Inspiration4 established the basic model in September 2021: a privately organized four-person crew trained for a free-flying Crew Dragon mission, spent nearly three days in orbit, conducted research and outreach, and returned without visiting a space station. Its cupola gave the independently flying Resilience a dedicated Earth-observation window.

Polaris Dawn pushed the same spacecraft into a much higher orbit in 2024. The crew studied the radiation environment, tested laser communications through Starlink, and depressurized the entire cabin so Jared Isaacman and Sarah Gillis could evaluate SpaceX's EVA suit outside Dragon's hatch—the first commercial spacewalk and Dragon's first EVA.

Fram2 changed the geometry of crewed flight in 2025. Resilience entered polar orbit, carrying an international private crew over both polar regions for research and observation before completing the first Pacific splashdown by a crewed Dragon mission. Together, the flights show how a reusable spacecraft can support distinct missions, crews, and scientific goals beyond station transportation.