The most massive artificial objects to reach space (LEO) 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.

Name Mass Description Orbit State In service from International Space Station Space station Listed mass includes attached vehicles and is estimated by ESA. Completed station mass is 419,725kg LEO In service 1998– (at present size: 2021) Ship 41 Ship of SpaceX Starship. Mass is dry mass only including payload. First Ship to reach full orbit.https://www.spacex.com/launches/starship-flight-14 LEO Deorbited 2026 2026 Mir Soviet / Russian space station LEO Deorbited 2001 1986–2001 Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-117 Heaviest flight of the Space Shuttle with S3/S4 truss. LEO Retired 1985–2011 Space Shuttle Columbia STS-93 Chandra X-ray Observatory, launch LEO Lost 1981–2003 Space Shuttle Atlantis STS-115 P3/P4 truss, assembly flight 12A LEO Retired 1985–2011 Buran Soviet reusable orbiter of the Buran programme on flight 1K1. LEO Retired 1988 Tiangong Chinese space station, with Tianzhou 5 & 6 attached. LEO In service 2021– Polyus Prototype Soviet orbital weapons platform Suborbital Lost 1987 Skylab U.S. space station; largest station orbited in one launch LEO Deorbited 1979 1973–1979 Apollo 16 CSM+LM Heaviest spacecraft sent to lunar orbit. First mission to land in Lunar Highlands. Command module is on display in Alabama Moon Retired 1972 Apollo 12 CSM+LM LEM landed at Sinus Medii a small Lunar mare. Command module is on display in Virginia. Moon Retired 1969Artemis 1 Orion CM + ESMU.S. crewed spacecraft for entering lunar orbitMoonIn service2022-ATV-5European cargo spacecraft on its heaviest flightLEORetired2008–2014 Salyut 7 USSR space station LEO Deorbited 1991 1982–1991KH-11p.199-200Electro-optical reconnaissance satelliteSSOIn service1976– (current version: 2005–) Salyut 1 USSR space station LEO Deorbited 1971 1971–1971 TKS Soviet crewed spacecraft LEO Retired 1977–1985 Proton satellite Space research satellite LEO Deorbited 1969 1965–1969 Compton Gamma Ray Observatory Space observatoryLEO Deorbited 2000 1991–2000Lacrosse-Radar imaging reconnaissance satelliteSSORetiredLacrosse 5 still in orbit1988–2005 Hubble Space Telescope Space observatory LEO In service 1990– Jupiter-3 (EchoStar-24) Communications satellite GEO In service 2023– Tiangong-2 Chinese space station LEO Deorbited 2019 2016–2019 Tiangong-1 Chinese space station LEO Deorbited 2018 2011–2016 Chang'e 6 Chinese lunar sample return Moon In service 2024– Envisat Earth observing satellite Kessler syndrome threat LEO In orbit, inoperable 2002–2012 Chang'e 5 Chinese lunar sample return Moon In service 2020– Shijian-20 Communication Technology Test Satellite GEO In service 2019– Telstar 19V Communications satellite GEO In service 2018– TerreStar-1 Communications satellite GEO In service 2009– EchoStar XXI Communications satellite GEO In service 2017– UARS Earth science LEO Deorbited 2011 1991–2005 James Webb Space Telescope Space observatory Sun-Earth L2 In service 2021– Phobos 1 Soviet Mars Spacecraft that missed its orbital insertion burn Solar Orbit Lost contact 1988 1988 Europa Clipper Jupiter and Europa science probe with an ETA in 2030. Solar Orbit on route to Jupiter In service 2024– Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer Jupiter science probe and Ganymede orbiter with an ETA in 2031. Solar Orbit on route to Ganymede In service 2023–BlueBird Block-2 Mission5908 Kg (13,025 lb)BlueBird Block-2 communication satellite of AST SpaceMobile, USA. Heaviest satellite launched from Indian soil.LEOIn Service2025 Falcon Heavy test