Student Article

Spacecraft are vehicles that travel into space, and some of them are incredibly heavy. Here are the top 10 heaviest spacecraft ever launched:

International Space Station

This space station is the heaviest, weighing 924,739 pounds (419,725 kilograms). It has been in space since 1998 and is made up of 16 pressurized modules.

Mir

This Russian space station weighs 308,647 pounds (140,000 kilograms). It was in space from 1986 to 2001 and served as a hub for scientific research.

Space Shuttle

The U.S. space shuttle weighs 242,508 pounds (110,000 kilograms). It was used from 1981 to 2011 and played a crucial role in space exploration.

Buran

This Russian spaceplane was an uncrewed vehicle that flew in 1988 and weighs 231,485 pounds (105,000 kilograms).

Skylab

This U.S. space station weighs 169,755 pounds (77,000 kilograms). It was in space from 1973 to 1979 and conducted numerous scientific experiments.

Apollo Command and Service Module

This U.S. lunar spacecraft weighs 63,493 pounds (28,800 kilograms). It was used from 1968 to 1975 and was part of the Apollo missions to the moon.

Tianhe Core Module

This Chinese space station module weighs 48,501 pounds (22,000 kilograms). It has been in space since April 2021 and is the cornerstone of the Tiangong space station.

Salyut 7

This Russian space station was in space from 1982 to 1991 and weighs 43,698 pounds (19,824 kilograms). It supported various scientific missions.

ATV (Automated Transfer Vehicle)

This European Space Agency cargo spacecraft weighs 42,681 pounds (19,357 kilograms). It was used from 2008 to 2014 to deliver supplies to the International Space Station.

Salyut 1

This Russian space station was the first to ever launch in 1971. It weighs 41,666 pounds (18,900 kilograms).

These spacecraft are massive and require a tremendous amount of energy to reach space. They have contributed significantly to our understanding of space and the Universe.

© Thomas Ling / Our Media