heavy-lift launch vehicle
Built	Since 1966
General characteristics
Capacity	20,000 to 50,000 kg (44,000 to 110,000 lb)

A heavy-lift launch vehicle (HLV) is an orbital launch vehicle capable of generating a large amount of lift to reach its intended orbit. Heavy-lift launch vehicles generally are capable of lifting payloads between 20,000 to 50,000 kg (44,000 to 110,000 lb) (by NASA classification) or between 20,000 to 100,000 kilograms (44,000 to 220,000 lb) (by Russian classification)^[1] into low Earth orbit (LEO).^[2] As of 2024^[update], operational heavy-lift launch vehicles include the Long March 5 and the Proton-M.^[3]

In addition, the Angara A5, the Falcon 9 Block 5, the Falcon Heavy, the Vulcan Centaur, Ariane 6, and New Glenn are designed to provide heavy-lift capabilities in at least some configurations but have not yet been proven to carry a 20-tonne payload into LEO. Several other heavy-lift rockets are in development. An HLV is between medium-lift launch vehicles and super heavy-lift launch vehicles.