Overview
Cargo Dragon (Dragon 2 Cargo variant, also called Dragon C2) is an uncrewed resupply spacecraft developed by SpaceX to deliver supplies, experiments and equipment to the International Space Station under NASA's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) programme. It is the successor to Dragon 1, which flew 20 CRS missions between 2012 and 2020.
Cargo Dragon's defining advantage is its ability to return payloads to Earth — up to 3,000 kg of pressurised cargo including science experiments, biological samples and station hardware. All other active ISS cargo vehicles (Cygnus, Progress) burn up on re-entry, meaning critical experiments can only return via Dragon. This makes it an irreplaceable part of the ISS science programme.
Like its crewed sibling (Crew Dragon), Cargo Dragon launches on Falcon 9 from Kennedy Space Centre and docks autonomously to the station. It does not carry a launch abort system, life support or crew displays.
Key Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | SpaceX |
| Type | Uncrewed cargo |
| Cargo Capacity (Up) | 6,000 kg pressurised + unpressurised |
| Return Cargo | 3,000 kg pressurised |
| Capsule Diameter | 4.0 m (13 ft) |
| Height (with trunk) | 8.1 m (26.7 ft) |
| Mass | ~12,519 kg (empty) |
| Pressurised Volume | 9.3 m³ + trunk |
| Launch Vehicle | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Launch Site | LC-39A, Kennedy Space Centre |
| Docking | Autonomous via IDA |
| Abort System | None (cargo only) |
| Heat Shield | PICA-X |
| Landing | Parachute splashdown |
| Reusability | Capsule reused multiple times; trunk expendable |
Dragon 1 vs Cargo Dragon 2
The original Dragon 1 flew CRS-1 through CRS-20 (2012–2020) and was berthed to the ISS using the station's robotic arm. Cargo Dragon 2 (CRS-21 onwards) docks autonomously, carries more cargo, and shares the Dragon 2 capsule design with Crew Dragon. Dragon 1 was retired after CRS-20 in March 2020.
| Feature | Dragon 1 | Cargo Dragon 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Missions | CRS-1 to CRS-20 | CRS-21 onwards |
| ISS Interface | Berthed (robotic arm) | Autonomous docking (IDA) |
| Cargo Up | 3,310 kg | 6,000 kg |
| Return Cargo | 2,500 kg | 3,000 kg |
| Reusable | Yes | Yes |
| Status | Retired (2020) | Active |
Cargo Dragon vs Competitors
| Parameter | Cargo Dragon | Cygnus | Progress | Tianzhou |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Country | 🇺🇸 USA | 🇺🇸 USA | 🇷🇺 Russia | 🇨🇳 China |
| Cargo Up | 6,000 kg | 3,750 kg | 2,400 kg | 6,500 kg |
| Return Cargo | 3,000 kg | — | — | — |
| Destination | ISS | ISS | ISS | CSS |
| Reusable | Yes | No | No | No |
| Launch Vehicle | Falcon 9 | Falcon 9/Antares | Soyuz | Long March 7 |
CRS Mission Log (Selected)
Highlights from the Commercial Resupply Services programme. For Crew Dragon missions, see the Crew Dragon page. Full data in the launch log.
| Mission | Date | Vehicle | Notable Cargo |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRS-1 | Oct 2012 | Dragon 1 | First commercial ISS resupply mission |
| CRS-8 | Apr 2016 | Dragon 1 | BEAM inflatable module; first Falcon 9 landing |
| CRS-20 | Mar 2020 | Dragon 1 | Final Dragon 1 mission |
| CRS-21 | Dec 2020 | Cargo Dragon 2 | First Cargo Dragon 2 mission; autonomous docking |
| CRS-25 | Jul 2022 | Cargo Dragon 2 | Earth science payloads, biology experiments |
| CRS-28 | Jun 2023 | Cargo Dragon 2 | ISS power upgrade hardware |
| CRS-30 | Mar 2024 | Cargo Dragon 2 | Science experiments and crew supplies |
Which spacecraft for your mission?
Pick a mission profile and we'll rank the world's crewed and cargo spacecraft by suitability — capability, flight heritage, reusability and fit. A live calculation across our spacecraft catalogue, not a static list.
Anatomy & mission profile
- Cargo (up)6,000 kg
- Pressurised vol9.3 m³
- Mass12,000 kg
- Launch vehicleFalcon 9
- Heat shieldPICA-X
- LandingOcean splashdown
Pressurised volume to scale
Approximate pressurised volume — a sense of how roomy each vehicle is for crew or cargo.
Cargo Dragon vs every crew & cargo spacecraft
| Spacecraft | Type | Crew | Cargo kg | Vol m³ | Reuse | Debut | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 Cargo Dragon you are here | Cargo spacecraft | — | 6,000 | 9.3 | ♻︎ Yes | 2020 | Operational |
| 🇺🇸 Crew Dragon | Crew capsule | 7 | — | 9.3 | ♻︎ Yes | 2020 | Operational |
| 🇺🇸 Dragon | Crew + cargo family | 7 | 6,000 | 9.3 | ♻︎ Yes | 2010 | Operational |
| 🇺🇸 Orion | Deep-space crew capsule | 4 | — | 19.6 | No | 2022 | Pre-operational |
| 🇺🇸 Starliner | Crew capsule | 7 | — | 11 | ♻︎ Yes | 2019 | Under review |
| 🇷🇺 Soyuz MS | Crew capsule | 3 | — | 7.5 | No | 1967 | Operational |
| 🇨🇳 Shenzhou | Crew capsule | 3 | — | 7 | No | 2003 | Operational |
| 🇷🇺 Progress | Cargo spacecraft | — | 2,400 | 7.6 | No | 1978 | Operational |
| 🇨🇳 Tianzhou | Cargo spacecraft | — | 6,700 | 18.1 | No | 2017 | Operational |
| 🇺🇸 Cygnus | Cargo spacecraft | — | 3,750 | 27 | No | 2013 | Operational |
| 🇺🇸 Dream Chaser | Cargo spaceplane | — | 5,500 | 16 | ♻︎ Yes | Planned | In development |
| 🇺🇸 Starship HLS | Crewed lunar lander | 4 | 100,000 | 100 | ♻︎ Yes | Planned | In development |
| 🇯🇵 HTV-X | Cargo spacecraft | — | 5,850 | 30 | No | Planned | In development |
Tap any column to sort · crew = maximum seats, cargo = pressurised + unpressurised upmass · figures are best estimates as of 2026.
Track Cargo Dragon across Orbital Radar
Frequently Asked Questions
Up to 6,000 kg of pressurised and unpressurised cargo to the ISS, and 3,000 kg of pressurised return cargo — science experiments, biological samples and hardware. The unpressurised trunk can carry external payloads like solar arrays.
Yes. The capsule is refurbished and reflown multiple times. The trunk is expendable. This lowers per-mission costs compared to expendable competitors.
Crew Dragon carries astronauts with life support and a SuperDraco abort system. Cargo Dragon carries supplies only — no life support, no abort engines, no crew displays. Both share the same capsule design and launch on Falcon 9. See the Dragon family overview.
Dragon 1 flew 20 CRS missions from 2012 to 2020 and was retired after CRS-20. It was replaced by Cargo Dragon 2, which carries more cargo and docks autonomously (Dragon 1 was berthed using the ISS robotic arm).