How Do New Glenn, Vulcan, and Starship Compare?

Key Takeaways

• Blue Origin’s 9×4 version moves New Glenn into planned super-heavy-class territory.
• Vulcan favors mission assurance, upper-stage precision, and government launch demand.
• Starship has the highest planned payload capacity but remains a development program.

New Glenn, Vulcan, and Starship Comparison by Mission Class

Blue Origin lists New Glenn 9×4 as nearly 400 ft tall, with an 8.7 m payload fairing and a planned capacity of 70 metric tons to low Earth orbit (LEO). That makes the new variant materially different from the existing New Glenn 7×2 configuration, which Blue Origin lists at more than 320 ft tall, with a 7 m fairing and a capacity of 45 metric tons to LEO.

A New Glenn, Vulcan, and Starship comparison now has to treat New Glenn as two related vehicles rather than one fixed design. The 7×2 version addresses heavy-lift commercial, civil, national security, and high-energy missions with a reusable first stage and a large fairing. The 9×4 version adds a larger first stage, more first-stage engines, more upper-stage engines, and higher payload capacity for mega-constellations, lunar cargo, deep-space missions, and larger defense and security payloads.

United Launch Alliance positions Vulcan differently. Vulcan is a modular heavy-lift rocket with zero, two, four, or six solid rocket booster configurations. Its payload range depends on configuration, with ULA listing up to 27,200 kg to a LEO reference orbit and 14,500 kg to geostationary transfer orbit (GTO) for the six-solid version. The vehicle’s main strength lies in mission tailoring, high-energy upper-stage work, and direct insertion missions for government and commercial customers.

SpaceX places Starship in a separate category. SpaceX describes Starship as a fully reusable system designed to carry more than 100 metric tons to orbit. In practical market terms, Starship is less a conventional launch vehicle than a reusable transport architecture under development, with planned cargo, tanker, lunar lander, crew, and Mars-related versions. Its central question is not raw lift capacity alone, but whether SpaceX can mature full reuse, fast turnaround, in-space propellant transfer, and mission certification at the scale its architecture requires.

The main comparison is uneven because the vehicles sit at different maturity levels. Vulcan is operational and certified for U.S. national security launches, though its solid rocket motor anomalies have required added review. New Glenn 7×2 is an operational heavy-lift entrant with a reusable first stage. New Glenn 9×4 is a planned higher-capacity extension. Starship has flown multiple integrated flight tests and supports NASA’s lunar lander planning, but its full operational commercial launch model remains under development.

The table below summarizes the main vehicle families and their published or planned operating positions.

Vehicle Architecture and Propulsion Choices

New Glenn 7×2 uses a two-stage architecture built around a reusable first stage and a hydrogen-powered upper stage. Blue Origin says the 7×2 first stage uses seven BE-4 engines burning liquefied natural gas and liquid oxygen. The second stage uses two BE-3U engines burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. That engine pairing gives New Glenn a methane-fueled reusable booster and a high-energy hydrogen upper stage, a combination designed to serve large LEO payloads and demanding higher-orbit missions.

New Glenn 9×4 keeps the same broad design family but scales the propulsion system. Blue Origin describes the 9×4 first stage as using nine BE-4 Block 2 engines and the second stage as using four BE-3U engines. The naming convention reflects that architecture: nine engines on the reusable booster and four engines on the upper stage. The larger fairing and higher listed payload capacity show that Blue Origin is not merely stretching the existing vehicle for marginal performance, but repositioning the family for payloads that exceed many traditional heavy-lift requirements.

Vulcan uses a different architecture. Its first stage uses two BE-4 engines, which makes Vulcan and New Glenn linked through Blue Origin’s engine production base. ULA then adds up to six Northrop Grumman GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters to scale performance for each mission. The Centaur V upper stage uses two RL10C engines burning liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen. That architecture gives Vulcan a strong high-energy upper-stage identity and a configurable booster system rather than first-stage reuse.

Starship uses a fully integrated two-stage system consisting of the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage. The system burns liquid methane and liquid oxygen in Raptor engines. SpaceX’s public description emphasizes full reuse and more than 100 metric tons to orbit in a reusable configuration. The vehicle’s architecture depends on thermal protection, orbital refueling, ship recovery, booster recovery, and high launch cadence as connected requirements rather than optional improvements.

