Medium-lift launch vehicle

	Clockwise from top-left: Falcon 9, Soyuz-2, PSLV, Nuri, H-IIA, Long March 2D
Class overview
Name	Medium-lift launch vehicle
Operators	Various space organizations
Preceded by	Small-lift launch vehicle
Succeeded by	Heavy-lift launch vehicle
Built	1958–
Building	8
Active	25
Retired	41
General characteristics
Propulsion	Various liquid-fueled engines and solid motors
Capacity	2–20 metric tons (NASA); 5–20 metric tons (Russia);

A medium-lift launch vehicle (MLV) is a rocket launch vehicle that is capable of lifting between 2,000 to 20,000 kg (4,400 to 44,100 lb) by NASA classification or between 5,000 to 20,000 kilograms (11,000 to 44,000 lb) by Russian classification^[1] of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO).^[2] An MLV is between small-lift launch vehicles and heavy-lift launch vehicles.

^ Osipov, Yuri (2004–2017). Great Russian Encyclopedia. Moscow: Great Russian Encyclopedia. Archived from the original on 27 May 2021. Retrieved 9 June 2021.
^ NASA Space Technology Roadmaps - Launch Propulsion Systems, p.11 Archived 24 March 2016 at the Wayback Machine: "Small: 0-2t payloads, Medium: 2-20t payloads, Heavy: 20-50t payloads, Super Heavy: >50t payloads"