Re-Entry Vehicles
The Re-entry Vehicle Index is your go-to resource for exploring the spacecraft designed to survive the intense heat and forces of atmospheric re-entry. From early capsules like Vostok and Mercury to modern crewed systems such as Orion and Dragon, this index highlights the technologies and missions that define safe return from space.
Re-entry vehicles are critical for transporting astronauts, scientific samples, and cargo back to Earth. They feature advanced heat shields, aerodynamic control systems, and structural resilience to withstand extreme thermal and mechanical stress during descent. These vehicles play a pivotal role in human spaceflight, satellite servicing, and sample-return missions from the Moon, Mars, and beyond.
This index covers vehicle configurations, thermal protection systems, recovery methods, and missions. It offers a overview of how re-entry technology has evolved to support reliable Earth return and expand the scope of space operations.
Apollo
Apollo Command Module NASA USA
The Apollo Command Module (CM) was the crewed capsule used in the Apollo lunar missions, designed for deep-space travel and high-speed Earth re-entry.
Habitable Volume:6.2 m³
Mass:5,900 kg
Payload Capacity
Crew: Up to 3 astronauts
Cargo: Lunar rock samples (~110 kg max)
Landing Site: Pacific Ocean (splashdown)
Landing System: Parachute – two drogues, three mains
Mission Duration: Up to 14 days (Apollo lunar missions)
Bion-M
Bion-M OKB-1 and TsSKB Progress Russia
The Bion satellites also named Biocosmos is a series of Russian biosatelites, that started in Soviet Russia and has been resumed since 2025. Bion-M2 is scheduled to launch no earlier than March 2025 on a Soyuz 2.1a rocket to an altitude of 800 km
Launch mass 6,266 kg (13,814 lb)
Landing mass 2,415 kg (5,324 lb)
Landing Site: 51°53′N 54°20′E Orenburg, Russia (Bion-M No 1)
Landing System: It consisted of a spherical re-entry capsule 2.3 metres Parachute deployment recovery system.
Mission Duration: Varies, depending on the experiments being conducted.
Buran
Buran Soviet Union USSR/Russia
Buran was the Soviet Union’s first and only reusable spaceplane, designed as a response to the U.S. Space Shuttle program. It completed one uncrewed orbital flight in 1988 before the program was canceled.
Habitable Volume: 80 m³
Mass: 105,000 kg (231,000 lb)
Payload Capacity:
Cargo: Up to 30,000 kg (66,000 lb) to orbit
Return Cargo: 15,000 kg (33,000 lb)
Landing Site: Runway landing (autonomous glide capability)
Landing System: Glide landing with retractable landing gear
Mission Duration: Designed for 30 days, first mission lasted 206 minutes
Dream Chaser
Dream Chaser Sierra Space USA
Dream Chaser is a reusable lifting-body spacecraft designed for cargo and future crewed missions to the ISS and beyond. It is unique for its runway-based landings.
Habitable Volume: 16.5 m³
Mass: 11,300 kg
Payload Capacity:
Cargo: 5,500 kg (12,100 lb) to orbit
Return Cargo: 1,750 kg (3,860 lb)
Landing Site: Runway landing (similar to the Space Shuttle)
Landing System: Glide landing with retractable landing gear
Mission Duration: Up to 210 days docked at the ISS
Dragon
Dragon SpaceX USA
The Dragon capsule was a cargo delivery system, with a prototype flight crew capsule designed and developed into the Dragon 2. The Dragon spacecraft consists of a nose-cone cap, a conventional blunt-cone ballistic capsule, and an unpressurized cargo-carrier trunk equipped with two solar arrays. It was launched into orbit by the Falcon 9 launch vehicle to resupply the International Space Station (ISS).
