You are here because rockets fascinate you. So, here we are going to tell you about the top 2 biggest rockets in the world.
1. Falcon 9
A medium to the heavy-lift launch vehicle, designed by SpaceX, Falcon 9 is the first and only rocket to fly and land its first stage after sending the payload to the orbit. Also, this is the first commercially designed vehicle to launch spacecraft to the ISS.
Currently, Falcon 9 has flown successfully twenty-seven times including one in-flight failure and one ground test anomaly. Falcon 9 has also launched the Crew Dragon spacecraft to the ISS.
Falcon 9 has nine Merlin engines which are gimbal-mounted and control the pitch, roll and law movements. The Falcon 9 is a two-stage vehicle. It uses kerosene (RP-1) and liquid oxygen (LOx) propellants for both stages.
Falcon 9 Specifications
| Variant | Falcon 9 v1.2 | Heavy |
|---|---|---|
| LEO | 22,800 kg | 54,400 kg |
| GTO | 8,300 kg | 22,200 kg |
| Escape | 4,020 kg | 13,600 kg |
| Number of Engines | 9 Merlin Engine |
| First Stage Thrust | 17,10,000 lbf |
| Second Stage Thrust | 2,10,000 lbf |
| Payload Fairing Dimensions | 17 ft wide and 43 ft tall |
| Falcon 9 Height | 229.6 ft |
| Falcon 9 Diameter | 12 feet |
First Stage Specifications
| First Stage Burning Time (before burning out and being jettisoned) | 162 Seconds |
| Engine | Merlin 1D+ |
| Manufacturer | SpaceX |
| Fuel | RP-1/LOx |
| No. Engines | 9 |
| Length | 41.2 m |
| Length (w/ Interstage) | 47.7 m |
| Diameter | 3.7 m |
| Empty Mass | 25,600 kg |
| Propellant Mass | 395,700 kg |
| Thrust (Sea level) | 7,607 |
| Thrust (Vacuum) | 8,227 kN |
| Burn Time | 162 sec. |
Second Stage Specifications
| Manufacturer | SpaceX |
| Engine | Merlin 1D+ Vacuum |
| Fuel | RP-1/LOx |
| Length | 13.8 m |
| Diameter | 3.7 m |
| Diameter (Fairing) | 5.2 m |
| Empty Mass | 3,900 kg |
| Propellant Mass | 92,670 kg |
| Thrust | 934 kN |
| Burn Time | 397 sec. |
Source: SpaceX
2. Saturn V Rocket
Saturn V rocket, designed and built by NASA to send people to the Moon. It is a super heavy-lift vehicle. It’s the most powerful rocket which was used in the Apollo mission in the 1960s and 1970s. Also, it launched the Skylab space station.
Saturn V has the same payload carrying capability as the huge Nova. It consists of three stages which are fueled by liquid propellants. This rocket was launched thirteen times with no loss of crew or payload.
Saturn V is the tallest, heaviest and most powerful till now. To this date, this is the only rocket to carry humans beyond the low Earth orbit.
Saturn V Specifications
| Height | 363 ft |
| Diameter | 33 ft |
| Weight | 6.5 million pounds |
| Low Orbit Payload Capacity | 2,61,000 pounds |
| Beyond Low Orbit Payload Capacity | 90,000 pounds |
First Stage Specifications
| Name | S-IC |
| Height | 138 ft |
| Diameter | 33 ft |
| Thrust | 76,00,000 pounds force |
| Dry Weight | 2,89,000 punds |
| Total Weight (Fully fueled) | 51,00,000 pounds |
| Number of Engines | 5 Rocketdyne F-1 Engines |
| Burning Time | 168 seconds |
Second Stage Specifications
| Name | S-II |
| No. of Engines | 5 Rocketdyne J-2 Engines |
| Height | 81.6 ft |
| Diameter | 33 ft |
| Dry Weight | 80,000 pounds |
| Total Weight (fully fueled) | 10,60,000 pounds |
| Thrust | 11,00,000 pounds force |
Third Stage Specifications
| Name | S-IVB |
| No. of Engines | 1 J-2 Engine |
| Height | 58.6 ft |
| Diameter | 21.7 ft |
| Dry Weight | 23,000 pounds |
| Total Weight | 2,62,000 pounds |
These are the top two biggest rockets in the world. Let us know what else do you want to know.
