At a Glance: American Rockets

America’s launch vehicles are critical to strategic competition with China and Russia, underpinning the nation's commercial and national security space activities. Their primary function is to send large payloads, from communications satellites to mission supplies, into space. Launch vehicles typically deliver these payloads to Low Earth Orbit, where many satellites operate, or to a Geostationary Transfer Orbit as a step toward higher orbits. A graphic presents a simplified comparison of various U.S. launch capabilities, highlighting differences in payload capacity.