Comparison of crewed space vehicles

|bgcolor=khaki width=15px|

|Spacecraft under development

|Retired spacecraft

|{{double-dagger}}

|Payload To / From the ISS

|§

|Crewed (Uncrewed)
[Includes failures]

!width=80|Spacecraft

!Origin

!Manufacturer

!Range

!Launch system

!Crew size

!Length (m)

!Diameter (m)

!Launch mass (kg)

!Power system

!Recovery method

!Payload (kg) {{double-dagger}}

!First spaceflight §

!Last spaceflight

!Flights §

| Mercury

| {{Flag|USA}}

| McDonnell Aircraft
North American Aviation

| LEO
attained

| Redstone MRLV
Atlas LV-3B

| {{nts|1}}

| {{nts|3.34}}

| {{nts|1.89}}

|data-sort-value="1400"| 1,400

| Batteries

|Parachute splashdown (one drogue, one main)

|

|data-sort-value="1961.1"| {{nts|1961|format=no}} (1960)

| {{nts|1963|format=no}}

| {{nts|6|format=no}}
(12)Including 2 suborbital flights, not including boilerplate tests

| Gemini

| {{Flag|USA}}

| McDonnell Aircraft
Martin

| LEO

| Titan II GLV
Titan IIICOne uncrewed launch on Titan IIIC ahead of proposed use in MOL programme

| {{nts|2}}

| {{nts|5.56}}

| {{nts|3.05}}

|data-sort-value="3790"| 3,790

| Fuel cells

|Parachute splashdown (one drogue, one main)

|

|data-sort-value="1965"| {{nts|1965|format=no}} (1964)

| {{nts|1966|format=no}}

| {{nts|10|format=no}}
(2)

| Apollo

| {{Flag|USA}}

| North American Aviation
Grumman and Douglas

| Lunar

| Saturn IB
Saturn V

| {{nts|3}}

| {{nts| 8.5}}

| {{nts|3.91}}

| {{ntsh|20200}} 5,500 CM + 14,700 LM +
24,500 Service Module

| Fuel cells

|Parachute splashdown (two drogues, three pilots, three mains)

|

|data-sort-value="1967"| {{nts|1967|format=no}} (1966)

| {{nts|1975|format=no}}

| {{nts|15|format=no}}
(4)Not including boilerplate tests

| Space Shuttle orbiter

| {{Flag|USA}}

| Rockwell International

| LEO

| Space Shuttle

| {{nts|8}}No missions carried more than eight astronauts, although higher crew sizes were theoretically possible, for example recovering the crew of a stranded orbiter.

| {{nts|37.24}}

| {{nts|4.8}}Wingspan 23.79m

| {{nts|109000}}

| Fuel cells

|Runway landing (with one pilot and one drogue chute from mid-1990s)

| {{nts|12,500}}/16,000

|data-sort-value="1981"| {{nts|1981|format=no}}

| {{nts|2011|format=no}}

| {{nts|135|format=no}}Includes two fatal accidents; STS-51-L disintegrated during ascent, STS-107 damaged during ascent, disintegrated during reentry.

| Soyuz 7K-T

| {{Flag|USSR}}

| OKB-1

| LEO

| Soyuz
Soyuz-U

| {{nts|2}}

| {{nts|7.48}}

| {{nts|2.72}}

| data-sort-value="6830"| 6,830

| Batteries

|Parachute landing

|

|data-sort-value="1973.1"| {{nts|1973|format=no}}

| {{nts|1981|format=no}}

| {{nts|26|format=no}} (4)Crewed flights include one launch failure - abort during third stage flight, recovered after suborbital flight

| Voskhod

| {{Flag|USSR}}

| OKB-1

| LEO

| Voskhod

| {{nts|3}}Able to carry three cosmonauts without spacesuits, or two with spacesuits; both combinations flown

| {{nts|5}}

| {{nts|2.4}}

| data-sort-value="5682"| 5,682

| Batteries

|Parachute landing

|

|data-sort-value="1964"| {{nts|1964|format=no}} (1964)

| {{nts|1965|format=no}}

| {{nts|2}} (3)

| Vostok

| {{Flag|USSR}}

| OKB-1

| LEO
first

| Vostok-K

| {{nts|1}}

| {{nts|4.4}}

| {{nts|2.43}}

| data-sort-value="4725"| {{nts|4,725}}

| Batteries

|Parachute landing

|

|data-sort-value="1961.0"| {{nts|1961|format=no}} (1960)

| {{nts|1963|format=no}}

| {{nts|6}} (7)Uncrewed flight count includes two launch failures

| Soyuz 7K-OK

| {{Flag|USSR}}

| OKB-1

| LEO

| Soyuz

| {{nts|3}}

| {{nts|7.48}}

| {{nts|2.72}}

| data-sort-value="6560"|6,560

| Solar panels

|Parachute landing

|

|data-sort-value="1967"| {{nts|1967|format=no}} (1966)

| {{nts|1970|format=no}}

| {{nts|8|format=no}} (8)Crewed flights include one fatal in-flight failure; Soyuz 1 lost due to parachute failure upon landing.

