Comparison of space station cargo vehicles

The four currently active space station cargo vehicles. Clockwise from top left: Progress, Cargo Dragon 2, Cygnus, Tianzhou.

A number of different spacecraft have been used to carry cargo to and from space stations.

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) Automated docking Status (No. flights)
TKS  Soviet Union TsKBM Proton-K 17.51 13,688 21,620 12,600 4.15 2,400 No Retired (4)
Progress 7K-TG  Soviet Union Energia Soyuz-U None No Retired (43)
Progress-M (11F615A55)  Soviet Union
 Russia 		Energia Soyuz-U
Soyuz-U2 		7.2 7,130 2,600 7.6 150[a] 2.72 600[1] Yes Retired (66)
Progress-M1  Russia Energia Soyuz-U
Soyuz-FG 		None Yes Retired (11)
Progress-M (11F615A60)  Russia Energia Soyuz-U 7.2 7,150 2,230 7.6 None 2.72 700 Yes 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] No Retired (3 + 1 failed)
Dragon 1  USA SpaceX Falcon 9 6.1 4,200[4] 10,200[b] 3,310 (max) 2,200 (ave)[c][5] 10.0 / (14 or 34)[d][6] 3,000[e][7] 3.7 2,000[8] No 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] Yes Retired (5)
HTV  Japan JAXA H-IIB 10 10,500[12] 16,500[12] 3,000 / 1,000[12] 14 / 16[12] 20[f][13] 4.4 200 No Retired (9)
Tianzhou
(basic) 		 China CAST Long March 7 10.6 13,500 6,900[g][14] 18.1 None 3.35 Yes Retired (5)
Progress-MS  Russia Energia Soyuz 2.1a 7.2 7,150 2,230 None Yes Operational[15]
Cargo Dragon 2  USA SpaceX Falcon 9 8.1 6,400 3,307[5] 9.3 / 37 2,507[5] 4.0 Yes Operational
Enhanced Cygnus  USA Northrop Grumman Antares[h] 6.39 1,800[16] 3,750 27[16] None 3.07 3,500 No Operational
Tianzhou (improved)  China CAST Long March 7 10.6 14,000 7,400[i][14] 22.5 (~40 total) None 3.35 Yes Operational
Dream Chaser  USA Sierra Space Vulcan Centaur 16.8[17] 5,000 / 500[18] 1,750[18] ? Development
HTV-X  Japan JAXA H3[19] 10[j] 8,300 16,000, combined[20] 4,069 / 1,750 78[k] None 4.4 1,000 No[l] Development[21]
Cygnus Mission B  USA Northrop Grumman Antares 7.89 5,000 36 None 3.07 3,500 Planned Under construction[22]
Dragon XL  USA SpaceX Falcon Heavy 5,000[23] None Yes[23] Development[24]
Argo  Europe Rocket Factory Augsburg 3,400 <13 ≥1,000[25] Yes Development[26]
NYX  Europe The Exploration Company 4,000 2,500 / 100[27] Yes Development[28]


Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).

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  21. ^ Funding for HTV-X development was included in the FY 2016 JAXA budget
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  23. ^ a b "NASA picks SpaceX to deliver cargo to Gateway station in lunar orbit – Spaceflight Now". Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  24. ^ Foust, Jeff (2023-02-24). "NASA plans to start work this year on first Gateway logistics mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
  25. ^ Parsonson, Andrew (20 September 2023). "RFA-Led Consortium Submit Argo for ESA Commercial Cargo Initiative". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
  26. ^ Rocket Factory Augsburg. "One (c)argo capsule, tons of possibilities!". Twitter. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
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  28. ^ The Exploration Company. "Missions". Retrieved 22 September 2023.