But Company Vows To Push Ahead With Dream Chaser Program

Sierra Nevada Corp has laid off some 90 employees after being left out of the Commercial Crew awards announced by NASA earlier this week.

NASA went with Boeing and SpaceX to develop systems to transport humans to ISS from U.S. launch sites. The Dream Chaser being developed by SNC is spacecraft that most closely resembled the space shuttle, and was scheduled for its first launch in 2016.

SNC Space Systems chief Mark Sirangelo told the Denver Post that many of the employees that were let go had been hired by the Louisville, CO company specifically in anticipation of being a part of the NASA contract. It represents about 9.4 percent of the company's Colorado workforce.

Sirangelo said the workers would receive severance packages, but did not offer any specifics. He did say that the program would continue, and the company would bid on future NASA contracts. It is not clear how the layoffs will affect plans for the November, 2016 first launch.

(Image from file)

FMI: www.sncorp.com