The propulsion comparison separates the vehicles into three philosophies. New Glenn uses reuse on the booster and hydrogen performance upstairs. Vulcan uses configurable solids and a highly capable hydrogen upper stage. Starship uses methane engines on both stages and bets the architecture on full-system recovery. The market consequences are different because propulsion choice affects cost, refurbishment, mission energy, pad operations, and customer confidence.

Payload Capacity and Fairing Volume

Payload capacity is the simplest comparison, but it can also mislead. A launch vehicle’s usefulness depends on orbit, fairing size, mission integration, schedule reliability, price, insurance confidence, launch site availability, and mission assurance. Capacity still matters because it sets the boundary for what missions a vehicle can serve without redesign, dual launch, orbital assembly, or payload compromise.

New Glenn 7×2 has a large position in the heavy-lift market. Blue Origin lists 45 metric tons to LEO and more than 13 metric tons to GTO. Its 7 m fairing gives it a volume advantage over vehicles built around 5 m-class fairings. That matters for large satellites, multiple spacecraft, commercial constellation batches, deployable antennas, lunar cargo, and payloads constrained more by shape than mass.

New Glenn 9×4 raises the ceiling. Blue Origin lists 70 metric tons to LEO, 20 metric tons to trans-lunar injection, and 14 metric tons to geostationary orbit direct. The 8.7 m fairing, listed at 29,000 cubic feet of volume, changes the payload packaging discussion. Larger fairing volume can reduce the need for complex folded structures, allow more satellites per launch, or support spacecraft designs that prioritize operational performance over tight launch packaging.

Vulcan’s payload performance depends on configuration. ULA’s published figures list 10,800 kg to LEO reference orbit for the zero-solid version, 19,000 kg with two solids, 24,600 kg with four solids, and 27,200 kg with six solids. The same performance chart lists GTO capacity from 3,500 kg for zero solids to 14,500 kg for six solids. Vulcan’s fairing is 5.4 m in diameter, with standard and long fairing options.

Starship’s planned payload capacity exceeds the others by a large margin. SpaceX says the vehicle is designed to carry more than 100 metric tons to orbit in a fully reusable configuration. That figure matters for Starlink, large spacecraft, tanker missions, lunar logistics, and potential point-to-point space transport concepts. Yet Starship’s capacity should be treated as a development objective until the vehicle reaches routine operational service.

The table below compares published payload and fairing figures that are most relevant for non-specialist readers.

Reuse Models and Operating Cadence

Reuse separates these vehicles more sharply than payload class. New Glenn and Starship both treat reuse as central, but they do so at different levels. Vulcan prioritizes mission assurance and configuration flexibility through an expendable architecture.

Blue Origin says New Glenn’s first stage is designed for a minimum of 25 flights. The booster returns to a downrange landing platform after stage separation, using aerodynamic control surfaces, strakes, landing gear, and engine burns to manage descent and landing. That approach resembles the operational logic of Falcon 9 in broad outline, but New Glenn is larger, uses BE-4 engines, and was designed from the start around a much larger fairing.

New Glenn 9×4 keeps the reusable first-stage concept and expands it. Blue Origin says the 9×4 first stage will also be designed for at least 25 missions. More engines and a larger vehicle create new operational demands, including greater refurbishment loads, larger ground support requirements, and potentially higher mission value per flight. The added performance may make each launch more commercially valuable, but it also raises the standard for production, inspection, and recovery operations.

Vulcan is not a reusable launch vehicle in its current operational form. That is not an automatic disadvantage for its target market. National security and high-value civil missions often put a premium on launch history, mission assurance, orbit accuracy, and customer-specific integration practices. ULA’s business case is tied to assured access, upper-stage performance, and launch service reliability rather than low-cost mass launch through booster recovery.

Starship has the most ambitious reuse model. SpaceX wants both stages to return, fly again, and eventually support high launch cadence. The Super Heavy booster is designed for tower catch operations, and the Starship upper stage must survive reentry from orbital speeds before returning to service. This is a harder reuse problem than first-stage recovery alone because the upper stage experiences higher reentry energy, needs more thermal protection, and must protect cargo or crew through a harsher flight profile.

