Engineering:Comparison of space station cargo vehicles

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The six currently active space station cargo vehicles. Clockwise from top left: Progress, Cargo Dragon 2, HTV-X, Cygnus XL, Enhanced Cygnus, Tianzhou

A number of different spacecraft have been used to carry cargo to and from space stations. This list does not include crewed spacecraft.

Table code key
Spacecraft under development
Spacecraft is operational
Retired spacecraft
§ Pressurized / Unpressurized payload capacity
Spacecraft Origin Manufacturer Launch vehicle Length (m) Dry mass (kg) Launch mass (kg) Payload (kg) § Payload volume (m3) Return payload (kg) § Diameter (m) Generated power (W) Docking method Status (No. flights)
TKS  Soviet Union TsKBM Proton-K 17.51 13,688 21,620 12,600 4.15 2,400 Remote control Retired (4)
Progress 7K-TG  Soviet Union Energia Soyuz-U None Remote control Retired (43)
Progress‑M (11F615A55)  Soviet Union
 Russia 		Energia Soyuz-U
Soyuz-U2 		7.2 7,130 2,600 7.6 150[lower-alpha 1] 2.72 600[1] Automated Retired (66)
Progress‑M1  Russia Energia Soyuz-U
Soyuz-FG 		None Automated Retired (11)
Progress‑M (11F615A60)  Russia Energia Soyuz-U 7.2 7,150 2,230 7.6 None 2.72 700 Automated Retired (27 + 2 failed)
Cygnus  USA Orbital Antares 5.14 1,500[2] 2,000[2] 18.9[2] None 3.07 3,500[3] RMS berthing Retired (3 + 1 failed)
Dragon 1  USA SpaceX Falcon 9 6.1 4,200[4] 10,200[lower-alpha 2] 3,310 (max) 2,200 (ave)[lower-alpha 3][5] 10.0 / (14 or 34)[lower-alpha 4][6] 3,000[lower-alpha 5][7] 3.7 2,000[8] RMS berthing Retired (19 + 1 failed)[9]
ATV  Europe Airbus Ariane 5ES 10.3 10,470[10] 20,750[10] 7,667[10] 48 None 4.5 3,800[11] Automated Retired (5)
HTV  Japan JAXA H-IIB 10 10,500[12] 16,500[12] 3,000 / 1,000[12] 14 / 16[12] 20[lower-alpha 6][13] 4.4 200 RMS berthing Retired (9)
Tianzhou
(basic) 		 China CAST Long March 7 10.6 13,500 6,900[lower-alpha 7][14] 18.1 None 3.35 Automated Retired (5)
Progress-MS  Russia Energia Soyuz 2.1a 7.2 7,150 2,230 None Automated Operational[15]
Cargo Dragon 2  USA SpaceX Falcon 9 8.1 6,400 3,307[5] 9.3 / 37 2,507[5] 4.0 Automated Operational
Enhanced Cygnus  USA Northrop Grumman Antares[lower-alpha 8] 6.39 1,800[16] 3,750 27[16] None 3.07 3,500 RMS berthing Operational
Tianzhou (improved)  China CAST Long March 7 10.6 14,000 7,400[lower-alpha 9][14] 22.5 (~40 total) None 3.35 Automated Operational
Cygnus XL  USA Northrop Grumman Antares[lower-alpha 10] 8 2,300 5,000 36 None 3.07 3,500 RMS berthing Operational
HTV-X  Japan JAXA H3[17] 10[lower-alpha 11] 8,300 16,000, combined[18] 4,069 / 1,750 78[lower-alpha 12] None 4.4 1,000 RMS berthing[lower-alpha 13] Operational
Dream Chaser  USA Sierra Space Vulcan Centaur 16.8[19] 5,000 / 500[20] 1,750[20] RMS berthing Development
Dragon XL  USA SpaceX Falcon Heavy 5,000[21] None Automated[21] Development[22]
Argo  Europe Rocket Factory Augsburg 3,400 <13 ≥1,000[23] Automated Development[24]
NYX  Europe The Exploration Company 4,000 2,500 / 100[25] Automated Development[26]
Qingzhou  China Innovation Academy for Microsatellites of CAS Kinetica-2 None Automated Development[27]
Haolong  China Chengdu Aircraft Research and Design Institute Zhuque-3 Automated Development[28]

