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NASA has awarded SpaceX a $946 million contract modification for three additional crewed missions to the International Space Station (ISS), extending the company’s role in transporting astronauts to and from the orbiting laboratory through 2030.

The new agreement adds Crew-15, Crew-16, and Crew-17 to SpaceX’s Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) contract. The award brings the total number of SpaceX missions under the contract to 17 and raises the total value of SpaceX’s CCtCap agreement with NASA to approximately $5.92 billion. (NASA)

NASA Extends SpaceX Crew Dragon Missions

NASA announced the contract modification on September 18, 2026, saying the additional missions will help maintain regular crew transportation to the International Space Station.

The missions are part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Program, which uses private aerospace companies to provide transportation services for astronauts. SpaceX performs these missions using its Falcon 9 rocket and Crew Dragon spacecraft.

NASA said the new contract has a period of performance extending through 2030, with mission readiness dates falling in 2027 and 2028. (NASA)

What the $946 Million Contract Includes

The $946 million covers considerably more than simply launching astronauts into orbit.

According to NASA, the contract includes:

• Ground processing and mission preparation
• Falcon 9 launch services
• Crew Dragon spacecraft operations
• In-orbit mission support
• Astronaut return and recovery
• Cargo transportation for each mission
• A lifeboat capability while Dragon is docked with the ISS

In other words, NASA is purchasing an integrated transportation service covering the missions from preparation through astronaut recovery. (NASA)

SpaceX’s NASA Crew Missions Reach 17

The latest award significantly expands SpaceX’s long-term role in NASA’s human-spaceflight program.

With Crew-15, Crew-16 and Crew-17 added, SpaceX will have 17 missions under its CCtCap contract. The overall value of the contract with NASA will reach approximately $5.92 billion. (NASA)

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon system was certified by NASA for operational astronaut transportation in November 2020. Since then, Dragon has become an important part of NASA’s regular crew rotation program for the International Space Station. (Reuters)

The spacecraft can transport up to four astronauts on NASA’s crew rotation missions while also carrying supplies and equipment to the station.

Why NASA Needs More Crew Dragon Flights

The International Space Station requires a dependable system for transporting astronauts to and from orbit.

NASA is continuing to operate the ISS while also preparing for the eventual transition toward commercial space stations in low Earth orbit. Maintaining reliable crew transportation during this transition is therefore a major part of the agency’s planning.

The new SpaceX missions provide NASA with additional contracted transportation capacity through 2030.

NASA has also emphasized the importance of maintaining two commercial crew providers rather than depending permanently on a single company. SpaceX and Boeing were originally selected by NASA in 2014 as partners in the Commercial Crew Program. (Reuters)

Boeing Starliner Remains Part of NASA’s Commercial Crew Strategy

The expanded SpaceX contract comes as NASA continues working with Boeing on its Starliner spacecraft.

Starliner completed its first crewed test flight in 2024, but technical problems led NASA to return the spacecraft without its crew. Astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams ultimately returned to Earth aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon spacecraft in March 2025 after an unexpectedly extended stay aboard the ISS. (Reuters)

NASA continues to pursue a two-provider commercial crew strategy because having more than one transportation system provides redundancy if one spacecraft experiences technical problems or is temporarily unavailable.

The additional SpaceX missions therefore do not eliminate NASA’s interest in Boeing’s Starliner. Instead, they provide additional crew transportation capacity while NASA continues developing its broader commercial crew architecture.

What This Means for the International Space Station

The new contract will help NASA maintain a steady flow of astronauts to the ISS during the remaining years of the station’s current operational era.

Each Dragon mission involves more than transporting astronauts. The spacecraft also provides cargo transportation and remains available as an emergency return vehicle while astronauts are aboard the station.

That capability is particularly important because the crew spacecraft docked at the ISS can serve as an emergency lifeboat if astronauts need to leave the station unexpectedly. (NASA)

SpaceX and the Future of Human Spaceflight

The latest NASA contract demonstrates how important commercial companies have become to the United States’ human-spaceflight program.

Instead of NASA operating its own crew transportation spacecraft and launch system, the agency contracts with private companies for these services.

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon combination has become an established part of that approach. The new missions will keep the system flying NASA astronauts to the ISS into the latter part of the decade.

At the same time, NASA is preparing for a future in which commercial space stations could eventually replace the ISS as destinations for astronauts in low Earth orbit.

NASA’s $946 Million SpaceX Deal at a Glance

Detail	Information
Company	SpaceX
Contract value	$946 million
New missions	Crew-15, Crew-16, Crew-17
Total SpaceX CCtCap missions	17
Total CCtCap value with SpaceX	$5.92 billion
Destination	International Space Station
Rocket	Falcon 9
Spacecraft	Crew Dragon
Contract period	Through 2030
Additional services	Launch, in-orbit operations, recovery, cargo and lifeboat capability

Source: NASA. (NASA)

The Bigger Picture

NASA’s decision to add three more SpaceX crew missions represents another significant step in the agency’s commercial approach to human spaceflight.

The $946 million contract modification gives NASA three additional Crew Dragon missions and extends SpaceX’s contracted role in ISS crew transportation through 2030. It also brings the total value of SpaceX’s Commercial Crew Transportation Capability contract to $5.92 billion. (NASA)

For SpaceX, the agreement further establishes Falcon 9 and Crew Dragon as a major component of NASA’s human-spaceflight infrastructure. For NASA, the missions provide additional transportation capacity while the agency continues working toward a future that includes commercial space stations and multiple commercial crew providers.

As NASA moves closer to the next era of human spaceflight, Crew-15, Crew-16 and Crew-17 will help keep American astronauts traveling to and from low Earth orbit well into the 2030s transition.