Dream Chaser Tenacity, the next generation reusable spaceplane, will undergo testing at NASA ahead of its maiden voyage to the International Space Station (ISS), scheduled for 2024.
Sierra Nevada Corporation, the aerospace company behind the spaceplane, just delivered the first Dream Chaser spaceplane, called Tenacity, to NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Ohio. There, they will undergo environmental training to ensure they can handle the extreme conditions of space travel.
If it passes all the necessary tests, it will be tasked with carrying out an unmanned cargo delivery mission to the ISS, delivering daily necessities and scientific equipment to the astronauts on board. However, it has a highly customizable design, so it could potentially be used for other applications in the future.
Sierra Nevada is only 9 meters (30 feet) long foretold Their spaceplane is a “spiritual successor” to NASA’s iconic space shuttle. Completed 135 missions Although it is one-fourth the size of the now-retired space shuttle, it is also launched into space by a rocket. Once in orbit, it will use fully autonomous navigation to reach the ISS, drop up to 5,500 kilograms (12,000 pounds) of supplies, and return to Earth.
Reusability is the main selling point. Rather than crashing into the ocean like current ISS delivery vehicles, the Dream Chaser spacecraft will land on a conventional runway and will be capable of a minimum of 15 reflights per system. Increased reusability also reduces mission costs and overcomes a major hurdle to space travel.
“At Sierra Space, we are leading the next industrial revolution with a business and technology platform that provides our customers with complete turnkey solutions that deliver space as a service,” said Sierra Space Chief Executive Officer ( CEO Tom Bice said. statement.
“Our platform includes Dream Chaser, an innovative, highly reusable commercial spaceplane that can access runways around the world, and state-of-the-art enhancements that dramatically reduce the cost of product development and manufacturing in space. It includes the first business-ready commercial space station that takes advantage of possible structural architectures,” Weiss added.
A lot of work has already gone into developing the Dream Chaser program. In November 2017, Dream Chaser launched its service. First successful flight test at Edwards Air Force Base in Southern California. To test its flight computers and avionics systems, the unmanned ship was hoisted into the air by a large helicopter, then gently glided down to land on the runaway vehicle.
Now, in upcoming tests at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility, engineers and researchers will see if Dream Chaser can withstand the far more difficult task of launching into space.