1999-11-20

This dimension groups launch vehicles by the era of their first flight, from the earliest orbital rockets to today's reusable boosters. Wikipedia notes that "an orbital launch vehicle must lift its payload at least to the boundary of space, approximately 150 km (93 mi) and accelerate it to a horizontal velocity of at least 7,814 m/s," a demanding feat first achieved decades ago and steadily refined since. Browsing by first flight era lets a visitor compare rockets that debuted in the same period.