Tag: CCiCap
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SNC Dream Chaser returns to captive carry testing
The third transportation vehicle for NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services 2 contracts for resupply efforts of the International Space Station has passed a major test milestone at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Dream Chaser mini-spaceplane conducted the first of a series of Captive Carry flight tests suspended underneath a 234-UT lifting commercial helicopter.…
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SNC Dream Chaser returns to captive carry testing
The third transportation vehicle for NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services 2 contracts for resupply efforts of the International Space Station has passed a major test milestone at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Dream Chaser mini-spaceplane conducted the first of a series of Captive Carry flight tests suspended underneath a 234-UT lifting commercial helicopter.…
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NASA positive over synergistic approach for Dream Chaser goals
SNC’s Dream Chaser crew vehicle is preparing for another California adventure, highlighted by a second free flight, approach and landing test in December. Although she was rejected by NASA as a Commercial Crew partner, the Agency is deeply invested in the vehicle’s test program, classing it as “synergistic” with her cargo carrying sister that has…
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Boeing and NASA progress through critical CST-100 Starliner milestones
Boeing is making impressive strides on a series of tests and technical verifications for their CST-100 Starliner spacecraft. With Boeing and NASA now working through a Test and Verification Control Board meeting this month and Atlas V launch pad infrastructure build progressing on schedule, Boeing remains on track to launch their commercial crew spacecraft on its maiden voyage in…
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SpaceX has ‘aggressive’ schedule leading up to crew flights
A prototype of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spaceship blasts off May 6 on a test of the capsule’s abort system. Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett Staying true to a corporate philosophy that favors high-visibility flight tests, SpaceX plans to continue wringing out major parts of the company’s human-rated Dragon spaceship in a sequence of dramatic flights leading up…
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Photos: SpaceX’s passenger spaceship flies on first test run
It didn’t go into space, but SpaceX’s Dragon crew capsule fired off a launch pad at Cape Canaveral on Wednesday for a 99-second test flight of a crucial safety mechanism that would save astronauts from a catastrophic rocket failure. The 8-ton spaceship blasted off at 9 a.m. EDT (1300 GMT) from Cape Canaveral’s Complex 40…
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Don’t blink: SpaceX crew escape demo will go by in a flash
SpaceX plans to launch an unmanned test model of the company’s Dragon crew capsule Wednesday on a whirlwind 107-second flight through the skies over Cape Canaveral. The 8-ton prototype spaceship will only reach a mile an altitude, but the trial aims to verify the Dragon capsule can safely escape from a launch failure and save…
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SpaceX, Sierra Nevada get more time to finish flight tests
The Dragon capsule for SpaceX’s pad abort test seen inside a test chamber. Credit: SpaceX NASA has extended development agreements with SpaceX and Sierra Nevada Corp. past a March 31 deadline, giving the companies more time to complete delayed tests on commercial spacecraft intended to one day ferry astronauts into space. The extensions do not…
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NASA agrees to aid Dream Chaser development to CDR level
As was promised, NASA is not abandoning Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) and its Dream Chaser vehicle, despite the spaceplane losing out on the lucrative Commercial Crew Transportation Capability (CCtCap) award last year. An agreement has been was reached for SNC to continue to work with NASA through to the Critical Design Review (CDR) level of maturity for…
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Boeing’s CST-100 part of NASA’s intertwined forward path
Boeing Vice President John Elbon believes the CST-100 spacecraft is part of an intertwined forward path for NASA, centralized around the International Space Station. Boeing is currently working towards launching American astronauts to the orbital outpost on its CST-100 capsule, in tandem with developing the Space Launch System (SLS) that will allow for a return…