Comparison of space station cargo vehicles
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/e/e7/Progress_spacecraft.jpg/124px-Progress_spacecraft.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/0b/CRS-22_docking_approach_%28cropped%29.jpg/124px-CRS-22_docking_approach_%28cropped%29.jpg)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/77/Tianzhou_Rendering.png/124px-Tianzhou_Rendering.png)
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/17/Cygnus_Enhanced_spacecraft.jpg/124px-Cygnus_Enhanced_spacecraft.jpg)
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.
Spacecraft under development | |
Spacecraft is operational or inactive | |
Retired or cancelled spacecraft | |
§ | Pressurized / Unpressurized payload capacity |
Spacecraft | Origin | Manufacturer | Launch system | 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 | ![]() | TsKBM | Proton-K | 17.51 | 13,688 | 21,620 | 12,600 | 4.15 | 2,400 | No | Retired (4) | ||
Progress 7K-TG | ![]() | Energia | Soyuz-U | None | No | Retired (43) | |||||||
Progress-M 11F615A55 | ![]() ![]() | Energia | Soyuz-U Soyuz-U2 | 7.2 | 7,130 | 2,600 | 7.6 | 150[a] | 2.72 | 600[1] | Yes | Retired (66) | |
Progress-M1 | ![]() | Energia | Soyuz-U Soyuz-FG | None | Yes | Retired (11) | |||||||
Progress-M 11F615A60 | ![]() | Energia | Soyuz-U Soyuz-2.1a | 7.2 | 7,150 | 2,230 | 7.6 | None | 2.72 | 700 | Yes | Retired (27 + 2 failed) | |
Cygnus | ![]() | Orbital | Antares 1x0 | 5.14 | 1,500[2] | 2,000[2] | 18.9[2] | None | 3.07 | 3,500[3] | No | Retired (3 + 1 failed) | |
Dragon | ![]() | 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 | ![]() | EADS | Ariane 5ES | 10.3 | 10,470[10] | 20,750[10] | 7,667[10] | 48 | None | 4.5 | 3,800[11] | Yes | Retired (5) |
HTV | ![]() | 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) | ![]() | CAST | Long March 7 | 10.6 | 13,500 | 6,900[g][14] | 18.1 | None | 3.35 | Yes | Retired (5) | ||
Progress-MS | ![]() | Energia | Soyuz-U Soyuz-2.1a | 7.2 | 7,150 | 2,230 | None | Yes | Operational[15] | ||||
Cargo Dragon | ![]() | SpaceX | Falcon 9 | 8.1 | 6,400 | 3,307[5] | 9.3 / 37 | 2,507[5] | 4.0 | Yes | Operational | ||
Enhanced Cygnus | ![]() | Northrop Grumman | Antares Atlas V Falcon 9 | 6.39 | 1,800[16] | 3,750 | 27[16] | None | 3.07 | 3,500 | No | Operational | |
Tianzhou (improved) | ![]() | CAST | Long March 7 | 10.6 | 14,000 | 7,400[h][14] | 22.5 (~40 total) | None | 3.35 | Yes | Operational | ||
Dream Chaser Cargo System (reusable) | ![]() | Sierra Space | Vulcan Centaur | 16.8[17] | 5,000 / 500[18] | 1,750[18] | Yes | Development | |||||
HTV-X | ![]() | JAXA | H3[19] | 10[i] | 8,300 | 16,000, combined[20] | 4,069 / 1,750 | 78[j] | 4.4 | 1,000 | No[k] | Development[21] | |
Cygnus Mission B | ![]() | Northrop Grumman | Antares | 7.89 | 5,000 | 36 | None | 3.07 | 3,500 | Planned | Under construction[22] | ||
Dragon XL | ![]() | SpaceX | Falcon 9 | 5,000[23] | None | Yes[23] | Development[24] | ||||||
Argo | ![]() | Rocket Factory Augsburg | 3,400 | <13 | Greater than or equal to 1 Ton [25] | Yes | Development[26] | ||||||
NYX | ![]() | The Exploration Company | 4,000 | 2500 pressurized and 100 unpressurized[27] | Yes | Development[28] |
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/9e/Unmanned_resupply_spacecraft_comparison.png/880px-Unmanned_resupply_spacecraft_comparison.png)
Notes
- ^ With optional Raduga capsule.
- ^ 4,200kg dry mass + 6,000 kg up mass
- ^ In any combination of pressurized or unpressurized.