| Soyuz 7KT-OK

| {{Flag|USSR}}

| OKB-1

| LEO

| Soyuz

| {{nts|3}}

| {{nts|7.48}}

| {{nts|2.72}}

| data-sort-value="6790"|6,790

| Solar panels

|Parachute landing

|

|data-sort-value="1971"| {{nts|1971|format=no}}

| {{nts|1971|format=no}}

| {{nts|2|format=no}}Crewed flights include one fatal in-flight failure; Soyuz 11 depressurised during reentry.

| Soyuz 7K-T-AF

| {{Flag|USSR}}

| OKB-1

| LEO

| Soyuz

| {{nts|2}}

| {{nts|7.48}}

| {{nts|2.72}}

| data-sort-value="6570"|6,570

| Solar panels

|Parachute landing

|

|data-sort-value="1973.0"| {{nts|1973|format=no}}

| {{nts|1973|format=no}}

| {{nts|1|format=no}}

| Soyuz 7K-TM

| {{Flag|USSR}}

| OKB-1

| LEO

| Soyuz-U

| {{nts|2}}

| {{nts|7.48}}

| {{nts|2.72}}

| data-sort-value="6570"|6,570

| Solar panels

|Parachute landing

|

|data-sort-value="1974"| {{nts|1974|format=no}}

| {{nts|1975|format=no}}

| {{nts|2|format=no}} (2)

| Soyuz 7K-MF6

| {{Flag|USSR}}

| OKB-1

| LEO

| Soyuz-U

| {{nts|2}}

| {{nts|7.48}}

| {{nts|2.72}}

| data-sort-value="6510"|6,510

| Solar panels

|Parachute landing

|

|data-sort-value="1976"| {{nts|1976|format=no}}

| {{nts|1976|format=no}}

| {{nts|1|format=no}}

| Soyuz-T

| {{Flag|USSR}}

| OKB-1

| LEO

| Soyuz-U
Soyuz-U2

| {{nts|3}}

| {{nts|7.48}}

| {{nts|2.72}}

| data-sort-value="6850"|6,850

| Solar panels

|Parachute landing

|

|data-sort-value="1978"| {{nts|1978|format=no}}

| {{nts|1986|format=no}}

| {{nts|15|format=no}} (6)Crewed flights include one launch failure (SAS (launch escape system) used ~70 seconds before planned liftoff due to fire on launch pad - crew survived)

| Soyuz-TM

| {{Flag|USSR}}
{{Flag|Russia}}

| RKK Energia

| LEO

| Soyuz-U2
Soyuz-U

| {{nts|3}}

| {{nts|7.48}}

| {{nts|2.72}}

| data-sort-value="7250"|7,250

| Solar panels

|Parachute landing

|

|data-sort-value="1986"| {{nts|1986|format=no}}

| {{nts|2002|format=no}}

| {{nts|33|format=no}} (1)

| Buran

| {{Flag|USSR}}

| RKK Energia

| LEO

| Energia

| {{nts|10}}

| {{nts|36.37}}

| {{nts|4.65}} Wingspan 23.92m

| data-sort-value="105000"| 105,000

| Fuel cells

|Runway landing with three drogue chutes

| data-sort-value="30000" | 30,000 planned payload, never used

|data-sort-value="(1988)"| N/A {{nts|(1988)|format=no}}

| {{nts|(1988)|format=no}}

| {{nts|0}} (1)

| Soyuz-TMA
11F732

| {{Flag|Russia}}

| RKK Energia

| LEO

| Soyuz-FG

| {{nts|3}}

| {{nts|7.48}}

| {{nts|2.72}}

| data-sort-value="7250"| 7,250

| Solar panels

|Parachute landing with retrorockets

|

|data-sort-value="2002"| {{nts|2002|format=no}}

| {{nts|2012|format=no}}

| {{nts|22|format=no}}

| Soyuz TMA-M
11F747

| {{Flag|Russia}}

| RKK Energia

| LEO

| Soyuz-FG

| {{nts|3}}

| {{nts|7.48}}

| {{nts|2.72}}

|data-sort-value="7150"| {{nts|7,150}}

| Solar panels

|Parachute landing with retrorockets

|

|data-sort-value="2010"| {{nts|2010|format=no}}

| {{nts|2016|format=no}}

| {{nts|19|format=no}}

| {{Flag|China}}

| China Academy of Space Technology

| LEO

| Chang Zheng 2F

| {{nts|3}}

| {{nts|9.25}}

| {{nts|2.80}}

|data-sort-value="7840"| {{nts|7,840}}

| Solar panels

|Parachute landing

|

|data-sort-value="2003"| {{nts|2003|format=no}} (1999)

