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