Novel Space-Plane Nears Operational Readiness

Sierra Space has completed the first mission Flight Operations Review of the inaugural Dream Chaser mission to the International Space Station (ISS). Subject review, which was completed at NASA's Johnson Space Center by dint of a collaboration between Sierra Space Dream Chaser flight control team and its NASA counterpart, was a crucial step in preparation for the mission.

The week-long review, which concluded on 20 October, occasioned the culmination of an intensive effort involving personnel from across Sierra Space and NASA; in total, over two-hundred critical elements representing thousands of hours of collective development were baselined.

Sierra Space CEO Tom Vice stated: “Precision and practice are paramount in the development of the revolutionary Dream Chaser spaceplane, particularly in the context of rendezvous and berthing operations at the International Space Station. Our team is committed to conducting simulation exercises for every facet of the mission, ensuring the highest likelihood of success and safety.”

Currently under development, Dream Chaser is a reusable lifting-body space-plane which, when complete, will be capable of carrying up to seven passengers and cargo to and from Low Earth Orbit (LEO).

Planned in manned and unmanned cargo and passenger variants, Dream Chaser is intended to launch vertically atop United Launch Alliances (ULA) Vulcan Centaur rocket and land horizontally on conventional runways.

Dream Chaser’s design derives of NASA's HL-20 Personnel Launch System space-plane concept, which in turn descended from test vehicles the likes of the X-20 Dyna-Soar; Northrop’s M2-F2, M2-F3, and HL-10; and Martin’s X-24A, X-24B, and X-23 PRIME.

Dream Chaser’s on-orbit propulsion system comprises a cluster of Orbitec's propane-and-nitrous-oxide-burning Vortex engines.

Sierra Nevada Corporation, colloquially, Sierra Space, is a privately held, American aerospace and national security contractor specializing in aircraft modification and integration, space components and systems, and related technology products for cybersecurity and health. The company is headquartered in Sparks, Nevada, and contracts with the United States Armed Forces, NASA, and private spaceflight companies.

FMI: www.sierraspace.com