Cadence is the commercial test of reuse. A recovered booster that needs lengthy inspection, major part replacement, or slow recertification may still reduce costs, but it does not automatically create airline-like launch rates. New Glenn 7×2 must prove repeat recovery and reflight economics. New Glenn 9×4 must prove that a larger booster can do the same. Starship must prove full-stack reuse, including upper-stage recovery and tanking operations. Vulcan must prove that production, solid booster supply, and upper-stage availability can support its government and commercial manifest.

Launch Sites, Customers, and Program Status

Launch infrastructure gives each vehicle a different market footprint. New Glenn launches from Launch Complex 36 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. Blue Origin also emphasizes that manufacturing, integration, launch, refurbishment, and reflight operations sit within a short distance on the Florida Space Coast. That local concentration can reduce transportation complexity and support repeat booster processing if flight rates rise.

Blue Origin’s customer base for New Glenn includes Amazon Leo, NASA, AST SpaceMobile, and national security missions. The company’s NG-3 mission page states that the third New Glenn mission lifted off from Launch Complex 36 on April 19, 2026, carrying AST SpaceMobile’s BlueBird 7 satellite. That flight profile also described a controlled ocean reentry for the second stage, aligned with U.S. government orbital debris mitigation practices.

Vulcan launches from Space Launch Complex 41 at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and is central to ULA’s replacement of Atlas V and Delta IV capabilities. The U.S. Space Force certified Vulcan for National Security Space Launch missions in March 2025 after two certification flights. In February 2026, Space Systems Command said Vulcan delivered the USSF-87 mission to its designated orbits despite an early-flight anomaly in one of four solid rocket motors.

That anomaly matters for the comparison because it affects schedule confidence, not just technical reputation. Launch customers do not buy performance charts alone. They buy confidence that the vehicle, supplier base, pad, upper stage, range schedule, and regulatory approvals can support their mission window. Vulcan’s completed missions and certification are assets, but solid rocket motor investigations can influence near-term planning.

Starship launches from Starbase in Texas, with infrastructure work also associated with Florida sites. SpaceX’s development program has involved repeated integrated flight tests, hardware changes, pad changes, and vehicle version changes. NASA’s Human Landing System program makes Starship more than a commercial launch vehicle comparison point because Starship HLS must carry astronauts between lunar orbit and the lunar surface for Artemis missions after an uncrewed demonstration.

The status gap is clear. Vulcan is the most conventionally mature government launch vehicle in the group. New Glenn 7×2 is the newest operational reusable heavy-lift entrant. New Glenn 9×4 is a planned expansion of the New Glenn family. Starship has the highest planned capacity and broadest architecture, but it remains a development system whose strongest commercial case depends on proving capabilities that no launch provider has yet demonstrated at operational scale.

Lunar, Deep-Space, and High-Energy Mission Fit

High-energy missions reveal differences that LEO payload figures can hide. Sending payloads to geostationary orbit, lunar transfer, or deep space places high demands on upper stages, mission duration, restart capability, guidance precision, thermal control, and mission planning. A rocket with lower LEO capacity may outperform a larger vehicle for a specific high-energy mission if its upper stage has the right endurance and restart profile.

New Glenn 7×2 was designed with high-energy missions in mind. Blue Origin’s hydrogen-powered second stage uses two BE-3U engines with restart capability. The company describes the upper stage as suited for missions to LEO, medium Earth orbit, geosynchronous orbit, and direct payload injection. For large commercial satellites, defense and security payloads, and interplanetary missions, that upper-stage design is one of New Glenn’s strongest features.

New Glenn 9×4 intensifies that role. Blue Origin lists the variant at 20 metric tons to trans-lunar injection and 14 metric tons to geostationary orbit direct. Those numbers put the planned vehicle into mission classes that may support larger lunar cargo deliveries, more massive deep-space spacecraft, and heavier high-orbit defense payloads. The larger fairing may also allow designers to avoid some mass-adding deployment mechanisms.

Vulcan’s Centaur V is its defining advantage for high-energy missions. The Centaur family has a long heritage, and ULA’s Vulcan page emphasizes Centaur V endurance, precision, and complex orbital insertion capability. For payloads requiring direct delivery to demanding orbits, Vulcan may remain attractive even against larger reusable systems. The customer buying decision may favor precision, mission assurance, and schedule discipline over the lowest theoretical cost per kilogram.