Habitable Volume: 11 m3 (390 cu ft) pressurized
14 m3 (490 cu ft) unpressurized
34 m3 (1,200 cu ft) unpressurized with extended trunk
Mass:4,201 kg (9,262 lb)
Payload Capacity: 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) to orbit
3,310 kg (7,300 lb) to ISS
3,000 kg (6,600 lb) return cargo
Landing Site: Ocean
Landing System: Parachute
Mission Duration: Typically, 20-36 days docked at the ISS. 99 Days in space.
Dragon 2
Dragon 2 SpaceX USA
There are two variants of Dragon 2: Crew Dragon and Cargo Dragon. Crew Dragon is capable of autonomous operation and is designed to carry up to seven astronauts.
Habitable Volume: Pressurized: 9.3 m3 (330 cu ft)
Unpressurized: 37 m3 (1,300 cu ft)
Launch Mass: 12,500 kg (27,600 lb)
Payload Capacity: 6,000 kg (13,000 lb) to orbit
3,307 kg (7,291 lb) to ISS
2,507 kg (5,527 lb) return cargo
800 kg (1,800 lb) disposed cargo
Landing Site: Ocean
Landing System: Parachute – two drogues and four mains
Mission Duration: Typically, 180 days docked at the ISS, up to 210 days max
Fanhui Shi Weixing
Fanhui Shi Weixing (FSW) CNSA China
Fanhui Shi Weixing (FSW) was China’s first-generation recoverable satellite series, used for Earth observation, reconnaissance, and scientific experiments. It was later replaced by Shenlong and future reusable spacecraft.
Habitable Volume: N/A (uncrewed)
Mass: 2,800–3,600 kg
Payload Capacity:
Cargo: Photographic film, scientific instruments (~250 kg max)
Landing Site: Inner Mongolia, China (parachute landing)
Landing System: Parachute – single drogue, single main
Mission Duration: Up to 18 days in orbit
Gaganyaan
Gaganyaan ISRO India
Gaganyaan is India’s first crewed spacecraft, developed by ISRO for low Earth orbit (LEO) missions and future lunar exploration. It is designed for short-duration missions with a three-astronaut crew capacity.
Habitable Volume: 8.0 m³
Mass: 8,200 kg
Payload Capacity:
Crew: Up to 3 astronauts
Cargo: 100 kg to LEO
Landing Site: Indian Ocean or land-based recovery sites
Landing System: Parachute – two drogues, three mains
Mission Duration: Up to 7 days
Mengzhou
Mengzhou CAST China
The crew carrier is designed to conduct lunar exploration in conjunction with China's future lunar descent spacecraft, the Lanyue lander. A low-earth orbit (LEO) version of the spacecraft intended to ferry astronauts to the Tiangong space station is also under development, this version will serve as a modern replacement for the Shenzhou.
Launch mass: 14,000 kg (31,000 lb) (LEO configuration)
21,600 kg (47,600 lb) (lunar configuration)
Maximum mass: 23,000 kg (51,000 lb)
Payload Capacity: Crew module: 5,600 kg (12,300 lb) (landing mass)
6-7 crew, 3 crew with 500 kg (1,100 lb) cargo
Total payload: 4,000 kg (8,800 lb)
Recoverable payload:2,500 kg (5,500 lb)
Landing Site: Dongfeng landing site
Landing System: Parachute deployment and a cushioned airbag landing and recovery system
Mission Duration: Undergoing test flights, max has been 2.8 days
New Shepard Capsule
New Shepard Capsule Blue Origin USA
New Shepard consists of a launch rocket and a crew capsule. The capsule can be configured to house up to six passengers, cargo, or a combination of both.
Habitable Volume: 15 cubic meters (530 cu ft)
Launch mass 35,000 kg (77,000 lb) For Rocket and Capsule
Landing mass 2,415 kg (5,324 lb)
Landing Site: The rocket lands vertically on a landing pad 3.2 km north of the launch pad.
Landing System: The capsule returns to Earth via three parachutes and a solid rocket motor. In the event of a parachute failure, the capsule can still land safely with one of three parachutes deployed. Additionally, a crushable ring, 14 cm (5.5 inches) high, compresses upon impact.
