How did the early commercial Crew Dragon per-seat price generally compare to the established Soyuz rate of $80 million?
It was cited substantially lower, often around $50 million or less.
The advent of commercial crew providers introduced significant downward pressure on transportation costs due to the adoption of highly reusable hardware, particularly for SpaceX's Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 booster. While initial commercial pricing structures could be complex due to development costs being absorbed via government contracts, the resulting operational per-seat cost for Crew Dragon rapidly undercut the established $80 million legacy rate associated with the Soyuz system. Figures frequently placed the Crew Dragon operational price point substantially lower, often cited as being closer to $50 million or less for later flights, reflecting the economic benefits derived from reusability.