- ^ 34 unpressurized with extended trunk
- ^ Capsule return.
- ^ With optional HSRC.
- ^ Including propellant.
- ^ Including propellant.
- ^ 10 with cargo module, 6.2 without.
- ^ Combined.
- ^ Technology trial of an automated IDSS docking port fitted in place of unpressurised cargo module being planned.
See also
- Comparison of crewed space vehicles
- Comparison of orbital launch systems
- Comparison of orbital rocket engines
References
- ^ "Progress M". Archived from the original on 10 July 2009. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
- ^ a b c "Cygnus Fast Sheet" (PDF). Orbital Sciences Co. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
- ^ "The Annual Compendium of Commercial Space Transportation: 2012" (PDF). Federal Aviation Administration. February 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
- ^ "SpaceX Brochure v7" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
- ^ a b c Audit of Commercial Resupply Services to the International Space Station Archived 30 August 2018 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Overall Dragon Capabilities" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2011-01-04. Retrieved 2016-07-21.
- ^ "Falcon 9 launches Dragon on CRS-1 mission to the ISS". 7 October 2012.
- ^ "Dragonlab Datasheet" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 4 January 2011. Retrieved 29 May 2012.
- ^ Clark, Stephen. "With successful splashdown, SpaceX retires first version of Dragon spacecraft – Spaceflight Now". Retrieved 2020-04-10.
- ^ a b c "ESA Automated Transfer Vehicle". ESA. Retrieved 7 August 2013.
- ^ "ATV Utilization Relevant Data" (PDF). Retrieved 29 May 2012.
- ^ a b c d "JAXA transition examination of the new space station supply machine (HTV-X)" (PDF). JAXA. Retrieved 6 February 2018.
- ^ "HTV 搭載小型回収カプセルの開発" (PDF) (in Japanese). Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. 12 November 2014. Retrieved 2016-10-21.
- ^ a b Jones, Andrew (10 May 2023). "Tianzhou-6 cargo spacecraft reaches China's Tiangong space station". spacenews.com. Retrieved 10 May 2023.
- ^ "Upgraded Progress MS docks with the ISS". NASASpaceflight.com. 23 December 2015. Retrieved 26 December 2015.
- ^ a b "Cygnus Spacecraft Information". Spaceflight101. Archived from the original on 2015-09-09.
- ^ Meredith Garofalo (February 2, 2024). "Sierra Space unveils Dream Chaser space plane ahead of 1st flight to ISS (video)". Space.com.
- ^ a b Brian Wang (January 22, 2024). "Sierra Space Spaceplane and Space Stations". Next Big Future.
- ^ "H3,H-IIA/Bのミッション割当て(案)" (PDF) (in Japanese). MEXT. 8 March 2016. Retrieved 2016-03-10.
- ^ "HTV-X, the new unmanned spacecraft now being developed by JAXA". JAXA. Retrieved November 23, 2022.
- ^ Funding for HTV-X development was included in the FY 2016 JAXA budget
- ^ Parsonson, Andrew (2024-05-14). "Thales Alenia Space Delivers Pressurized Module for 21st Cygnus Spacecraft". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 2024-06-20.
- ^ a b "NASA picks SpaceX to deliver cargo to Gateway station in lunar orbit – Spaceflight Now". Retrieved 2023-06-07.
- ^ Foust, Jeff (2023-02-24). "NASA plans to start work this year on first Gateway logistics mission". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2023-06-07.
- ^ Parsonson, Andrew (20 September 2023). "RFA-Led Consortium Submit Argo for ESA Commercial Cargo Initiative". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ Rocket Factory Augsburg. "One (c)argo capsule, tons of possibilities!". Twitter. Retrieved 21 September 2023.
- ^ Parsonson, Andrew (23 February 2022). "The Exploration Company aims to offer Europe independent access to space". European Spaceflight. Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- ^ The Exploration Company. "Missions". Retrieved 22 September 2023.
- v
- t
- e
- Cygnus
- Cargo Dragon 2
- Progress
- Tianzhou
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/1a/Progress_M-52.jpg/100px-Progress_M-52.jpg)
- Blue Moon
- Dragon XL
- Dream Chaser
- HTV-X
- Soyuz GVK
- Starship
- Argo
- Andrews Cargo Module
- ARCTUS
- Jupiter
- Kistler K-1
- Parom
- S-550
- OMV
- Comparison of space station cargo vehicles