Mission Duration: The flight duration of the rocket is over 7 minutes, the crew capsule is around 10 minutes
Next-Generation Chinese Crew Capsule
Next-Generation Chinese Crew Capsule CNSA China
China’s Next-Generation Crew Capsule (NGCC) is a modern deep-space vehicle, designed for lunar and future Mars missions. It is expected to replace Shenzhou for crewed spaceflight.
Habitable Volume: 21 m³
Mass: 22,000 kg (48,500 lb)
Payload Capacity:
Crew: Up to 6 astronauts
Cargo: 500 kg of lunar samples
Landing Site: Inner Mongolia, China
Landing System: Parachute – two drogues, three mains, retrorockets for Soft touchdown
Mission Duration: Designed for lunar and interplanetary missions (up to 6 months docked at Gateway)
Orion
Orion NASA USA
Orion is NASA’s deep-space crew capsule, designed for Artemis lunar missions and beyond-Earth orbit exploration. It is built to carry astronauts to the Moon and Mars.
Habitable Volume: 9.0 m³
Mass: 25,800 kg
Payload Capacity:
Crew: Up to 4 astronauts
Cargo: 100 kg of lunar samples
Landing Site: Pacific Ocean
Landing System: Parachute – two drogues, three mains
Mission Duration: Up to 21 days uncrewed, up to 6 months docked at Gateway
Progress
Progress Roscosmos Russia
The Progress spacecraft is an uncrewed cargo resupply vehicle used by Roscosmos to deliver supplies, fuel, and equipment to the International Space Station (ISS) and previously to Mir. It is based on the Soyuz design but lacks a crew module and features an automated docking system.
Habitable Volume: 7.6 m³
Mass: 7,290 kg (16,080 lb)
Payload Capacity:
Cargo to ISS: 2,500 kg (5,510 lb)
Fuel Transfer: 880 kg (1,940 lb)
Water Supply: 420 kg (930 lb)
Pressurized Cargo: 1,500 kg (3,300 lb)
Disposal Cargo: Up to full capacity
Landing Site: Destructive reentry over the Pacific Ocean
Landing System: None (disintegrates upon reentry)
Mission Duration: Typically 180–250 days docked at the ISS
Progress is one of the longest-operating resupply spacecraft. Variants include Progress-M, Progress-MS, and fuel tanker versions.
RLV-TD
RLV-TD (Reusable Launch Vehicle Technology Demonstrator) ISRO India
The RLV-TD is India’s prototype spaceplane, developed by ISRO as a technology demonstrator for a future fully reusable orbital vehicle. It successfully performed an atmospheric test flight in 2016 and a landing experiment in 2023.
Habitable Volume: N/A (uncrewed prototype)
Mass: 1,750 kg (3,860 lb) for prototype
Payload Capacity:
Future operational version expected to carry cargo and crew
Landing Site: Runway landing (autonomous glide landing on airstrips)
Landing System: Glide landing with retractable landing gear
Mission Duration: Technology demonstrator for reusable spaceflight
Soyuz
Soyuz Roscosmos Russia
Soyuz is a three-module spacecraft used for crew transport to the ISS and other low Earth orbit missions. It has been in operation since 1967 and is known for its reliability.
Habitable Volume: 7.5 m³
Mass: 7,200 kg
Payload Capacity:
Crew: 3 astronauts
Cargo: 100 kg to ISS
Return Cargo: 50 kg
Landing Site: Kazakhstan (steppes near Dzhezkazgan)
Landing System: Parachute – single drogue, single main, retrorockets for final touchdown
Mission Duration: Typically up to 210 days docked at the ISS
Starliner
Starliner Boeing USA
Starliner is a commercial crew vehicle developed by Boeing for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, used for transporting astronauts to the ISS.
