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. 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) 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.