Launch Vehicle Overview

Updated to: March 22nd, 1964, or Episode 15 of For All Kerbalkind

Orbital Rockets

Kedstone II - The second, uprated Kedstone rocket was the Foundation's first orbital-capable launch vehicle; requiring a series of solid rocket motor stages to hurl the Explorer satellites perpetually around the Earth. It was used suborbitally for several programs as well; notably the Merkury crewed suborbital test flight.

Launch Mass: 28.5 tons
Payload to Orbit: 0.025 tons
Status: Inactive
# of Stages: 1-4
# of Launches: 7
# of Failures: 0

Pathfinder - Pathfinder was a revolutionary early launch vehicle, expanding the Explorer line of satellites, sending a small probe to impact the Moon, and most notably ferrying a small cat into Earth orbit. (They returned safe and sound don't worry!)

Launch Mass: 51.7 tons
Payload to Orbit: 0.2 tons
Status: Inactive
# of Stages: 2
# of Launches: 8
# of Failures: 2

Pathfinder B - Also confusingly classified as Pathfinder 2. Naming scheme switched to letters later on in the program.

Launch Mass: 57.9 tons
Payload to Orbit: 0.3 tons
Status: Inactive
# of Stages: 2
# of Launches: 1
# of Failures: 1

Pathfinder C - Augmented by 2 Castor 1 boosters, which were needed to counteract the less powerful but more reliable main engine. Lunar impactor missions solely.

Launch Mass: 63 tons
Payload to Orbit: 0.3 tons
Status: Inactive
# of Stages: 2.2
# of Launches: 4
# of Failures: 0

Pathfinder D - 4 Castor 1 boosters helped the launch of two Earth satellites. 2 launches augmented by 6 larger Algol boosters resulted in launch failures.

Launch Mass: 73.4 tons
Payload to Orbit: 0.5 tons
Status: Inactive
# of Stages: 2.4
# of Launches: 4
# of Failures: 2

Skout - A unique all-solids launch vehicle flying primarily from Wallops flight facility, this vehicle has seen various upgrades throughout its lifetime; namely lighter avionics and more efficient stages. Able to launch micro-satellites into an eccentric Earth Orbit.

Launch Mass: 16-17 tons
Payload to Orbit: 0.07-0.12 tons
Status: Active
# of Stages: 4
# of Launches: 6
# of Failures: 3

Katlas A - A launch vehicle unlike any other, lightweight highly pressurized balloon tanks and seperable skirt-attatched booster engines bring crewed Earth orbit from a dream to reality with the short lived Merkury program.

Launch Mass: 124.3 tons
Payload to Orbit: 2.19 tons
Status: Inactive
# of Stages: 1.5
# of Launches: 4
# of Failures: 0

Katlas B - Proving its usefullness in demonstrating the Foundation's Earth orbit capabilies ever increasing, utilizing slightly uprated engines; used a Vega upper stage twice to propel Markiner probes interplanetary.

Launch Mass: 130.2 tons
Payload to Orbit: 2.3 tons
Status: Inactive
# of Stages: 1.5
# of Launches: 5
# of Failures: 0

Katlas C - First to use an Agena upper stage for Earth orbit activity; used as a docking target for the Gemini program. New red livery as well!

Launch Mass: 147 tons
Payload to Orbit: 3 tons
Status: Inactive
# of Stages: 2.5
# of Launches: 2
# of Failures: 0

Katlas D - Launched underfueled with Agena from Wallops for Earth orbit satellites, and used in tandem with the much more capable Kentaur stage from Brownsville; resonpsible for lifting the Surveyor program off the ground.

Launch Mass: 179.2 tons
Payload to Orbit: 6.8 tons
Status: Active
# of Stages: 2.5
# of Launches: 6
# of Failures: 0

Kitan II - For Earth orbit payloads heavier than Katlas is able to lift, the Kitan missile stepped up to the plate. A two stage launch vehicle responsible for the Gemini program, as well as some Discoverer and Explorer space probes. Uniquely used for Dynasoar suborbital test flights as well.

Launch Mass: 156.2 tons
Payload to Orbit: 3.9 tons
Status: Inactive
# of Stages: 2
# of Launches: 10
# of Failures: 2

Kitan III - Uprated with slightly more reliable engines and new livery!

Launch Mass: 171.9 tons
Payload to Orbit: 3.9 tons
Status: Active
# of Stages: 2
# of Launches: 1
# of Failures: 0

Kitan IIIC - Tranststage is added atop Kitan III's second stage, as well as two massive UA1205 rocket boosters. This configuration is utilized for USAF payloads, such as the Dynasoar spacecraft.

