Space Exploration Technologies, SpaceX, has numerous rockets on offer. I thought I’d do a handy summary here.
Falcon 1/1e
Falcon 9
Falcon 9 heavy
Dragon
| Vehicle | LEO Payload (kg) | GTO Payload | TLI Payload | Cost $USD millions |
| Falcon 1 | 420 | ** | ** | 7.9 |
| Falcon 1e | 1010 | ** | ** | 9.1 |
| Falcon 9 | 12500 | 4640 | 1925 | 36.75-57.75 |
| Falcon 9 heavy | 29610 | 15010 | 6230*** | 94.5-104.5 |
| Dragon | >2500 | * | * | * |
* – figures for Dragon are currently not very detailed on the SpaceX page.
** – Falcon 1/1e need a ‘kick motor’ to launch a payload to the Moon. Only the 1e can realistically launch enough mass for a small lander.
*** – no TLI mass is quoted for the Falcon 9 heavy, but if the proportion remains the same as for the Falcon 9 between GTO and TLI, then this is the estimate.
The TLI mass for the Falcon 9 heavy might indicate a luna capability for Dragon with the right heat-shield. A two-launch Luna mission might allow a lander. The old Apollo LM massed just ~ 15 tons, thus combined with a TLI stage, this might allow landing on the Moon. Assuming ~ $210 million for the two launches, and ~ $1.5 billion for the LM (aerospace vehicle development costs ~ $100 million per ton the old way), and you’d have a lander mission for under $2 billion. Cheap!