flight Maiden flight of Falcon Heavy with Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster, COSPAR 2018-017A Solar Orbit Lost contact 2018 2018 Chandra X-ray Obs. Space observatory HEO In service 1999– GSAT-11 Heaviest Indian communications satelliteGEO In service2018– Cassini-Huygens Saturn orbiter and Titan probe Saturn Deorbited 2017 1997–2017 Venera 15 & 16 Venus orbiter Venus Retired 1983–1985 Venera 10 Venus orbiter & lander Venus Last contact 1976 1975–1976 Tianwen-1 Tianwen-1 Mars orbiter, deployable and remote cameras, lander and Zhurong rover Mars In service 2021– Terra Earth observing satellite SSO In service 1999– Mars 2 Soviet Mars orbiter and lander Mars Retired 1971–1972 GSAT-7R Heaviest Indian Satellite launched from Indian soil GEO In service 2025- ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter Mars orbiter (including Schiaparelli EDM lander) Mars In service 2016–GSAT-244,181 kg (9,218 lb)Indian Communication SatelliteGEOIn service2022-Chandrayaan-33900 kg (8,598 lb)Lunar Lander-roverMoonIn service2023-GPS IIIA Current GPS satellite series MEO In service 2018–Chandrayaan-23,850 kg (8,487 lb)Lunar Orbiter-Lander-RoverMoonIn service2019- Spektr-R (RadioAstron) Space observatory HEO In service 2011– Juno Jupiter orbiter Jupiter In service 2011– Viking 1 USA Mars orbiter and lander Mars Retired 1975–1982 Magellan (spacecraft) Venus orbiter from USA Venus Deorbited 1994 1989–1994Herschel Space observatory Sun-Earth L2 Retired 2009–2013 Galileo Jupiter orbiter and probe Jupiter Deorbited 2003 1989–2003 MAVEN Mars orbiter Mars In service 2013– 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 Orbit Retired 1969 Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Lunar orbiter Moon In service 2009– Lucy (spacecraft) Asteroid space probe launched by USA Solar Orbit In service 2021– Astrosat Space observatory from India LEO In service 2015–Mars Orbiter Mission India's first Mars missionMars Retired 2013–2022 Venus Express Venus orbiter from ESA Venus Deorbited 2015 2005–2014 MESSENGER Mercury orbiter Mercury Deorbited 2015 2011–2015 Voyager 1 / Voyager 2 Outer planets / interstellar space Solar Escape In service 1977– New Horizons Pluto/Kuiper belt probe Solar Escape In service 2006– Malligyong-1 Heaviest North Korean reconnaissance satellite, 21 Nov 2023 launch SSO In service 2023– Capstone Lunar Orbiter Moon In service 2022– MarCO each Mars Flyby Mars Lost contact 2019 2018–2019

Spacecraft design families (by mass) List of spacecraft families (by mass) with 2 or more flights into space and over 7000kg.

Name Mass Description Orbit State In service fromStarshipMass includes 100 tons of remaining propellant. Mass is a very rough estimate and probably high. Ship 41 attained orbit with 26 Starlink v3 satellites.LEOIn service2020– Space Shuttle orbiter Space Shuttle Atlantis on STS-117, the heaviest flight of the Space Shuttle. LEO Retired 1981–2011 Apollo CSM U.S. crewed spacecraft for entering lunar orbit Moon Retired 1968–1975 (Block II)Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle U.S. crewed spacecraft for entering lunar orbitMoonIn service2022-ATVEuropean cargo spacecraft on its heaviest flightLEORetired2008–2014 Apollo Lunar Module U.S. crewed lunar lander Moon Retired 1968–1972 Tianzhou Chinese automated cargo spacecraft LEO In service 2017– Crew Dragon SpaceX crewed spacecraft LEO In service 2019– Soyuz Russian crewed spacecraft (latest revision used for mass) LEO In service 1967– (variants) 2016– (Soyuz MS)

See also List of large reentering space debris Lists of spacecraft

References