Habitable Volume: 11 m³
Mass: 13,000 kg
Payload Capacity:
Crew: Up to 7 astronauts
Cargo: 2,268 kg (5,000 lb) to ISS
Return Cargo: 545 kg (1,200 lb)
Landing Site: Southwestern USA (land-based landings)
Landing System: Parachute – two drogues, three mains, airbag-assisted touchdown
Mission Duration: Up to 210 days docked at the ISS
Shenlong Chinese reusable experimental spacecraft
Shenlong Chinese reusable experimental spacecraft China
The Shenlong spaceplane, developed by an unknown company as a technology demonstrator for a future fully reusable orbital vehicle. There has been three tests in 2020, 2023 and 2024. The spacecraft is launched into Earth orbit in a vertical configuration while enclosed within the payload fairings of a Long March 2F rocket like a traditional satellite, but it returns to Earth via autonomous runway landing.
Habitable Volume: N/A (uncrewed prototype)
Mass: Unknown
Payload Capacity: Unknown
Landing Site: Lop Nur
Landing System: Glide landing with retractable landing gear
Mission Duration: Currently up to 276 Days. Technology demonstrator for reusable spaceflight
Shenzhou
Shenzhou CNSA China
Shenzhou is China’s human-rated spacecraft, designed based on the Soyuz system, but larger with enhanced capabilities. It is used for ISS-equivalent missions aboard Tiangong.
Habitable Volume: 14 m³
Mass: 8,100 kg
Payload Capacity:
Crew: 3–6 astronauts
Cargo: 300 kg to Tiangong
Return Cargo: 100 kg
Landing Site: Inner Mongolia, China
Landing System: Parachute – single drogue, single main, retrorockets for soft landing
Mission Duration: Up to 200 days docked at Tiangong
Space Shuttle
Space Shuttle NASA USA
The Space Shuttle was NASA’s first reusable crewed spacecraft, used from 1981 to 2011 for LEO, ISS construction, satellite deployment, and science missions.
Habitable Volume: 71.5 m³ (Orbiter crew cabin)
Mass: 110,000 kg (242,500 lb) empty
Payload Capacity:
Cargo: Up to 24,400 kg (53,800 lb) to orbit
Return Cargo: Up to 14,400 kg (31,700 lb)
Landing Site: Runway landing (Edwards AFB, Kennedy Space Center, White Sands)
Landing System: Glide landing with retractable landing gear
Mission Duration: Up to 17 days per mission
Starship
Starship SpaceX USA
Starship is a fully reusable, next-generation spacecraft developed by SpaceX for crew and cargo missions to LEO, the Moon, Mars, and beyond. It is the largest and most powerful spacecraft ever built.
Habitable Volume: 1,000 m³ (planned)
Mass: 120,000 kg (264,500 lb) empty
Payload Capacity:
LEO: Up to 150,000 kg (330,700 lb)
Lunar Cargo: 100,000 kg (220,000 lb)
Mars Cargo: 100,000 kg (220,000 lb)
Landing Site: Vertical landing on Earth, Moon, or Mars
Landing System: Controlled descent using Raptor engines (flip maneuver for Earth landing)
Mission Duration: Designed for long-duration deep-space missions (up to several months or years in transit)
W-Series Re-Entry Capsule
W-Series Re-Entry Capsule Varda Space Industries USA
Varda's W-Series capsule (also called Winnebago) is an autonomous free-flying microgravity formulation platform intended for terrestrial landing. The W-Series capsule re-enters the Earth's atmosphere at more than 30,000 kilometres per hour (19,000 mph) and reaches speeds above Mach 25.
Configuration: Pioneer bus (Based on Photon W-1, W-2, W-3) W-4 Vada systems bus
Habitable Volume: N/A (uncrewed)
Propulsion: Curie engine
Power: Solar arrays, batteries
Heat shield: NASA-manufactured C-PICA
Lifetime:3 months
Landing Site: Koonibba Test Range and Utah Test and Training Range (UTTR)
Mass:300 kg
Orbit: 511 km × 535 km, 97.52° (W-1 Capsule)