A Heavy Lift Launch Vehicle, or HLV / HLLV, is a launch vehicle capable of lifting more mass into low Earth orbit (LEO) than Medium Lift or Mid-Heavy Lift Launch Vehicles.
There is no universally accepted capability requirements for heavy-lift launch vehicles. The minimum threshold for Super Heavy Lift Vehicles defined in the Augustine report of 2009 is 50,000 kg to low Earth orbit. The Ariane 5 launcher is described by its operator Arianespace as a heavy lifter. The three-core configuration of the Atlas V launch vehicle family is also referred to as an HLV by its operator ULA. It is being offered, but to date this configuration has never flown. The very similar three-core configuration of ULA's other EELV launch vehicle, the Delta IV Heavy has similar performance.
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