List of heaviest spacecraft


The most massive artificial objects to reach space or beyond including space stations. Spacecraft may change mass over time such as by use of propellant.
Currently the heaviest spacecraft is the International Space Station, nearly double Shuttle-Mir's mass in orbit. It began assembly with a first launch in 1998, however it only attained its full weight in the 2020s, due to its modular nature and gradual additions. Its mass can change significantly depending on what modules are added or removed.
During the Shuttle–Mir program between 1994 and 1998, the complex formed by the docking of a visiting Space Shuttle with Mir would temporarily make it the heaviest artificial object in orbit with a combined mass of or on STS-74 in a 1995 configuration.

Selected spacecraft (by mass)

The following are a list of spacecraft with a mass greater than, or the top three to any other orbit including a planetary orbit, or the top three of a specific category of vehicle, or the heaviest vehicle from a specific nation. All numbers listed below for satellites use their mass at launch, if not otherwise stated.
NameMassDescriptionOrbitStateIn service from
International Space StationSpace station Listed mass includes attached vehicles and is estimated by ESA. Completed station mass is 419,725kgLEOIn service1998–
MirSoviet / Russian space stationLEODeorbited 20011986–2001
Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-117Heaviest flight of the Space Shuttle with S3/S4 truss.LEORetired1985–2011
Space Shuttle Columbia STS-93Chandra X-ray Observatory, launchLEOLost1981–2003
Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-115P3/P4 truss, assembly flight 12ALEORetired1985–2011
BuranSoviet reusable orbiter of the Buran programme on flight 1K1.LEORetired1988
TiangongChinese space station, with Tianzhou 5 & 6 attached.LEOIn service2021–
PolyusPrototype Soviet orbital weapons platformLEOLost1987
SkylabU.S. space station; largest station orbited in one launchLEODeorbited 19791973–1979
Apollo 16 CSM+LMHeaviest spacecraft sent to lunar orbit. First mission to land in Lunar Highlands. Command module is on display in AlabamaMoonRetired1972
Apollo 12 CSM+LMLEM landed at Sinus Medii a small Lunar mare. Command module is on display in Virginia.MoonRetired1969
Artemis 1 Orion CM + ESMU.S. crewed spacecraft for entering lunar orbitMoonIn service2022-
ATV-5European cargo spacecraft on its heaviest flightLEORetired2008–2014
Salyut 7USSR space stationLEODeorbited 19911982–1991
KH-11Electro-optical reconnaissance satelliteSSOIn service1976–
Salyut 1USSR space stationLEODeorbited 19711971–1971
TKSSoviet crewed spacecraftLEORetired1977–1985
Proton satelliteSpace research satelliteLEODeorbited 19691965–1969
Compton Gamma Ray ObservatorySpace observatoryLEODeorbited 20001991–2000
Lacrosse-
Radar imaging reconnaissance satelliteSSORetired
Lacrosse 5 still in orbit		1988–2005
Hubble Space TelescopeSpace observatoryLEOIn service1990–
Jupiter-3 Communications satelliteGEOIn service2023–
Tiangong-2Chinese space stationLEODeorbited 20192016–2019
Tiangong-1Chinese space stationLEODeorbited 20182011–2016
Chang'e 6Chinese lunar sample returnMoonIn service2024–
EnvisatEarth observing satellite Kessler syndrome threatLEOIn orbit, inoperable2002–2012
Chang'e 5Chinese lunar sample returnMoonIn service2020–
Shijian-20Communication Technology Test SatelliteGEOIn service2019–
Telstar 19VCommunications satelliteGEOIn service2018–
TerreStar-1Communications satelliteGEOIn service2009–
EchoStar XXICommunications satelliteGEOIn service2017–
UARSEarth scienceLEODeorbited 20111991–2005
James Webb Space TelescopeSpace observatorySun-Earth L2In service2021–
Phobos 1Soviet Mars Spacecraft that missed its orbital insertion burnSolar OrbitLost contact 19881988
Europa ClipperJupiter and Europa science probe with an ETA in 2030.Solar Orbit on route to JupiterIn service2024–
Jupiter Icy Moons ExplorerJupiter science probe and Ganymede orbiter with an ETA in 2031.Solar Orbit on route to GanymedeIn service2023–
BlueBird Block-2 Mission5908 Kg
BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite of AST SpaceMobile, USA. Heaviest satellite launched from Indian soil.LEOIn Service2025
Falcon Heavy test flightMaiden flight of Falcon Heavy with Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster, COSPAR 2018-017ASolar OrbitLost contact 20182018
Chandra X-ray Obs.Space observatoryHEOIn service1999–
GSAT-11Heaviest Indian communications satelliteGEOIn service2018–
Cassini-HuygensSaturn orbiter and Titan probeSaturnDeorbited 20171997–2017
Venera 15 & 16Venus orbiterVenusRetired1983–1985
Venera 10Venus orbiter & landerVenusLast contact 19761975–1976
Tianwen-1Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter, deployable and remote cameras, lander and Zhurong roverMarsIn service2021–
TerraEarth observing satelliteSSOIn service1999–
Mars 2Soviet Mars orbiter and landerMarsRetired1971–1972
GSAT-7RHeaviest Indian Satellite launched from Indian soilGEOIn service2025-
ExoMars Trace Gas OrbiterMars orbiter MarsIn service2016–
GSAT-244,181 kg Indian Communication SatelliteGEOIn service2022-
Chandrayaan-33900 kg Lunar Lander-roverMoonIn service2023-
GPS IIIACurrent GPS satellite seriesMEOIn service2018–
Chandrayaan-23,850 kg Lunar Orbiter-Lander-RoverMoonIn service2019-
Spektr-R (RadioAstron)Space observatoryHEOIn service2011–
JunoJupiter orbiterJupiterIn service2011–
Viking 1USA Mars orbiter and landerMarsRetired1975–1982
Magellan (spacecraft)Venus orbiter from USAVenusDeorbited 19941989–1994
HerschelSpace observatorySun-Earth L2Retired2009–2013
GalileoJupiter orbiter and probeJupiterDeorbited 20031989–2003
MAVENMars orbiterMarsIn service2013–
Apollo 10 LM AS "Snoopy"Snoopy's ascent stage was sent into orbit around the Sun. Dry mass of the ascent stage is listed.Solar OrbitRetired1969
Lunar Reconnaissance OrbiterLunar orbiterMoonIn service2009–
Lucy (spacecraft)Asteroid space probe launched by USASolar OrbitIn service2021–
Astrosat
Space observatory from IndiaLEOIn service2015–
Mars Orbiter MissionIndia's first Mars missionMarsRetired2013–2022
Venus ExpressVenus orbiter from ESAVenusDeorbited 20152005–2014
MESSENGERMercury orbiterMercuryDeorbited 20152011–2015
Voyager 1 / Voyager 2Outer planets / interstellar spaceSolar EscapeIn service1977–
New HorizonsPluto/Kuiper belt probeSolar EscapeIn service2006–
Malligyong-1Heaviest North Korean reconnaissance satellite, 21 Nov 2023 launchSSOIn service2023–
CapstoneLunar OrbiterMoonIn service2022–
MarCO eachMars FlybyMarsLost contact 20192018–2019

