Rocket DB

Head to head

Molniya 8K78 vs Vostok 8A92M

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

Molniya 8K78: 1,900 kg

Vostok 8A92M: 3,800 kg

Side by side

8 comparable figures

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

MetricMolniya 8K78Vostok 8A92M
Flights flown4093
Success rate50%98.9%
Payload to LEO (kg)1,9003,800
Liftoff thrust (kN)8133,996
Length (m)43.4430.84
Diameter (m)32.99
Launch mass (t)305282
Stages42

Molniya 8K78

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

Maiden flight 1960-10-10. Retired.

Vostok 8A92M

Flight record
98.9% success rate92 of 93 flown · 1 failed
1964peak 1979 · 8 flights1991

Maiden flight 1964-08-28. Retired.

Molniya 8K78 is built by Strategic Rocket Forces of Russia.Vostok 8A92M is built by RKK Energiya of Russia.

Full specifications and the complete launch history for each: Molniya 8K78 · Vostok 8A92M.

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