Reusable Rockets
Launch vehicles designed to recover and re-fly hardware, from the Space Shuttle to Falcon 9 and Starship.
- Space ShuttleLaunch vehicle
NASA's partially reusable crewed launch system — a winged orbiter with an external tank and two solid rocket boosters — that flew 135 missions building the ISS and servicing Hubble.
ClassHeavy-liftFirst flight1981LEO27,500 kgStatusRetired - Falcon 9Launch vehicle
A partially reusable two-stage orbital rocket by SpaceX, the most-flown vehicle in the world with a reusable first stage.
ClassMedium-liftFirst flight2010LEO22,800 kgStatusActive - New ShepardLaunch vehicle
Blue Origin's fully reusable suborbital vehicle for research payloads and crewed flights above the Kármán line; it lands its booster propulsively.
ClassSuborbitalFirst flight2015StatusActive - ElectronLaunch vehicle
A small-lift orbital rocket by Rocket Lab for dedicated small-satellite launches, with electric-pump-fed engines and recoverable first stages.
ClassSmall-liftFirst flight2017LEO300 kgStatusActive - Falcon HeavyLaunch vehicle
A heavy-lift rocket by SpaceX built from three Falcon 9 cores, with reusable side boosters.
ClassSuper heavy-liftFirst flight2018LEO63,800 kgStatusActive - StarshipLaunch vehicle
A fully reusable super heavy-lift launch system by SpaceX intended for crewed and cargo flights to orbit, the Moon, and Mars.
ClassSuper heavy-liftFirst flight2023StatusIn development - New GlennLaunch vehicle
A heavy-lift, partially reusable rocket developed by Blue Origin, with a reusable BE-4-powered first stage.
ClassHeavy-liftFirst flight2025LEO45,000 kgStatusActive - NeutronLaunch vehicle
Rocket Lab's reusable medium-lift methane/LOX rocket in development, with a reusable first stage and integrated fairing.
ClassMedium-liftLEO13,000 kgStatusIn development - Terran RLaunch vehicle
Relativity Space's reusable heavy-lift methane/LOX rocket, built largely by large-scale additive manufacturing.
ClassHeavy-liftStatusIn development - Miura 5Launch vehicle
PLD Space's orbital small-lift rocket in development, following the suborbital Miura 1, with plans to recover the first stage.
ClassSmall-liftStatusIn development