Dream Chaser Tenacity is almost ready to launch

Dream Chaser Tenacity is almost ready to launch
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Dream Chaser Tenacity is almost ready to launch
Over a decade ago, most people imagined space shuttles when they thought of spaceflight symbols.
On July 21, 2011, the final shuttle mission touched down at the legendary Space Coast facility in Florida. As Atlantis landed for the last time, this chapter also marked the conclusion of NASA's 30-year space shuttle program.
Since then, the historic runway at Kennedy Space Center has largely remained quiet - for far too long - as humans lost the ability to return from space with low runway G landings.
But that's about to change. Because Dream Chaser Tenacity is almost ready to launch!
Recognized as a spaceplane, Dream Chaser will be the second vehicle, following the space shuttle, capable of runway landings, even surpassing the shuttle in its autonomous control capabilities at every phase of the journey.
Stay tuned as we dive and more in this episode of Alpha Tech!
Looking like a small space shuttle, Dream Chaser lost out to SpaceX and Boeing for NASA’s commercial crew program but won a spot in the second round of commercial cargo missions to deliver supplies to the International Space Station.
Dream Chaser is a lifting body design based on work NASA did decades ago for a spaceplane called HL-20 that was to deliver passengers and cargo to an Earth-orbiting space station.
Dream Chaser Tenacity is almost ready to launch

[XCX]

Dream chaser would be better on a falcon 9. Partnering with blue blunder is a mistake. Go SpaceX Go 💪💪💪💪

[SKnight]

I've been saying this since Dreamchaser came out, SpaceX should acquire Sierra Space asap.
Even Elon Musk must be able to see how Dreamchaser could/would compliment his Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Superheavy Boosters. Imagine a upscaled Dreamchaser on top of a Superheavy Booster like Starship. This combined team up would absolutely reign over the Space race. Sierra could make Dreamchaser twice as big and have it taken to space by a SpaceX Superheavy booster. This combination would be lethal in a good way. A Superheavy Dreamchaser atop of a SpaceX Superheavy Booster. This would be extreme progress and a real asset to SpaceX as they would then have the possibilities of using Starship and/or Dreamchaser for upcoming missions, depending on the mission needs.

[Metro]

The X-37B also can land on runways like the space shuttles.

[WilliamHostman]

I think Sierra should be talking to SpaceX; at the very least, considering a backup plan of a falcon 9 to LEO. While ULA has a proven track record as separate companies, Dreamchaser is facing some VERY high stakes - too high to be a faithful mistress to ULA. And Falcon 9 has the chops for the LEO missions; Falcon Heavy has the gut-twisting power to send that sucker to Mars. (Having images of a pair of heavies simultaneous launches, then once cut lose, a pair of them meeting, tethering or using some mission specific arms, and doing a spin grav round-trip flyby of Mars.)

Details: the Falcon 9 has a mass to GTO of 8.3 tonnes, but to LEO, 22.8 tonnes. A fully laden Dreamchaser is 14.5 tonnes. For higher orbital work, such as repair missions, it could go on a falcon heavy, with 26.7 tonnes to GTO, and 16.8 tonnes to Mars....or L1/L2, probably also Sun-earth L4/L5. JWST repairs, anyone? (It would need a more robust trunk for that - Mars is roughly 20000 m/s ∆V, E·S L2 is roughly 6000 m/s each way, so a falcon heavy is a bit of overkill. buy it puts JWST in repairable range.

Not: I used this ∆V chart, rounded up:

[d.s.]

I hope we someday see thousands of Dream Chasers flying through the skies.

[edvard]

For Sierra Space to meet their contractual requirement with NASA for ISS Cargo they better count on Falcon 9 support. If they can't get SpaceX to create an adequately sized cargo stage soon the ISS will be decommissioned before the required number of flights. And remember, the Dreamchaser doesn't carry 6 tons of cargo to space, its the rocket that gets Dreamchaser and its cargo out of the gravity well.

[SimonAmazingClarke]

Love Dream Chaser. ULA is awesome. Just a pity Blue Origin are making the engines.

[vimmentors]

Wasn't there a post with the same title a year ago? Hard to see how this is better than starship. Less for more?

[rooscow]

This craft has the ability to provide "Life Boat" capability to today's and tomorrow's space stations. With some enhancements, it could even provide that capability to the future Lunar Gateway. A capability that has been sorely set aside due to cost issues.

[costrio]

When "Science Digest" was the size of a pocket book, I was amazed at the reports of the "Flying Bathtub."
Welcome back overlooked ideas?
I like the space plane concept. Does anybody remember "Supercar?"

[tobyihli]

I’m a believer in the Dream chaser design. I only wish SpaceX was teaming up with them, or designing their own lifting body design to fly. That would be the ultimate cool!

[davidbeetham]

Tenacity may be almost ready but the ULA main booster has not even been to LEO - Am I the only person who can see this?

[MikeCasey]

Dream chaser is beautiful and that makes me want to see it fly, but are there more efficient ways to move cargo to and from low earth orbit?

[billmullins]

What odds are they giving in Las Vegas that Vulcan will be flight ready by December? I would be surprised if it's even odds. More like AGAINST. Vulcan is dependent on BO's New Glenn engine. Has one of those even lofted a payload to orbit yet? I wish Sierra Space all the best on Dream Chaser. I just don't think ULA and BO can actually make their stuff work. Meanwhile, how many Falcon launches so far this year? (Note: I am not a Musk/SpaceX fanboy. I just am not a believer in Bezos.)

[Billsmorphboas]

I believe this is a truly awesome vehicle, but I also believe that when it finally reaches space, it is going to be thanks to Elon musk, and SpaceX. If I am the only one that sees the progress that’s going on then everyone else must be blind.

[almartin]

Affordability with ULA launch vehicle? Probably not.

[radein]

Having some titanium holding my leg together i can say its pretty light lol. Femural spike, have fun watching that, don't advise right after having it done to you....

[hashmagandy]

“low runway G landings” 😊 but I know what you meant. Please keep covering Dream Chaser.

[tmg]

What would be required to have it fly on a Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy? I really dislike it being limited to one rocket. You hint that it could fly on something else but then didn't discuss it in the video.

Would like to see an episode comparing stainless steel to titanium to carbon fiber. I think a few episodes back you advocated the benefits of stainless steel over titanium and now Sierra brags over titanium instead of stainless.

[ronwatkins]

Don't forget that Vulcan is completely un-tested and expected to fail. It has only simulated testing compared to starship. ULA is simply an immature company and way behind SpaceX in terms of experience and reliability.