[driftdiver]

The shuttle was going much higher and carrying a much greater payload.

[Jack Hydrazine]

You are aware that the Falcon 9 can send payloads to geosynchronous orbit?

[JRandomFreeper]

Yep. The shuttle went much higher and carrying more, and had a heck of a cross range (thanks USAF).

It was overkill for most stuff.

/johnny

[Jack Hydrazine]

Falcon Heavy will be able to do even more!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falcon_Heavy

While the initial specifications of the new launcher in April 2011 projected LEO payloads of up to 53,000 kilograms (117,000 lb)[13] and GTO payloads up to 12,000 kilograms (26,000 lb),[14] later reports in 2011 projected higher payloads beyond low Earth orbit, including 19,000 kilograms (42,000 lb) to geostationary transfer orbit,[15] 16,000 kilograms (35,000 lb) to translunar trajectory, and 14,000 kilograms (31,000 lb) on a trans-Martian orbit to Mars.[9][16]

By late 2013, SpaceX had raised the projected GTO payload for Falcon Heavy to up to 21,200 kilograms (46,700 lb).[17]

It is scheduled to be launched for the first time in 2015 with no payload since it is a demo flight.

Falcon Heavy video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UTwRxtmQ9IY

And after that?

The Mars Colonial Transporter being lifted by a cluster of nine Raptor engines within a 10 meter diameter airframe with each Raptor generating 1.6 million pounds of thrust at liftoff. This rocket might be called the Falcon X or Falcon 10. It’ll be able to lift 100 to 150 tons of cargo into space and still do it cheaper than the Shuttle.

And after that?

Rumors are the Falon XX which could possibly lift 200 or more tons of cargo into space.

Is the Shuttle (lifts about 25 tons or 50,045 lbs. of cargo) still better than these?