Dream Chaser Enters Final Test Campaign
Dream Chaser Enters Final Test Campaign
Spaceplane Transitioning to Orbital Operations
The first Dream Chaser spaceplane, Tenacity, has been delivered to NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. The spacecraft has entered the final testing phase ahead of its first flight in 2024. The testing campaign will confirm the spacecraft’s resilience to the challenges of launch and the demanding conditions of space as it prepares for its inaugural mission to the International Space Station under a multi-mission NASA contract.
“At Sierra Space, we are ushering in the next industrial revolution with a business and technology platform that provides our customers with a complete turn-key solution offering space as a service.”
Tom Vice, Sierra Space
Dream Chaser joins the Sierra Space cargo module, Shooting Star, which arrived at the NASA test facility in November. The two vehicles are set to be stacked in launch configuration and undergo rigorous environmental testing starting in the Mechanical Vibration Facility. The test will subject them to the extreme conditions of launch vibrations on the world’s most powerful spacecraft shaker table.
Sierra Space is unwavering in its commitment to ensuring the utmost reliability of its cutting-edge technologies. Dream Chaser, crafted in tandem with the groundbreaking Shooting Star cargo module, will reinvent space transportation and usher in the burgeoning era of space commercialization known as the Orbital Age.
“At Sierra Space, we are ushering in the next industrial revolution with a business and technology platform that provides our customers with a complete turn-key solution offering space as a service,” said Sierra Space CEO Tom Vice. “Our platform includes Dream Chaser, a revolutionary, highly reusable commercial spaceplane with global runway access, and the first business-ready commercial space station, leveraging the most advanced expandable structural architecture that will exponentially decrease the cost of product development and manufacturing in space.”
Dream Chaser was selected by NASA for cargo delivery, return and disposal service for the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services-2 (CRS-2) contract. Its highly customizable design makes it ideal for a range of applications, providing fast turnaround times to support various LEO needs. The fleet will provide greater efficiencies with high reusability and mark the beginning of a new era of space commercialization. The multi-mission spaceplane fleet is designed to transport crew and cargo to Low Earth Orbit (LEO) and can be customized for both domestic and international customers for global operations.