Starship changes the high-energy discussion through refueling. A fully fueled Starship in orbit could support lunar landing, tanker operations, and deep-space cargo in ways that ordinary two-stage rockets cannot match. NASA’s 2026 Office of Inspector General HLS report identified vehicle-to-vehicle cryogenic propellant transfer as one of the most demanding Starship HLS development tasks. That makes Starship’s high-energy value enormous if proven, but dependent on successful orbital refueling.

The table below compares how each system fits high-energy and lunar mission needs.

Space Economy Implications Beyond Lift Capacity

The space economy impact of these rockets extends into manufacturing, insurance, ground systems, satellite design, defense and security procurement, lunar logistics, and financing. Heavy-lift vehicles alter what spacecraft builders can design. Larger fairings can reduce folding complexity. Higher payload mass can support larger power systems, more propellant, bigger antennas, and longer design margins. Reuse can reduce marginal launch cost if recovery, refurbishment, and relaunch are efficient.

New Glenn 7×2 gives Blue Origin an operational path into heavy commercial payloads, large constellations, NASA missions, and government launch services. Its importance is not limited to Blue Origin’s launch revenue. New Glenn also supports the company’s larger space infrastructure ambitions, including Blue Ring, Blue Moon, and commercial lunar services. The vehicle’s 7 m fairing gives satellite builders a packaging option between traditional 5 m-class rockets and the larger Starship diameter.

New Glenn 9×4 expands that strategy. Blue Origin’s 9×4 page frames the vehicle around larger commercial mega-constellations, lunar and deep-space exploration, and national security missions. If the variant enters service as described, it could give customers a high-capacity reusable alternative that does not require adopting Starship’s full architecture. That matters for customers that want higher mass and volume than New Glenn 7×2, but prefer a more conventional payload encapsulation and mission integration model than Starship may offer.

Vulcan’s role centers on assured access and mission assurance. For the U.S. government, launch competition is a strategic purchasing goal. A certified Vulcan gives national security customers another U.S. launch provider for demanding missions. That affects procurement resilience, launch queue management, and industrial base policy. Vulcan also keeps ULA’s upper-stage expertise in the market, which matters for missions where final orbit accuracy and direct insertion are more valuable than sheer LEO payload mass.

Starship would have the largest space economy effect if it reaches frequent operations. Its planned payload capacity could reduce the cost of deploying very large satellite batches, orbital infrastructure, propellant depots, lunar cargo, and scientific platforms. It could also force spacecraft designers to rethink mass discipline, because some design choices constrained by launch cost may become less restrictive. That effect depends on proven reuse, regulatory approvals, range capacity, insurance acceptance, and customer confidence after development flights transition into paid service.

The comparison also affects suppliers. BE-4 production supports both New Glenn and Vulcan, making Blue Origin an engine supplier and launch competitor at the same time. Northrop Grumman’s solid rocket motors are central to Vulcan’s scalable configurations. SpaceX’s vertical integration keeps much of Starship’s production and testing inside the company. These industrial patterns influence jobs, supply risk, cost visibility, and the ability to respond when flight data requires design changes.

Competitive Position and Customer Fit

New Glenn 7×2 fits customers needing heavy-lift, large fairing volume, and reusable launch economics without waiting for full-system reuse. It is especially relevant for large commercial satellites, constellation batches, payloads with large deployable structures, and missions that need more fairing volume than many legacy launch vehicles provide. Its value proposition depends on proving that Blue Origin can recover and reuse boosters with reliable cadence.

New Glenn 9×4 fits customers whose payloads push beyond the 7×2 version’s mass or volume limits. The planned vehicle could compete for lunar cargo, large national security payloads, major commercial constellations, and high-energy missions needing more capability than existing heavy-lift vehicles provide. Its weakness is timing. Customers can plan around announced capability, but they cannot treat the 9×4 version as a mature launch option until Blue Origin builds, tests, and flies it.

Vulcan fits customers who value configuration discipline, upper-stage precision, and government mission assurance. It may not match New Glenn or Starship on reusable architecture, and it does not match Starship on planned LEO payload capacity. Its strength lies in matching the launch vehicle to the mission. A customer that needs a direct geosynchronous insertion may prefer Vulcan’s Centaur V profile over a larger vehicle that lacks the same demonstrated mission pattern.

