Uncrewed spaceflights to the International Space Station (ISS) are made primarily to deliver cargo, however several Russian modules have also docked to the outpost following uncrewed launches. Resupply missions typically use the Russian Progress spacecraft, European Automated Transfer Vehicles, Japanese Kounotori vehicles, and the American Dragon and Cygnus spacecraft. The primary docking system for Progress spacecraft is the automated Kurs system, with the manual TORU system as a backup. ATVs also use Kurs, however they are not equipped with TORU. The other spacecraft — the Japanese HTV, the SpaceX Dragon (under CRS phase 1) and the Northrop Grumman[1] Cygnus — rendezvous with the station before being grappled using Canadarm2 and berthed at the nadir port of the Harmony or Unity module for one to two months. Progress, Cygnus and ATV can remain docked for up to six months.[2][3] Under CRS phase 2, Cargo Dragon docks autonomously at IDA-2 or 3 as the case may be. As of November 2024, Progress spacecraft have flown most of the uncrewed missions to the ISS.
To avoid confusion, this list includes Soyuz MS-23, which was launched uncrewed and landed crewed, but does not include Soyuz MS-22 and Boeing Crewed Flight Test, which was launched crewed and landed uncrewed, which is listed at List of human spaceflights to the International Space Station.
- ^ "Acquisition of Orbital ATK approved, company renamed Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems". 6 June 2018.
- ^ "ESA;— ATV;— Crew role in mission control". Esa.int. 2011-03-02. Retrieved 2011-05-23.
- ^ "ESA — Human Spaceflight and Exploration;— International Space Station;— Automated Transfer Vehicle (ATV)". Esa.int. 2009-01-16. Retrieved 2011-05-23.