Overview
Dragon is a family of partially reusable spacecraft developed by SpaceX. It comprises two active variants built on a shared 4-metre capsule platform: Crew Dragon carries up to 4 astronauts to the ISS under NASA's Commercial Crew Programme, and Cargo Dragon delivers up to 6,000 kg of supplies under the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract.
The Dragon programme holds several historic firsts: first commercial spacecraft recovered from orbit (December 2010), first commercial spacecraft to dock with the ISS (May 2012, via berthing), first commercial autonomous docking (March 2019) and first commercial vehicle to carry humans to orbit (May 2020).
Dragon Variants
| Feature | Crew Dragon | Cargo Dragon 2 | Dragon 1 (retired) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Type | Crewed | Cargo | Cargo |
| Crew | Up to 4 (7 max) | Uncrewed | Uncrewed |
| Cargo Up | Limited supplies | 6,000 kg | 3,310 kg |
| Return Cargo | Crew + samples | 3,000 kg | 2,500 kg |
| Abort System | 8 × SuperDraco | None | None |
| ISS Interface | Autonomous docking (IDA) | Autonomous docking (IDA) | Berthed (robotic arm) |
| Reusable | Yes (4+ flights) | Yes (multiple) | Yes |
| Status | ✅ Operational (2020–) | ✅ Operational (2020–) | Retired (2012–2020) |
Shared Design
Both Crew and Cargo Dragon 2 share the same 4-metre diameter gumdrop-shaped capsule, the same PICA-X heat shield, the same trunk design (solar panels + unpressurised cargo bay) and the same autonomous docking system. Both launch on Falcon 9 Block 5 from LC-39A at Kennedy Space Centre. The key differences are internal: Crew Dragon adds life support, crew displays, seats and the SuperDraco launch abort system; Cargo Dragon replaces these with additional cargo volume.
Reusability
Dragon capsules are the most reused crewed spacecraft since the Space Shuttle. Individual Crew Dragon capsules (such as C206 "Endeavour" and C207 "Resilience") have flown up to 4 missions each. Between flights, capsules undergo heat shield inspection, parachute replacement and system testing. The PICA-X ablative heat shield is the primary limiting factor for reuse. The trunk is expendable and burns up during re-entry — a new trunk is built for each mission.
History
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Dec 2010 | Dragon C1: First commercial spacecraft recovered from orbit |
| May 2012 | COTS Demo 2: First commercial spacecraft to berth with ISS |
| Oct 2012 | CRS-1: First operational cargo resupply mission |
| Mar 2019 | DM-1: First Crew Dragon flight; first autonomous commercial docking |
| Jan 2020 | In-flight abort test: SuperDraco system validated |
| May 2020 | DM-2: First commercial crewed orbital flight |
| Nov 2020 | Crew-1: First operational crew rotation |
| Sep 2021 | Inspiration4: First all-civilian orbital mission |
| Sep 2024 | Polaris Dawn: First commercial EVA; highest crewed orbit since Apollo |
For detailed mission logs, see the Crew Dragon and Cargo Dragon individual profiles.
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
- Crew7 max (4 typical)
- Pressurised vol9.3 m³
- Mass12,519 kg
- Launch vehicleFalcon 9
- Abort system8× SuperDraco (crew variant)
- LandingOcean splashdown
Pressurised volume to scale
Approximate pressurised volume — a sense of how roomy each vehicle is for crew or cargo.
Dragon vs every crew & cargo spacecraft
| Spacecraft | Type | Crew | Cargo kg | Vol m³ | Reuse | Debut | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 Dragon you are here | Crew + cargo family | 7 | 6,000 | 9.3 | ♻︎ Yes | 2010 | Operational |
| 🇺🇸 Crew Dragon | Crew capsule | 7 | — | 9.3 | ♻︎ Yes | 2020 | Operational |
| 🇺🇸 Cargo Dragon | Cargo spacecraft | — | 6,000 | 9.3 | ♻︎ Yes | 2020 | 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 Dragon across Orbital Radar
Frequently Asked Questions
Over 55 total as of 2026 — 15+ Crew Dragon crewed flights and 35+ cargo missions (Dragon 1 + Cargo Dragon 2). See the launch log for the complete record.
Dragon 1 was the original cargo-only variant (2010–2020) that was berthed to the ISS using the robotic arm. Dragon 2 is the current generation: Crew Dragon (crewed) and Cargo Dragon 2 (cargo). Dragon 2 docks autonomously and carries more payload.
Yes. Both variants are refurbished and reflown. Crew Dragon capsules have been reused up to 4 times. The trunk is expendable.