Starship fits customers that need very large mass to orbit, future in-space refueling, lunar lander functions, or a path toward high-cadence operations. Its advantage is scale. Its weakness is the number of linked systems that must work together before the economic model becomes routine. A Starship launch service is not just a rocket launch. It depends on vehicle reuse, thermal protection, ground infrastructure, flight certification, propellant loading, payload integration, and in some cases orbital refueling.

Customer fit also depends on risk tolerance. A commercial satellite operator with schedule flexibility may accept a newer vehicle for better price or volume. A defense payload manager may prefer a certified vehicle and a mission assurance process that reduces schedule and technical uncertainty. A lunar cargo provider may choose a vehicle based on payload interface, trans-lunar capacity, and lander architecture. A constellation operator may value launch cadence and batch size above direct injection precision.

Summary

New Glenn, Vulcan, and Starship no longer form a simple heavy-lift comparison. Blue Origin’s 9×4 version splits New Glenn into an operational heavy-lift vehicle and a planned super-heavy-class extension. Vulcan remains a configurable, mission-assurance-focused rocket with a strong high-energy upper stage. Starship remains the most ambitious system, with the highest planned reusable payload capacity and the hardest development burden.

New Glenn 7×2 offers the clearest bridge between conventional heavy-lift service and reusable economics. Its large fairing, reusable first stage, and hydrogen upper stage make it relevant for commercial, NASA, defense and security, and high-energy missions. New Glenn 9×4 raises Blue Origin’s planned ceiling and could give the market a larger reusable alternative with more traditional payload integration than Starship.

Vulcan should not be judged only by mass to LEO. Its value lies in mission customization, Centaur V performance, certification, and customer trust in complex orbital delivery. The solid rocket motor anomalies in 2024 and 2026 show that its near-term schedule and mission assurance work remain important, but the vehicle has already entered operational service for national security missions.

Starship could reset launch economics if SpaceX proves full reuse, high cadence, and orbital refueling. Its planned capacity exceeds the other vehicles, and NASA’s lunar lander work gives it a role beyond satellite launch. That same ambition adds development risk because Starship’s economic case depends on many connected breakthroughs becoming repeatable operations.

The practical answer is that no single vehicle is best for every customer. New Glenn 7×2 is the operational reusable heavy-lift entrant, New Glenn 9×4 is Blue Origin’s planned higher-capacity move, Vulcan is the precision and mission-assurance option, and Starship is the high-capacity reusable architecture still working toward routine service. The market will sort them less by headline payload figures than by flight rate, reliability, integration discipline, price, regulatory performance, and the ability to deliver payloads exactly where customers need them.

Appendix: Useful Books Available on Amazon

• The Space Barons
• Rocket Billionaires
• When the Heavens Went on Sale
• Liftoff
• Reentry
• The Case for Space

Appendix: Top Questions Answered in This Article

How Does New Glenn 9×4 Differ From New Glenn 7×2?

New Glenn 9×4 is Blue Origin’s planned larger version of New Glenn. It uses nine BE-4 engines on the first stage and four BE-3U engines on the second stage, compared with seven and two on New Glenn 7×2. Blue Origin lists 70 metric tons to low Earth orbit for 9×4, compared with 45 metric tons for 7×2.

Is Vulcan More Powerful Than New Glenn?

No, Vulcan’s listed maximum LEO payload is lower than New Glenn 7×2 and New Glenn 9×4. Vulcan’s advantage lies in configurable boosters, Centaur V upper-stage performance, and mission assurance for high-value government and commercial payloads. It is better understood as a precision heavy-lift vehicle rather than a maximum-payload competitor to Starship or New Glenn 9×4.

Is Starship Operational?

Starship is still in development as of May 2026. SpaceX has conducted multiple integrated flight tests and continues to develop full reuse, upper-stage recovery, and orbital refueling. SpaceX describes Starship as designed to carry more than 100 metric tons to orbit in a fully reusable configuration, but routine commercial service depends on further test success and certification.

Which Vehicle Has the Largest Payload Capacity?

Starship has the largest planned payload capacity, with SpaceX stating that it is designed to carry more than 100 metric tons to orbit in reusable form. Among the Blue Origin vehicles, New Glenn 9×4 is listed at 70 metric tons to low Earth orbit. Vulcan’s maximum listed LEO reference payload is 27.2 metric tons in its six-solid configuration.

