this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2025
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SpaceflightMemes

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[–] NaibofTabr 10 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

It seems weird to compare successful launch systems with ones that never flew, as if they were somehow equivalent:

However, each of the four attempts to launch an N1 failed in flight, with the second attempt resulting in the vehicle crashing back onto its launch pad shortly after liftoff.

Energia flew successfully in both attempts, but died with the collapse of the USSR:

SLS has only launched once and will probably get cut before anything more than Block 1 flies:

The first (and so far only) SLS launch was the uncrewed Artemis I, which took place on 16 November 2022.

Starship has had several successful launches of Block 1 but none of Block 2 yet:

Long March 9 and 10 are both still in development and have not seen any test launches, though theoretically CZ-10A will fly next year:

The first planned launch of NGLV (the base model, not the super heavy) is still 6 years away:

And Yenesei probably only exists on paper:

The final design for the rocket was expected to be complete by autumn 2021, but the program appears to have been paused or stopped just before this expected completion date.

In 2024, it was announced that the project will resume in 2025.

The first launch was expected to happen in 2033 from the Vostochny cosmodrome.

I'm guessing graft has eaten most of this project's funding.

The only thing in this image that is actually operational is the Falcon Heavy:

Everything else is either history, or aspirational.

[–] Tar_alcaran@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

The only thing in this image that is actually operational is the Falcon Heavy:

And that never launched more than 9200kg. That was to GTO, but it's also the heaviest thing that ever went up on a Falcon Heavy. Not remotely close to the weight shown here.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago)

Though that's not due to underperformance of Falcon Heavy. More like there just aren't many 60-tonne payloads which need to be launched to LEO in one go. Yeeting lighter payloads to high-energy orbits is the optimal use of Falcon Heavy, but the theoretical "payload to LEO" is a useful metric for comparing the approximate capabilities of different rockets.

[–] LordWiggle@lemmy.world 5 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (2 children)

This is incorrect, starship isn't even able to bring a banana to low earth orbit. The N1 also never worked, it blew up during launch.

[–] threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works 7 points 2 weeks ago* (last edited 2 weeks ago) (1 children)

About half of these vehicles haven't launched yet, so most of the performance metrics are a calculated theoretical maximum, not the measured mass of an actual payload.

Also to be fair, Starship did bring that banana to orbital velocity, but the trajectory was deliberately kept suborbital to avoid a potential Long March 5B scenario.

[–] LordWiggle@lemmy.world 0 points 2 weeks ago

It's not theoratical, because due to issues and changes to starship it turns out it can only bring 35t to low earth orbit. The 100t was the initial plan. Because the T1 never worked so the theoretical mass to orbit is 0 grams.

[–] IAmNorRealTakeYourMeds@lemmy.world 1 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

it's just an overpriced firework

[–] LordWiggle@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago (1 children)

True. I like your name by the way :)

Only like, three of these ever worked.

[–] neons@lemmy.dbzer0.com 2 points 2 weeks ago (2 children)

Incomplete List, why isn't your mom on it?

[–] shalafi@lemmy.world 2 points 2 weeks ago

At least it lists her dildos.

There's no way her thrust-to-weight ratio is enough to make it off the pad, let alone to orbit.