Notes

  1. ↑ With optional Raduga capsule.
  2. ↑ 4,200kg dry mass + 6,000 kg up mass
  3. ↑ In any combination of pressurized or unpressurized.
  4. ↑ 34 unpressurized with extended trunk
  5. ↑ Capsule return.
  6. ↑ With optional HSRC.
  7. ↑ Including propellant.
  8. ↑ Has also launched on Atlas V and Falcon 9.
  9. ↑ Including propellant.
  10. ↑ Has also launched on Falcon 9.
  11. ↑ 10 with cargo module, 6.2 without.
  12. ↑ Combined.
  13. ↑ Technology trial of an automated IDSS docking port fitted in place of unpressurised cargo module being planned.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Progress M". http://www.astronautix.com/craft/proressm.htm. Retrieved 29 May 2012. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 "Cygnus Fast Sheet". Orbital Sciences Co.. http://www.orbital.com/NewsInfo/Publications/Cygnus_fact.pdf. Retrieved 7 August 2013. 
  3. ↑ "The Annual Compendium of Commercial Space Transportation: 2012". Federal Aviation Administration. February 2012. http://www.faa.gov/about/office_org/headquarters_offices/ast/media/The_Annual_Compendium_of_Commercial_Space_Transporation_2012.pdf. Retrieved 8 February 2013. 
  4. ↑ "SpaceX Brochure v7". http://www.spacex.com/SpaceX_Brochure_V7_All.pdf. Retrieved 29 May 2012. 
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 Audit of Commercial Resupply Services to the International Space Station
  6. ↑ "Overall Dragon Capabilities". http://www.spacex.com/sites/spacex/files/pdf/DragonLabFactSheet.pdf. 
  7. ↑ "Falcon 9 launches Dragon on CRS-1 mission to the ISS". 7 October 2012. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/10/falcon-9loft-dragon-crs-1-mission-iss-attempt1/. 
  8. ↑ "Dragonlab Datasheet". http://www.spacex.com/downloads/dragonlab-datasheet.pdf. Retrieved 29 May 2012. 
  9. ↑ Clark, Stephen. "With successful splashdown, SpaceX retires first version of Dragon spacecraft – Spaceflight Now" (in en-US). https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/04/07/spacex-retires-first-version-of-dragon-spacecraft/. 
  10. ↑ 10.0 10.1 10.2 "ESA Automated Transfer Vehicle". ESA. http://www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/ATV/Automated_Transfer_Vehicle. Retrieved 7 August 2013. 
  11. ↑ "ATV Utilization Relevant Data". http://esamultimedia.esa.int/docs/ATV/FS003_12_ATV_updated_launch_2008.pdf. Retrieved 29 May 2012. 
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 12.3 "JAXA transition examination of the new space station supply machine (HTV-X)". JAXA. http://www.jaxa.jp/press/2017/12/files/20171206_HTV-X.pdf. Retrieved 6 February 2018. 
  13. ↑ "HTV 搭載小型回収カプセルの開発" (in ja). Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. 12 November 2014. https://repository.exst.jaxa.jp/dspace/bitstream/a-is/558012/2/AC1500096000.pdf. Retrieved 2016-10-21. 
  14. ↑ 14.0 14.1 Jones, Andrew (10 May 2023). "Tianzhou-6 cargo spacecraft reaches China's Tiangong space station". spacenews.com. https://www.spacenews.com/tianzhou-6-cargo-spacecraft-reaches-chinas-tiangong-space-station/. 
  15. ↑ "Upgraded Progress MS docks with the ISS". NASASpaceflight.com. 23 December 2015. http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2015/12/upgraded-progress-ms-iss-launch/. Retrieved 26 December 2015. 
  16. ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Cygnus Spacecraft Information". http://www.spaceflight101.com/cygnus-spacecraft-information.html. 
  17. ↑ "H3,H-IIA/Bのミッション割当て(案)" (in ja). MEXT. 8 March 2016. http://www8.cao.go.jp/space/comittee/27-kiban/kiban-dai14/siryou1-2.pdf. Retrieved 2016-03-10. 
  18. ↑ "HTV-X, the new unmanned spacecraft now being developed by JAXA". JAXA. https://humans-in-space.jaxa.jp/en/htv-x/. 
  19. ↑ Meredith Garofalo (February 2, 2024). "Sierra Space unveils Dream Chaser space plane ahead of 1st flight to ISS (video)". Space.com. https://www.space.com/sierra-space-unveils-dream-chaser-space-plane-photos. 
  20. ↑ 20.0 20.1 Brian Wang (January 22, 2024). "Sierra Space Spaceplane and Space Stations". Next Big Future. https://www.nextbigfuture.com/2024/01/sierra-space-spaceplane-and-space-stations.html. 
  21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 "NASA picks SpaceX to deliver cargo to Gateway station in lunar orbit – Spaceflight Now" (in en-US). https://spaceflightnow.com/2020/03/27/nasa-picks-spacex-to-deliver-cargo-to-gateway-station-in-lunar-orbit/. 
  22. ↑ Foust, Jeff (2023-02-24). "NASA plans to start work this year on first Gateway logistics mission" (in en-US). https://spacenews.com/nasa-plans-to-start-work-this-year-on-first-gateway-logistics-mission/. 
  23. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (20 September 2023). "RFA-Led Consortium Submit Argo for ESA Commercial Cargo Initiative". https://europeanspaceflight.com/rfa-led-consortium-submit-argo-for-esa-commercial-cargo-initiative/. 
  24. ↑ Rocket Factory Augsburg. "One (c)argo capsule, tons of possibilities!". https://twitter.com/rfa_space/status/1704888661811110020?t=v0Ff6KeuWHr1ebs2isR_0A&s=19. 
  25. ↑ Parsonson, Andrew (23 February 2022). "The Exploration Company aims to offer Europe independent access to space". https://europeanspaceflight.com/the-exploration-company-aims-to-offer-europe-independent-access-to-space/. 
  26. ↑ The Exploration Company. "Missions". https://www.exploration.space/missions. 
  27. ↑ "Meet Qingzhou, China's next-gen cargo craft for its Tiangong space station (video)" (in en). 2025-12-22. https://www.space.com/space-exploration/human-spaceflight/meet-qingzhou-chinas-next-gen-cargo-craft-for-its-tiangong-space-station-video. 
  28. ↑ "China Details Cargo-toting Space Plane" (in en-US). https://www.leonarddavid.com/china-details-cargo-toting-space-plane/. 



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