Launch Mass: 632.1 tons
Payload to Orbit: 10 tons
Status: Active
# of Stages: 3.2
# of Launches: 0
# of Failures: 0

Kitan IIIE - The Kitan IIIE variant utilizes Kentaur atop its second stage, providing a replacement to the Katurn I now out of service.

Launch Mass: 643.2 tons
Payload to Orbit: 15.8 tons
Status: Active
# of Stages: 3.2
# of Launches: 1
# of Failures: 0

Katurn I - The first of the Katurn line of rockets provided the Foundation with unprecedented capacity to low Earth orbit and beyond. Lunar surface probes, a lunar rover, two cislunar crewed Gemini flights, and its final launch - an integrated research station built atop a modified second stage. Despite several instances of engine malfunctions, zero launch or mission failures have occured before its retirement.

Launch Mass: 440-457.6 tons
Payload to Orbit: 15-17 tons
Status: Inactive
# of Stages: 2-3
# of Launches: 6
# of Failures: 0

Katurn Ib - An uprated Katurn I with a more efficient 1st stage, lifting the Katurn V's K-IVb as its second stage. Currently reserved for Trinity flights to Earth orbit, though not yet flown.

Launch Mass: 607.5 tons
Payload to Orbit: 17 tons
Status: Active
# of Stages: 2
# of Launches: 0
# of Failures: 0

Katurn V - This heavy-lift launch vehicle is by far the largest yet developed by the Foundation, taking a monumental amount of funding, infrastructure, and time to bring this rocket from the drawing board to the launch pad. Most every program previously run, from sounding rockets to crewed expeditions in space, has been in preparation for the Trinity program; developed in an effort to send Kerbalkind to the Moon and beyond.

Launch Mass: 2,953 tons
Payload to Orbit: 137 tons
Status: Active
# of Stages: 3
# of Launches: 0
# of Failures: 0

Suborbital Rockets

Korporal I - The WACK Korporal sounding rocket was the Foundation's very first foray into space exploration. Most known for its peculiar launches from hard points underneath trainer aircraft.

Launch Mass: 0.6 tons
Status: Inactive
-
# of Stages: 2
# of Launches: 5
# of Failures: 3

Korporal II - The WACK Korporal II was essentially a double-stacked Korporal I, capable of reaching space with insignificant payload mass. The Foundation used II, III, and IV to perform several science experiments involving sending fruit flies on a perilous short journey atop the rocket.

Launch Mass: 0.9 tons
Status: Inactive
-
# of Stages: 3
# of Launches: 3
# of Failures: 1

Korporal III - Uprated engines and longer fuel tanks from previous iterations.

Launch Mass: 1.7 tons
Status: Inactive
-
# of Stages: 3
# of Launches: 1
# of Failures: 1

Korporal IV - Much longer 3rd stage then previous iterations, efficient aerobee engines as well.

Launch Mass: 1.5 tons
Status: Inactive
-
# of Stages: 3
# of Launches: 1
# of Failures: 1

K-4 I - The K-4 rocket was a leftover project from the war, essentially a 13 ton unguided missile. The Foundation first found usefulness from these leftovers by adding a Korporal rocket on top, sending the sounding rocket much further than anything before was capable of.

Launch Mass: 14.6 tons
Status: Inactive
-
# of Stages: 2
# of Launches: 1
# of Failures: 0

K-4 II - Rather than attatch an additional rocket stage atop the missile, the Foundation instead expanded on previous fruit flies experiments and studyied the effects of recovering equipment from high speeds and altitudes.

Launch Mass: 13.4 tons
Status: Inactive
-
# of Stages: 1
# of Launches: 4
# of Failures: 0

K-4 III - The third variant of the K-4 carried photographic equipment that would release, correct its rotation, and attempt to photograph the Earth from its apogee before falling into the atmosphere. Known for capturing some of the first blurry and not so blurry images of Texas from space!

Launch Mass: 13.5 tons
Status: Inactive
-
# of Stages: 1
# of Launches: 3
# of Failures: 0

Kedstone I - The Kedstone I was the first guided missile utilized by the Foundation. It's purpose became to test fly return capsules, or small craft capable of withstanding atmospheric entry charactaristics. Most known for flying a small monkey into space. (They returned safely, yes.)

Launch Mass: 18.5 tons
Status: Inactive
-
# of Stages: 1
# of Launches: 4
# of Failures: 0

KRBM I - The second sounding rocket program run by the Foundation, though largely working for the USAF. As such, its payloads were entirely classified. Used an Aerojet booster.

Launch Mass: 1.1 tons
Status: Inactive
-
# of Stages: 2
# of Launches: 4
# of Failures: 2

KRBM II - This variant aimed further sideways on lift off to encounter higher speeds in the upper atmosphere than otherwise possible. Also utilized a more powerful Nike booster.