Compare rockets
Put up to six launch vehicles side by side: drawn to the same scale, then size, performance, cost and track record. The best figure in each row is highlighted. Share the address to share the comparison.
| Figure | Falcon 9 Block 5 SpaceX ✕ | Electron Rocket Lab ✕ | Long March 4B CASC ✕ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Size | |||
| Height | 70.0 m (best) | 18.0 m | 44.1 m |
| Diameter | 3.6 m (best) | 1.2 m | 3.4 m |
| Stages | 2 | 3 | 3 |
| Launch mass | 549 t (best) | 13 t | 249 t |
| Performance | |||
| Thrust at liftoff | 7,607 kN (best) | 162 kN | 2,961 kN |
| Thrust-to-weight | 1.41 (best) | 1.27 | 1.21 |
| Payload to LEO | 22,800 kg (best) | 300 kg | 4,200 kg |
| Payload to GTO | 8,300 kg (best) | – | 1,500 kg |
| Cost | |||
| Launch cost | ~$52M | ~$6M (best) | – |
| Cost per kg to LEO | ~$2,281 (best) | ~$20,000 | – |
| Track record | |||
| Launches | 640 (best) | 97 | 58 |
| Successes | 639 (best) | 93 | 57 |
| Failures | 1 (best) | 4 | 1 (best) |
| Success rate | 99.8% (best) | 95.9% | 98.3% |
| Success streak | 342 (best) | 56 | 38 |
| Booster landings | 625 (best) | 7 | – |
| Landing success | 99.2% (best) | 77.8% | – |
| Family launches | 697 | – | 120 |
| Upcoming launches | 77 (best) | 16 | 1 |
| First flight | 2018 | 2017 | 1999 |
Figures from Launch Library 2. A dash means it has no value for that rocket yet; thrust-to-weight and cost per kilogram are worked out from its figures. Launch costs are rough public estimates.