Why Does Fairing Size Matter?

Fairing size affects how payloads fit inside the launch vehicle. Larger fairings can support wider spacecraft, more satellites per launch, bigger antennas, and less folding complexity. New Glenn 7×2 has a 7 m fairing, New Glenn 9×4 is planned with an 8.7 m fairing, and Vulcan uses a 5.4 m fairing.

Why Is Vulcan Important If It Is Not Reusable?

Vulcan is important because many high-value missions prioritize precision, certification, and mission assurance over first-stage recovery. Its Centaur V upper stage supports demanding orbital insertion missions. For U.S. national security launch procurement, Vulcan also adds provider diversity beyond SpaceX.

What Makes Starship Different From the Other Vehicles?

Starship is designed as a fully reusable transport system rather than a conventional expendable or partly reusable rocket. Its architecture includes the Super Heavy booster, Starship upper stage, thermal protection, tower operations, and planned in-space propellant transfer. That gives it the highest potential capacity and the largest development challenge.

Could New Glenn 9×4 Compete With Starship?

New Glenn 9×4 could compete with Starship for some large commercial, lunar, and government payloads if Blue Origin brings it into service. Starship still has higher planned payload capacity and full reuse goals. New Glenn 9×4 may appeal to customers seeking large payload capacity with a more conventional launch service model.

Which Vehicle Is Best for Lunar Missions?

The answer depends on mission type. New Glenn 9×4 offers strong planned trans-lunar injection capability. Vulcan has upper-stage precision for high-energy missions. Starship is central to NASA’s Artemis Human Landing System, but that role depends on proving orbital refueling and lunar mission operations.

What Is the Main Business Difference Among the Vehicles?

New Glenn targets reusable heavy-lift launch service with large fairing volume. Vulcan targets mission-assured launch service for civil, commercial, and national security missions. Starship targets a much larger reusable transport model that could change mass-to-orbit economics if SpaceX proves routine operations.

Appendix: Glossary of Key Terms

BE-3U

BE-3U is Blue Origin’s upper-stage engine used on New Glenn. It burns liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen and is designed for operation in the vacuum of space. Blue Origin lists two BE-3U engines for New Glenn 7×2 and four for New Glenn 9×4.

BE-4

BE-4 is Blue Origin’s methane-fueled rocket engine. New Glenn uses BE-4 engines on its reusable first stage, and Vulcan uses two BE-4 engines on its first stage. The engine links Blue Origin and ULA through a shared propulsion supply chain.

Centaur V

Centaur V is Vulcan’s upper stage. It uses liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen with RL10C engines and is designed for precise, high-energy orbital missions. Its role is central to Vulcan’s value for direct insertion and complex mission profiles.

Geostationary Orbit

Geostationary orbit is a circular orbit above Earth’s equator where a satellite appears to stay over the same point on Earth. It is commonly used for communications, weather, and defense-related spacecraft that need persistent regional coverage.

Geostationary Transfer Orbit

Geostationary transfer orbit is an elliptical orbit used as an intermediate step to reach geostationary orbit. Launch providers often publish GTO payload capacity because it is a common benchmark for communications satellites and other high-energy missions.

Low Earth Orbit

Low Earth orbit is the region of space relatively close to Earth, often used by Earth observation satellites, crewed spacecraft, and large communications constellations. Payload capacity to LEO is a common comparison figure, but it does not fully describe deep-space or high-orbit performance.

National Security Space Launch

National Security Space Launch is a U.S. Space Force procurement program for launching military and intelligence-related spacecraft. Certification for this program matters because these missions carry high-value payloads and require detailed review of vehicle design, mission assurance, and flight performance.

Reusable First Stage

A reusable first stage is a booster designed to return after launch, land, and fly again after inspection and refurbishment. New Glenn uses this model. It can reduce cost if recovery and reflight operations become consistent and efficient.

Solid Rocket Booster

A solid rocket booster is an auxiliary rocket motor using solid propellant. Vulcan can use zero, two, four, or six GEM 63XL solid rocket boosters, allowing ULA to scale launch performance for different missions.

Trans-Lunar Injection

Trans-lunar injection is the maneuver that sends a spacecraft from Earth orbit toward the Moon. Payload capacity to trans-lunar injection is important for lunar cargo, lunar landers, deep-space spacecraft, and some exploration missions.