| Active

| {{nts|12|format=no}} (5)

| {{Flag|Russia}}

| RKK Energia

| LEO

| Soyuz-2.1a

| {{nts|3}}

| {{nts|7.48}}

| {{nts|2.72}}

| data-sort-value="7080"| 7,080

| Solar panels

|Parachute landing with retrorockets

|

| {{nts|2016|format=no}}

| Active

| {{nts|22}} (2)

| {{Flag|USA}}

| SpaceX

| LEO

| Falcon 9

| {{nts|4}}{{cite news|title=After redesigns, the finish line is in sight for SpaceX's Crew Dragon spaceship|date=7 December 2019|first=Stephen|last=Clark|publisher=Spaceflight Now|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/12/07/after-redesigns-the-finish-line-is-in-sight-for-spacexs-crew-dragon/|quote='With [the addition of parachutes] and the angle of the seats, we could not get seven anymore', Shotwell said. "So now we only have four seats. That was kind of a big change for us".|access-date=1 June 2020|archive-date=6 June 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200606095625/https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/12/07/after-redesigns-the-finish-line-is-in-sight-for-spacexs-crew-dragon/|url-status=live}}

| {{nts|8.1}}{{cite web |title=Falcon 9 |url=https://www.spacex.com/falcon9 |publisher=SpaceX |access-date=20 January 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130715094112/http://www.spacex.com/falcon9 |archive-date=15 July 2013 }}

| {{nts|3.7}}{{cite web|url=https://www.spacex.com/SpaceX_Brochure_V7_All.pdf |title=SpaceX Brochure – 2008 |access-date=9 December 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120320032815/http://www.spacex.com/SpaceX_Brochure_V7_All.pdf |archive-date=20 March 2012 }}

| {{nts|12055}}{{cite web|url=https://spaceflightnow.com/2019/02/28/spacexs-crew-dragon-rolls-out-for-test-flight/|title=SpaceX's Crew Dragon ready for first test flight – Spaceflight Now|last=Clark|first=Stephen|language=en-US|access-date=2019-03-02}}

| Solar Panels

|Parachute splashdown (two drogues, four mains), propulsive landing or splashdown for emergencies{{Cite web |last=McCrea |first=Aaron |date=2024-10-10 |title=Dragon receives long-planned propulsive landing upgrade after years of development |url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2024/10/dragon-propulsive-landing/ |access-date=2024-11-12 |website=NASASpaceFlight.com |language=en-US}}

| {{nts|3307}}/{{nts|2507}}

| {{nts|2020|format=no}} ({{nts|2019|format=no}})

| Active

| {{nts|11|format=no}} (1)

| {{Flag|USA}}

| Boeing

| LEO

| Atlas V

| {{nts|7}} Each mission in the Commercial Crew Program will send up to four astronauts to the ISS

| {{nts|5.03}}

| {{nts|4.56}}

| data-sort-value="13000"| 13,000

| Solar panels

|Parachute landing (two forward cover chutes, two drogues, three pilots and three mains) with airbags

|

| {{nts|2024|format=no}} ({{nts|2019|format=no}})

| Active

| {{nts|1|format=no}} ({{nts|2|format=no}})

| Orion

| {{Flag|USA}}

| Lockheed Martin
Astrium

| Lunar, Mars

| Space Launch System

| {{nts|4}}Originally set to launch up to 6 astronauts, when designed for transportation of crew to the ISS under the Constellation Program

| {{nts|3.3}}

| {{nts|5}}

| {{ntsh|21200}} 8,900 capsule +
12,300 service module

| Solar panels

|Parachute splashdown (two drogues, three pilots and three mains)

|

| {{nts|2025|format=no}} (2014)

| Testing

| {{nts|0|format=no}} {{nts|(2)|format=no}}Including uncrewed test in 2014

| Mengzhou

| {{Flag|China}}

| China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

| LEO, Lunar

| Long March 10

| {{nts|7}}

| {{nts|8.8}}

| {{nts|4.5}}

|data-sort-value="21600"| {{nts|21,600}}

| Solar panels

|

|

|data-sort-value="2026"| {{nts|2026 (2020)|format=no}}

| Testing

| {{nts|0|format=no}}
(1)

