Sierra Space Unveils "Dream Chaser" Spacecraft, Set for ISS Cargo Missions and Runway Landings in 2024

"Dream Chaser" spacecraft to undergo pre-flight testing at NASA's Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility, Ohio; CEO calls the spacecraft a "breakthrough" in space travel; Sierra Space to launch crewed version named DC-200 for potential private clients in future.

• Sierra Space's Dream Chaser spacecraft has been announced as an operational vehicle for cargo delivery missions to the International Space Station under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Service 2 contract, with the potential to carry up to seven astronauts despite not being required.
• The first vehicle, named DC-100 or Tenacity, will undergo pre-flight testing at NASA’s Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio, and is expected to complete the testing by the end of 2023 before launching its first mission to the ISS in early 2024.
• The Dream Chaser takes off on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket and can have runway landing capabilities like a Space Shuttle, with plans to conduct its NASA missions landing at the Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
• Sierra Space also plans a crewed version named DC-200, with flexible architecture to handle both crew and cargo and capable of landing at any commercial runway worldwide, positioning it for potential private clients.
• The spacecraft is built for endurance, designed to withstand reentry temperatures exceeding 3000 degrees Fahrenheit while remaining cool to the touch minutes after landing, and its autonomous flight system is designed for a minimum of 15 space missions.

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