Overview
Crew Dragon (officially Dragon 2) is a partially reusable crewed spacecraft developed by SpaceX under NASA's Commercial Crew Programme. It is the first commercially built and operated spacecraft to carry humans to orbit, achieving this milestone on 30 May 2020 (Demo-2 mission). Crew Dragon is NASA's primary vehicle for transporting astronauts to the International Space Station, ending years of US dependence on the Russian Soyuz for crew access.
Unlike its cargo sibling (Cargo Dragon), Crew Dragon features life support systems, crew displays, an integrated launch escape system and an autonomous docking interface. It launches atop a Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Centre (LC-39A) and splashes down in the ocean, where it is recovered by SpaceX's dedicated recovery fleet — vessels Megan and Shannon, equipped with medical facilities and helipads for rapid crew extraction.
Key Specifications
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | SpaceX |
| Crew Capacity | Up to 4 (NASA missions) / 7 max |
| Capsule Diameter | 4.0 m (13 ft) |
| Height (with trunk) | 8.1 m (26.7 ft) |
| Mass | ~12,519 kg (27,600 lb) |
| Pressurised Volume | 9.3 m³ |
| Launch Vehicle | Falcon 9 Block 5 |
| Launch Site | LC-39A, Kennedy Space Centre |
| Docking | Autonomous via International Docking Adapter (IDA) |
| Abort System | 8 × SuperDraco engines (integrated pusher) |
| Heat Shield | PICA-X (Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator) |
| Landing | Parachute splashdown (Atlantic/Gulf of Mexico) |
| Mission Duration | Up to 210 days docked at ISS |
| Reusability | Capsules flown up to 6 times; trunk expendable |
| Re-entry Speed | ~7.8 km/s (LEO return) |
NASA Commercial Crew Missions
Crew Dragon is the backbone of NASA's crew rotation programme at the ISS. Each operational mission carries 4 astronauts for approximately 6-month stays. The first operational flight (Crew-1) launched in November 2020, and SpaceX has flown every NASA crew rotation since.
The programme was preceded by two demonstration missions: DM-1 (uncrewed, March 2019) and DM-2 (crewed, May 2020). DM-2 carried NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken — the first astronauts launched from US soil since the final Space Shuttle flight in 2011.
Private & Commercial Missions
Inspiration4 (September 2021): The first all-civilian orbital mission — four private citizens spent 3 days in free-flight orbit at 585 km altitude, higher than the ISS and the Hubble Space Telescope. No professional astronauts were aboard.
Axiom Missions: A series of private astronaut missions to the ISS organised by Axiom Space. These carry commercial researchers, international partner astronauts and private crew members for stays of approximately 10–14 days. Axiom is building its own commercial space station modules that will eventually detach from the ISS.
Polaris Programme: A privately funded series led by Jared Isaacman. Polaris Dawn (September 2024) achieved several milestones: the first commercial EVA (spacewalk), the highest crewed Earth orbit since Apollo at approximately 1,400 km, and the first test of SpaceX's new EVA suit. The programme demonstrated Crew Dragon's versatility beyond ISS transport.
Dragon Missions: Crew and Cargo
Crew Dragon is the crewed version of SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft. Counting every version, Dragon has flown 56 times: 21 as Crew Dragon and 35 as a cargo ship. The cargo total includes the original Dragon 1, which first flew in December 2010 and became the first commercially built spacecraft to be recovered from orbit.
| Dragon version | Role | Flights |
|---|---|---|
| Crew Dragon | Astronaut transport | 21 |
| Cargo Dragon, including Dragon 1 | ISS resupply | 35 |
| All Dragon flights | Crew and cargo | 56 |
Cargo flights are covered on the Cargo Dragon page; Crew Dragon's own missions are below.
Crew Dragon Mission Log
Every Crew Dragon flight, newest first: 21 in all, 20 of them crewed. Each mission name links to its launch record. Cargo flights are in the Cargo Dragon mission log.
