Comparison
| Method(a) | Publication year | Estimated build cost GUS$(b) |
Payload mass kg |
Estimated cost to LEO US$/kg(b) |
Capacity Metric tons per year |
Technology readiness level |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conventional rocket | 1903 | 7002700000000000000700 – 7005130000000000000130,000 | 70034000000000000004,000 – 700420000000000000020,000 | ≈ 7002200000000000000200 | 70009000000000000009 | |
| Space elevator | 1895 | 70002000000000000002 | ||||
| Hypersonic Skyhook | 1993 | 7000100000000000000< 1(c) | 70031500000000000001,500(d) | 700130000000000000030(e) | 70002000000000000002 | |
| Rotovator | 1977 | 70002000000000000002 | ||||
| HASTOL | 2000 | 700415000000000000015,000(f) | 70002000000000000002 | |||
| Orbital ring | 1980 | 700115000000000000015 | 6998500000000000000< 0.05 | 70002000000000000002 | ||
| Launch loop (small) | 1985 | 700110000000000000010 | 70035000000000000005,000 | 7002300000000000000300 | 700440000000000000040,000 | 70002000000000000002+ |
| Launch loop (large) | 1985 | 700130000000000000030 | 70035000000000000005,000 | 70003000000000000003 | 70066000000000000006,000,000 | 70002000000000000002+ |
| KITE Launcher | 2005 | 70002000000000000002 | ||||
| StarTram | 2001 | 700120000000000000020(g) | 35,000 | 700143000000000000043 | 7005150000000000000150,000 | 70002000000000000002 |
| Ram accelerator | 2004 | 7002500000000000000< 500 | 70006000000000000006 | |||
| Space gun | 1865(h) | 0.5 | 450 | 500 | 70006000000000000006 | |
| Slingatron | 7002100000000000000100 | 70002000000000000002 to 4 | ||||
| Laser propulsion | 2 | 100 | 550 | 3000 | 7000400000000000000Up to 4 | |
| Microwave propulsion | 1 | < 100 | 600 | |||
| Orbital Airship |
(a) References in this column apply to entire row unless specifically replaced.
(b) All monetary values in un-inflated dollars based on reference publication date except as noted.
(c) CY2008 estimate from description in 1993 reference system.
(d) Requires first stage to ~ 5 km/s.
(e) Subject to very rapid increase via bootstrapping.
(f) Requires Boeing proposed DF-9 vehicle first stage to ~ 4 km/s.
(g) Based on Gen-1 reference design, 2010 version.
(h) Jules Verne's novel From the Earth to the Moon. Newton's cannonball in the 1728 book A Treatise of the System of the World was considered a thought experiment.
Read more about this topic: Non-rocket Spacelaunch
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