Different types of space shuttles
Ever more powerful
We have made enormous progress since the days when launchers sent "small" satellites of two or three tons into orbit" >low orbit. Modern launchers are immensely powerful and capable of sending several satellites, each weighing several tons, into geostationary* orbit at the same time. Let’s look at this a little more closely…
1. H2 - JAPON 2. ARIANE 44L - EUROPE
3. TITAN 4 - ETAS-UNIS
4. ZENITH 3 - UKRAINE/RUSSIE
5. NAVETTE - ETAS-UNIS
Since the end of the nineteen nineties
The space environment changed considerably with the fall of the Berlin Wall. First of all, the number of purely military launches was reduced, since the Cold War was over, and more resources could be devoted to the launch of communication satellites. These were often very heavy and had to be injected into geostationary* orbit, and so more powerful launchers were required. At the same time, the number of countries with the means to launch satellites increased, with China, Brazil, India and Japan entering the space race alongside the Russia, America and Europe.
Common points and differences
All the modern launchers, from the American space shuttle to the Japanese HII, including Russia’s Energya and Ariane 5, operate with a main cryogenic stage, i.e. use propellant* that combines hydrogen stored at a very low temperature with oxygen. Furthermore, in order to lift-off, they all use secondary thrusters, known as boosters. And, despite a wide variation in power, they can all carry very heavy loads into geostationary orbit. However, some launchers are reusable, like the American shuttle, which recovers its very expensive cryogenic engines, while others, even though they lose them, try to get the most out of them, like Ariane 5, which has become a specialist in double satellite launches!
Improved reliability
Most of these launchers now have a good level of reliability, which is vital for winning launch contracts with telecommunications companies. Only some of the still developing industries, in particular China, have experienced reliability problems. Nevertheless, competition is extremely fierce, and launchers are in the process of diversifying, in particular because the usefulness of medium earth orbits (MEOs*) has been rediscovered, and these require less powerful launchers.