| # | Mission | Launched | Capsule | Crew |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Crew-12 | 13 Feb 2026 | Freedom (C212), flight 5 | Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot, Andrey Fedyaev |
| 20 | Crew-11 | 1 Aug 2025 | Endeavour (C206), flight 6 | Zena Cardman, Mike Fincke, Kimiya Yui, Oleg Platonov |
| 19 | Ax-4 | 25 Jun 2025 | Grace (C213), flight 1 | Peggy Whitson, Shubhanshu Shukla, Sławosz Uznański-Wiśniewski, Tibor Kapu |
| 18 | Fram2 First crewed polar orbit | 1 Apr 2025 | Resilience (C207), flight 4 | Chun Wang, Jannicke Mikkelsen, Rabea Rogge, Eric Philips |
| 17 | Crew-10 | 14 Mar 2025 | Endurance (C210), flight 4 | Anne McClain, Nichole Ayers, Takuya Onishi, Kirill Peskov |
| 16 | Crew-9 Launched with two seats empty; returned in March 2025 with Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams | 28 Sep 2024 | Freedom (C212), flight 4 | Nick Hague, Aleksandr Gorbunov |
| 15 | Polaris Dawn First commercial spacewalk | 10 Sep 2024 | Resilience (C207), flight 3 | Jared Isaacman, Scott Poteet, Sarah Gillis, Anna Menon |
| 14 | Crew-8 | 4 Mar 2024 | Endeavour (C206), flight 5 | Matthew Dominick, Michael Barratt, Jeanette Epps, Alexander Grebenkin |
| 13 | Ax-3 | 18 Jan 2024 | Freedom (C212), flight 3 | Michael López-Alegría, Walter Villadei, Marcus Wandt, Alper Gezeravcı |
| 12 | Crew-7 | 26 Aug 2023 | Endurance (C210), flight 3 | Jasmin Moghbeli, Andreas Mogensen, Satoshi Furukawa, Konstantin Borisov |
| 11 | Ax-2 | 21 May 2023 | Freedom (C212), flight 2 | Peggy Whitson, John Shoffner, Rayyanah Barnawi, Ali AlQarni |
| 10 | Crew-6 | 2 Mar 2023 | Endeavour (C206), flight 4 | Stephen Bowen, Warren Hoburg, Sultan Al Neyadi, Andrey Fedyaev |
| 9 | Crew-5 | 5 Oct 2022 | Endurance (C210), flight 2 | Nicole Mann, Josh Cassada, Koichi Wakata, Anna Kikina |
| 8 | Crew-4 | 27 Apr 2022 | Freedom (C212), flight 1 | Kjell Lindgren, Bob Hines, Jessica Watkins, Samantha Cristoforetti |
| 7 | Ax-1 First all-private crew to visit the ISS | 8 Apr 2022 | Endeavour (C206), flight 3 | Michael López-Alegría, Larry Connor, Mark Pathy, Eytan Stibbe |
| 6 | Crew-3 | 11 Nov 2021 | Endurance (C210), flight 1 | Raja Chari, Tom Marshburn, Kayla Barron, Matthias Maurer |
| 5 | Inspiration4 First all-civilian orbital mission | 16 Sep 2021 | Resilience (C207), flight 2 | Jared Isaacman, Hayley Arceneaux, Sian Proctor, Chris Sembroski |
| 4 | Crew-2 First reflight of a Crew Dragon capsule | 23 Apr 2021 | Endeavour (C206), flight 2 | Shane Kimbrough, Megan McArthur, Thomas Pesquet, Akihiko Hoshide |
| 3 | Crew-1 First operational crew rotation | 16 Nov 2020 | Resilience (C207), flight 1 | Mike Hopkins, Victor Glover, Shannon Walker, Soichi Noguchi |
| 2 | Demo-2 First crewed flight; first astronauts launched from the US since 2011 | 30 May 2020 | Endeavour (C206), flight 1 | Doug Hurley, Bob Behnken |
| 1 | Demo-1 Uncrewed test; docked autonomously with the ISS | 2 Mar 2019 | C204, flight 1 | Uncrewed test flight |
Updated automatically from Orbital Radar's launch records.
SuperDraco Abort System
Crew Dragon features an integrated launch escape system using eight SuperDraco engines built into the capsule walls in four paired pods. Each engine produces 71 kN of thrust, giving the system enough power to pull the capsule away from a failing rocket at any point during ascent — from the pad through orbital insertion.
Unlike traditional tower-mounted abort systems (used by Orion, Soyuz and Shenzhou), the pusher configuration eliminates the tower jettison event and allows abort capability throughout the entire ascent profile. The system was successfully demonstrated in an in-flight abort test in January 2020, where the capsule separated from a Falcon 9 at maximum dynamic pressure (Max-Q).
SuperDraco engines are 3D-printed using Inconel superalloy via direct metal laser sintering — a first for a crewed spacecraft propulsion system. They also provide redundancy: the capsule can complete an abort with only one engine in each pod firing.
Reusability
Crew Dragon capsules are designed and certified for multiple flights. Individual capsules (identified by serial numbers such as C206 "Endeavour" and C207 "Resilience") have flown up to 6 times, with refurbishment between missions. This makes Dragon the first reusable crewed orbital spacecraft since the Space Shuttle.
