Sierra Space, which is featured in the Vintage issue, plans to launch the first flight of its Dream Chaser— the world’s first commercial spaceplane—before the end of the year.
In 2016, NASA awarded several contracts to supply the International Space Station (ISS). At that time, it selected 3 players: Northrop Grumman's Cygnus, SpaceX's Dragon capsule and Sierra Space's Dream Chaser. The first mission of the Dream Chaser is scheduled for the end of the year, making this spaceplane the 5th ISS resupply vehicle.
Tom Vice, President and CEO of Sierra Space, recently indicated that the aircraft would be undergoing a final series of tests before heading to Cape Canaveral, Florida, where it will prepare for launch: "This is an important, forward-looking milestone, and a key moment in Dream Chaser's long journey [...] With this significant achievement, our Dream Chaser spaceplane is poised to redefine commercial space travel, opening up new possibilities for science and technology".
The precise launch date has yet to be announced, and will depend on the ISS mission schedule, the final preparation of the Dream Chaser and the availability of United Launch Alliance's Vulcan launcher.
The Dream Chaser's unique airplane-like design sets it apart from other spacecraft. The Dream Chaser is a fully autonomous, reusable orbital aircraft designed to transport cargo to destinations in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Measuring about a quarter the size of a space shuttle, it features autonomous launch, flight and landing capabilities.
Meanwhile, Sierra Space is working on a manned version of the Dream Chaser. This future version will be used to join the Orbital Reef space station, a project currently under development with other companies in the sector, including Blue Origin and SpaceX. Orbital Reef could be operational in 2027, and could see its surface area increased thanks to inflatable modules implanted to offer astronauts more space.
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