New spaceplane will probably be a ferry to the space station
Tenacity – the primary mannequin of the Dream Chaser spaceplane from Sierra Space – arrived at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center final week (Might 20, 2024), the place it is going to end prepping for its maiden voyage. The vessel will fly atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Vulcan Centaur launch automobile. For its first mission, which isn’t but scheduled, it is going to carry about 8,500 kilos (3,850 kg) to the International Space Station. NASA has contracted with Sierra House for seven cargo missions to the space station. Sierra House additionally has plans for a second model of its Dream Chaser spaceplane, which can carry crew to low-Earth orbit locations.
In a news release on MAay 20, 2024, NASA mentioned the craft will broaden the company’s industrial low-Earth orbit resupply program. They described the punishing testing the tiny 30-by-15-foot (9-by-4.5-meter) craft has already undergone on the Neil Armstrong Test Facility:
Earlier than arriving at Kennedy, the spaceplane and its cargo module underwent vibration testing atop the world’s highest capability and strongest spacecraft shaker system contained in the company’s House Environments Complicated, exposing the stack to vibrations like these it is going to expertise throughout launch and re-entry to the Earth’s environment. Following vibration testing, the duo moved to NASA’s In-House Propulsion Facility and was uncovered to low ambient pressures and temperatures starting from -150 to 300 levels Fahrenheit (-101 to 148 levels Celsius).
NASA has but to announce a date for the launch. When in full swing, the Dream Chaser Tenacity (aka the DC-100) will carry as much as 12,000 kilos (5,445 kg) to low-Earth orbit.
Dream Chaser will probably be 1st personal spaceplane to fly
Spaceplanes have been round for many years, with NASA’s space shuttle essentially the most memorable. However there are others flying at this time, together with the US Space Force’s X-37B and a Chinese language model with a starkly utilitarian identify: the Reusable Experimental Spacecraft.
There was additionally a Soviet model – the Buran – that by no means made it off the bottom.
All of them bear a putting resemblance to the space shuttle, particularly the Soviet model. Dream Chaser isn’t any exception. It incorporates a brilliant, white physique with a glossy swept delta-wing design and an underbelly coated in black, heat-resistant tiles. And Dream Chaser, too, can fly.
Forbes described the craft this manner in a 2020 article:
It’s a lifting body with winglets that may land on any runway on this planet measuring at the very least 10,000 ft (3 km) in size. In truth, with retirement of the House Shuttle almost a decade in the past, Dream Chaser is the one spacecraft NASA presently funds that’s able to maneuvering throughout the environment.
Dream Chaser’s sidekick can take out the trash
Dream Chaser additionally has a sidecar, the Shooting Star cargo module. Sierra House mentioned it might enhance their spaceplane’s cargo capability by hundreds of kilos:
Capturing Star provides a service for NASA to ship extra essential science, meals and cargo to the space station. Crews can entry the Capturing Star through the aft hatch, berthing to the space station. Touring via the Capturing Star takes them to the ahead portion the place they will open the hatch and achieve entry to the Dream Chaser. When connected to the space station, Capturing Star supplies a standard cabin atmosphere for astronauts to work, and a main location for cargo to be eliminated and positioned onto the station after berthing.
Capturing Star carries as much as 7,000 kilos (3,175 kg) of cargo. The module – which sports activities exterior mounting factors for 3 extra cargo containers – doesn’t survive re-entry into the environment after a mission. As a substitute, it’s loaded with tons of rubbish that vaporize with the module throughout its fiery descent.
Backside line: Dream Chaser Tenacity, an uncrewed spaceplane from Sierra House, arrived in Florida on Might 20, 2024, to organize for its first cargo supply mission to the Worldwide House Station.
Read more: X-37B spaceplane launched atop SpaceX Falcon Heavy