Spacecraft design families (by mass)

List of spacecraft families with 2 or more flights into space and over 7000kg.
NameMassDescriptionOrbitStateIn service from
[SpaceX SpaceX Starship (spacecraft)|Starship (spacecraft)|Starship]Mass includes 100 tons of remaining propellant. Mass is a very rough estimate and probably high. Ship 28 and Ship 29 flew long Suborbital flights, however both demonstrated that Starship can reach LEO. Ship 33 flew with 10 Starlink simulator satellites weighing 20 tons.SuborbitalIn development2020–2025
Space Shuttle orbiterSpace Shuttle Atlantis on STS-117, the heaviest flight of the Space Shuttle.LEORetired1981–2011
Apollo CSMU.S. crewed spacecraft for entering lunar orbitMoonRetired1968–1975
Orion Multi-Purpose Crew VehicleU.S. crewed spacecraft for entering lunar orbitMoonIn service2022-
ATVEuropean cargo spacecraft on its heaviest flightLEORetired2008–2014
Apollo Lunar ModuleU.S. crewed lunar landerMoonRetired1968–1972
TianzhouChinese automated cargo spacecraftLEOIn service2017–
Crew DragonSpaceX crewed spacecraftLEOIn service2019–
SoyuzRussian crewed spacecraft LEOIn service1967– 2016–