Rocket DB

Head to head

Atlas SLV-3D Centaur vs Molniya 8K78

Two vehicles in the same payload class. Every figure below comes from the same two sources for both rockets, and a row appears only when both publish the input.

Payload to low Earth orbit

Relative

Atlas SLV-3D Centaur: 800 kg

Molniya 8K78: 1,900 kg

Side by side

7 comparable figures

The highlighted value wins the row. Rows where neither direction is better, like length or stage count, highlight nothing.

MetricAtlas SLV-3D CentaurMolniya 8K78
Flights flown3240
Success rate93.8%50%
Payload to LEO (kg)8001,900
Length (m)2143.44
Diameter (m)3.053
Launch mass (t)120305
Stages24

Atlas SLV-3D Centaur

Flight record
93.8% success rate30 of 32 flown · 2 failed
1973peak 1978 · 7 flights1983

Maiden flight 1973-04-06. Retired.

Molniya 8K78

Flight record
50% success rate20 of 40 flown · 20 failed
1960peak 1965 · 11 flights1967

Maiden flight 1960-10-10. Retired.

Atlas SLV-3D Centaur is built by Convair of the United States (company profile on Space Index).Molniya 8K78 is built by Strategic Rocket Forces of Russia.

Full specifications and the complete launch history for each: Atlas SLV-3D Centaur · Molniya 8K78.

Specifications from Launch Library 2 by The Space Devs, launch records from Space Index. Derived figures are computed here; see sources and method.