Parker Solar Probe
The fastest human-made object ever: NASA’s Sun-skimming probe hit 692,000 km/h in December 2024, flying just 6.1 million km above the solar surface.
2010-Present: Commercial Space Age
Boeing X-37B
The U.S. Space Force’s reusable robotic mini-shuttle has flown seven secretive missions since 2010, one lasting 908 days before an autonomous runway landing.
Tiangong Space Station
China’s three-module, roughly 100-tonne space station, assembled in orbit between 2021 and 2022, hosts rotating three-person crews about 390 km above Earth.
Orion
NASA’s deep-space capsule for Artemis Moon missions carries four astronauts, and on Artemis I in 2022 flew 432,210 km from Earth — a crew-spacecraft record.
Crew Dragon
SpaceX’s Dragon 2 capsule ended America’s nine-year crew-launch gap in 2020 and now flies four astronauts at a time to the ISS — reusable and fully autonomous.
Ariane 6
Europe’s new heavy-lift rocket, flying since July 2024: two or four boosters, up to 21,650 kg to low orbit and 11,500 kg toward geostationary transfer.
Long March 5
China’s most powerful operational rocket lifts 25,000 kg to low Earth orbit and launched the Tiangong station modules, Chang’e Moon missions and Tianwen-1 to Mars.
New Glenn
Blue Origin’s 98 m partially reusable heavy rocket reached orbit on its January 2025 debut and can carry 45,000 kg to low Earth orbit.
Electron
Rocket Lab’s 18 m carbon-fiber small-satellite launcher lifts 300 kg to orbit with 3D-printed, battery-pumped engines and has flown more than 60 missions since 2017.
Space Launch System (SLS)
NASA’s Moon rocket for Artemis: 98 m tall, 39,100 kN at liftoff — more thrust than Saturn V — and 95,000 kg to low Earth orbit.