| Gaganyaan

| {{Flag|India}}

| Indian Space Research Organization

| LEO

| GSLV Mk III

| {{nts|3}}

| {{nts|7}}

| {{nts|3.5}}

|data-sort-value="7800"| {{nts|7800}}

| Solar Panels

|Parachute splashdown (with drogues and mains)

|

|data-sort-value="2021"| (Planned: {{nts|2024|format=no}})

| Planned

| {{nts|0|format=no}}

| Starship

| {{Flag|USA}}

| SpaceX

| Solar SystemDesigned to land almost everywhere in the Solar System

| Starship

| {{nts|100}} Number of seats will be lower on early missions

| {{nts|55}}

| {{nts|9}} Plus delta wings

| {{nts|1335000}}

| Solar Panels

|Propulsive landing (caught by mechanical arms on the launch tower when landing on launch site)

|

| {{ntsh|2023}} (Planned: {{nts|2023|format=no}})

| Testing

| {{nts|0|format=no}}

| Orel

| {{Flag|Russia}}

| RKK Energia

| LEO,Lunar

| Irtysh (rocket)
Angara A5

| {{nts|6}}

| {{nts|6.1}}

|

| data-sort-value="37478"| 37,478

| Solar panels

|

|

| data-sort-value="2028"| (Planned: {{nts|2028|format=no}})

| Planned

| {{nts|0}}

| Dream Chaser

| {{Flag|USA}}

| Sierra Nevada Corporation

| LEO

| Vulcan Centaur

| {{nts|7}}

| {{nts|9}}

| {{nts|7}} Including wings

|data-sort-value="11300"|{{nts|11,300}}

| Solar panels

|Runway landing

|

| TBA

| Planned

| {{nts|0}}

| Biconic Space Vehicle

| {{Flag|USA}}

| Blue Origin

| LEO

| New Glenn

| {{nts|7}}

| {{nts|98}}

| {{nts|7}}

|

|

|

|

| TBA

| Planned

| {{nts|0}}

| Nyx

| {{Flag|Germany}} {{Flag|France}}

| The Exploration Company

| LEO,Lunar

| Ariane 6 or Falcon 9

|

|

| {{nts|4}}

| data-sort-value="8000"| 8,000

| Solar panels

|

| 4,000 LEO, 2,000 Lunar

| TBA

| Planned

| {{nts|0}}

! width=80|Spacecraft

! Origin

! Manufacturer

! Altitude

! Launch system

! Crew size

! Length (m)

! Diameter (m)

! Launch mass (kg)

! Power system

! Generated power (W)

!Recovery method

! First spaceflight §

! Last spaceflight

! Flights §

| SpaceShipOne

| {{Flag|USA}}

| Scaled Composites

| 112 km
X Prize

| White Knight
Hybrid Motor

| {{nts|1}}

| 8.53

| 8.05

|data-sort-value="3600"| 3,600

| Batteries

|

|Runway landing

| data-sort-value="2004" | {{nts|2004|format=no}}

| {{nts|2004|format=no}}

| {{nts|3|format=no}}Does not include crewed atmospheric flights

| X-15

| {{Flag|USA}}

| North American Aviation

| 108 km
altitude

| B-52
Ammonia-LOX

| {{nts|1}}

| 15.45

| 6.8

|data-sort-value="15420"| 15,420

| Two 28 volt-300 amp DC generators

|

|Runway landing

| data-sort-value="1963" | {{nts|1963|format=no}}Does not include only-U.S.-recognized spaceflights

| {{nts|1963|format=no}}

| {{nts|2|format=no}}Does not include atmospheric flights, or missions considered spaceflights by the US definition but not the FAI's definition

| SpaceShipTwo

| {{Flag|USA}}

| Virgin Galactic

| 90 km

| White Knight Two
RocketMotorTwo

| {{nts|8}}2 crew + 6 passengers

| 18.3

| 8.3

|data-sort-value="9740"| 9,740

| Batteries

|

|Runway landing

| December 13, 2018

|2024

| {{nts|2|format=no}}Does not include crewed atmospheric flights

| {{Flag|USA}}

| Blue Origin

| 119 km

|New Shepard
BE-3

| {{nts|6}}

| {{nts|18}}

| {{nts|3.7}}

| data-sort-value="75000"| 75,000 to date only 45,000

| Batteries

|

|Parachute landing (three drogues, three mains) with retrorockets

| data-sort-value="2017" | {{nts|2021|format=no}}
(2015)

|

|6 (17)

|Spica Rocket

|{{Flag|Denmark}}

|Copenhagen Suborbitals

|105 km

|BPM100

|1

|13

|1

|4,100

|Batteries

|

|Parachute splashdown

|2025

|Early Development

|0