Between flights, capsules undergo inspection, heat shield assessment, parachute replacement and system testing. The PICA-X heat shield (Phenolic Impregnated Carbon Ablator, developed by SpaceX based on NASA's original PICA material) is an ablative shield that erodes during re-entry — its condition determines whether the capsule can fly again.
The trunk — the unpressurised cylindrical section beneath the capsule that carries cargo and solar panels — is expendable and burns up during re-entry. A new trunk is manufactured for each mission.
Crew Dragon vs Competitors
| Parameter | Crew Dragon | Starliner | Soyuz MS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 4 (7 max) | 4 (7 max) | 3 |
| Diameter | 4.0 m | 4.56 m | 2.72 m |
| Mass | 12,519 kg | 13,000 kg | 7,220 kg |
| Volume | 9.3 m³ | 11 m³ | 3.5 m³ |
| Abort | SuperDraco (integrated) | 4 × LAE (pusher) | SAS tower (puller) |
| Landing | Ocean splashdown | Airbag land landing | Parachute land landing |
| Reusable | Yes (up to 6 flights) | Yes (10 target) | No |
| Launch Vehicle | Falcon 9 | Atlas V / Vulcan | Soyuz 2.1a |
| Operational Since | 2020 | TBD | 1967 |
Key Milestones
| Date | Milestone |
|---|---|
| Mar 2019 | DM-1: First uncrewed flight and autonomous ISS docking |
| Jan 2020 | In-flight abort test: SuperDraco system validated at Max-Q |
| May 2020 | DM-2: First crewed flight — first commercial crew to orbit |
| Nov 2020 | Crew-1: First operational crew rotation mission |
| Apr 2021 | Crew-2: First reuse of a Crew Dragon capsule |
| Sep 2021 | Inspiration4: First all-civilian orbital mission |
| Apr 2022 | Ax-1: First private astronaut mission to ISS |
| Sep 2024 | Polaris Dawn: First commercial EVA; highest crewed orbit since Apollo |
| Mar 2025 | Crew-9: Returned to Earth with Starliner CFT astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams |
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 (integrated pusher)
- LandingOcean splashdown
Pressurised volume to scale
Approximate pressurised volume — a sense of how roomy each vehicle is for crew or cargo.
Crew Dragon vs every crew & cargo spacecraft
| Spacecraft | Type | Crew | Cargo kg | Vol m³ | Reuse | Debut | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🇺🇸 Crew Dragon you are here | 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 | 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 | 2025 | Pre-operational |
Tap any column to sort · crew = maximum seats, cargo = pressurised + unpressurised upmass · figures are best estimates as of 2026.
Track Crew Dragon across Orbital Radar
Frequently Asked Questions
Crew Dragon has flown 21 times: the uncrewed Demo-1 test in 2019, then 20 crewed missions from Demo-2 in 2020 onwards. They include NASA crew rotations, private Axiom missions, Inspiration4, Polaris Dawn and Fram2. The most-flown capsule has made 6 flights. Every flight is listed in the mission log.
Dragon has flown 56 times across its versions: 21 as Crew Dragon and 35 as a cargo ship, counting the original Dragon 1, which first flew in 2010. Cargo flights are covered on the Cargo Dragon page.
Up to 4 astronauts for NASA operational missions. The capsule is designed for a maximum of 7, but NASA missions use 4 seats with additional cargo space. Inspiration4 and Polaris missions also flew 4 crew members.
Yes. Capsules are refurbished between flights, and the most-flown has made 6 flights. The PICA-X heat shield is ablative and inspected between missions. The trunk is expendable. This makes Crew Dragon the first reusable crewed orbital spacecraft since the Space Shuttle.
Cargo Dragon is an uncrewed variant that carries up to 6,000 kg of supplies without life support, crew displays or the SuperDraco abort system. Both share the same 4-metre capsule shell, launch on Falcon 9, and are partially reusable. See Dragon missions: crew and cargo.
Autonomously, using NASA's International Docking Adapter (IDA). The spacecraft uses GPS, lidar, infrared sensors and visual cameras for approach and alignment. The crew can take manual control via touchscreen displays if needed. This replaced the robotic arm capture method used by the original Dragon 1.
A privately funded mission (September 2024) led by Jared Isaacman that achieved the first commercial EVA, flew to ~1,400 km altitude (highest crewed orbit since Apollo), and tested SpaceX's new EVA suit. Part of the three-mission Polaris programme.
No. Crew Dragon is designed for low Earth orbit operations. It lacks the heat shield rating for lunar return speeds (11 km/s vs ~7.8 km/s from LEO) and does not carry sufficient propulsion for trans-lunar injection. NASA uses the purpose-built Orion capsule for Artemis lunar missions, with Starship HLS as the lunar lander.