Editing Space capsule (section)

==Active space capsules==
===Soyuz===
{{Main|Soyuz (spacecraft)}}
[[File:Soyuz-TMA descent module.jpg|thumb|right|150px|The Soyuz spacecraft, with reentry capsule (Descent Module) highlighted]]
In 1963, Korolev first proposed the three-man Soyuz spacecraft for use in Earth orbit assembly of a lunar exploration mission. He was pressured by Soviet premier [[Nikita Khrushchev]] to postpone development of Soyuz to work on Voskhod, and later allowed to develop Soyuz for space station and lunar exploration missions.
He employed a small, lightweight bell-shaped reentry capsule, with an orbital crew module attached to its nose, containing the bulk of the mission living space. The service module would use two panels of electric [[solar cell]]s for power generation, and contained a propulsion system engine. The [[Soyuz 7K-OK|7K-OK model]] designed for Earth orbit used a {{convert|2810|kg|lb|adj=on}} reentry module measuring {{convert|2.17|m|ft|sp=us}} in diameter by {{convert|2.24|m|ft|sp=us}} long, with an interior volume of {{convert|4.00|m3|ft3|sp=us}}. The {{convert|1100|kg|lb|adj=on}} spheroidal orbital module measured {{convert|2.25|m|ft|sp=us}} in diameter by {{convert|3.45|m|ft|sp=us}} long with a docking probe, with an interior volume of {{convert|5.00|m3|ft3|sp=us}}. The total spacecraft mass was {{convert|6560|kg|lb}}.

Ten of these craft flew crewed after Korolev's death, from 1967 to 1971. The first ([[Soyuz 1]]) and last ([[Soyuz 11]]) resulted in the first in-space fatalities. Korolev had developed a {{convert|9850|kg|lb|adj=on}} [[Soyuz 7K-LOK|7K-LOK]] variant for use in the lunar mission, but this was never flown crewed.

The Russians continued to develop and fly the Soyuz to this day.

===Shenzhou===
[[File:Post S-7 Shenzhou spacecraft.png|thumb|right|Diagram of the post-Shenzhou 7 spacecraft]]
{{Main|Shenzhou (spacecraft)}}
Space capsules have also been used for scientific research and experimentation in space. For example, the Chinese Shenzhou spacecraft has carried out experiments in life sciences, material sciences, fluid dynamics, and space environment monitoring.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Smith |first=Marcia |date=October 18, 2005 |title=China's Space Program: An Overview |url=https://sgp.fas.org/crs/space/RS21641.pdf |journal=CRS Report for Congress}}</ref> The PRC developed its ''Shenzhou'' spacecraft in the 1990s based on the same concept (orbital, reentry and service modules) as [[Soyuz (spacecraft)|Soyuz]]. Its first uncrewed test flight was in 1999, and the first crewed flight in October 2003 carried [[Yang Liwei]] for 14 Earth orbits.

===Dragon 2===
{{Main|SpaceX Dragon 2}}
The [[SpaceX]] Dragon 2 capsule first launched crew to the [[International Space Station]] on 30 May 2020 on the [[Crew Dragon Demo-2|Demo-2]] mission for NASA. Although originally envisaged as a development of SpaceX's uncrewed [[Dragon (spacecraft)|Dragon]] capsule which was used for the NASA [[Commercial Resupply Services]] contract, the demands of crewed spaceflight resulted in a significantly redesigned vehicle with limited commonality. The Dragon capsule was designed to be reusable. In fact, SpaceX has flown the same Dragon capsule to the International Space Station multiple times, with the first successful reuse occurring in June 2017.

===New Shepard Crew Capsule===
{{Main|New Shepard}}

The six-seat Blue Origin developed New Shepard crew capsule is a suborbital crewed spacecraft designed for human tended  research and [[space tourism]]. The capsule can also fly uncrewed, carrying payloads and experiments.