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She is in competition with two capsules, namely SpaceX\u2019s Dragon and Boeing\u2019s CST-100, under the funded Commercial Crew Program (CCP) drive to remove the reliance on the Russian Soyuz as the only means of crewed transportation into space for NASA astronauts heading to the International Space Station (ISS).<\/p>\n
Although a painful downselect may take place in 2014, all three cotentenders \u2013 along with the wildcard Blue Origin option \u2013 are making good progress in their drive to be certified to transport American astronauts, a domestic capability lost since the final mission of the Space Shuttle Program (SSP), when Atlantis landed to conclude her STS-135 mission.<\/p>\n
![\"Z7\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/12\/Z73.jpg\")
There\u2019s a large amount of synergy between Dream Chaser and her since-retired Aunties, with the SNC vehicle often described as a \u201cbaby orbiter\u201d by nature of her design and appearance.<\/p>\nHowever, their cross range capability and ability to glide into a runway is a tactical advantage, thanks to their lifting body designs, allowing for astronauts and downmass cargo to roll to a stop on the end of a preselected landing strip.<\/p>\n
At the same time, being able to safely re-enter, glide to the runway and land safely is a challenge in itself, with the Dream Chaser ETA having to earn her wings when she was cut loose from her safety line during the October test.<\/p>\n
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![\"Z779\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Z779.jpg\")
She had been in the air before \u2013 both in the open air of her Colorado base, and again several times during her Californian working holiday at the Dryden Flight Research Center (DFRC).<\/p>\nThese Captive Carry tests allowed SNC and NASA engineers to check out how the vehicle performed with the wind in her hair, as the practise runs mimicked the final approach to the runway.<\/p>\n
However, the real test would come when the harness connected to noisy partner was severed, allowing her to fly on her own for the first time.<\/p>\n
![\"Z4\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Z410.jpg\")
On October, 26 \u2013 at 11:05am local time \u2013 and after several final passes over the test range, the command of \u201crelease\u201d was given over the loop.<\/p>\nThe ETA began her flight at 12,500 feet, flying for real to prove her design. A failure at this point would have been a serious blow to her career, but it was a real risk, given it had been decades since a vehicle of this nature had been tested.<\/p>\n
Following release, the ETA dove into a steep down angle of around 50 degrees in order to pick up speed, before her autonomous flight computer system broke the dive, as her nose started to rise and Dream Chaser began to fly proudly.<\/p>\n
Following that key objective, the next 30 seconds involved the ETA refining her approach to the runway in preparation for landing. The vehicle showed no difficulties in the air and smoothly approach to the runway, firing test data back to engineers as she continued towards landing.<\/p>\n
![\"Z7\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Z76.jpg\")
Heading towards Runway 22L at Edwards Air Force Base, the ETA flared up her nose and lowered her air speed to 160 knots, mirroring the familiar final segment of flight observed by the Shuttle orbiters.<\/p>\nSinking towards the landing strip, the ETA then commanded for her gear to deploy, following data from her onboard ground radar altimeter.<\/p>\n
Both the nose skid and the starboard gear deployed as planned. However, the port landing gear door remained closed, later understood to be the result of contamination in the hydraulic fluid used to power the system.<\/p>\n
Notably, the landing gear were donated parts from a fighter jet, as opposed to the actual gear she will eventually conduct missions with in the future.<\/p>\n
![\"Z8\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Z83.jpg\")
The ETA had no option but to continue towards landing, aiming down the centerline of the runway, touching down on her right MLG.<\/p>\nDespite holding her form during the opening seconds of touchdown, she began to lean to the left, as the weight on her port side found there was nothing but air between the structure and the runway.<\/p>\n
As her port airframe touched the runway, she began to skid off the strip, heading into the sandy surroundings of Runway 22L, before the vehicle structure dug into the ground, causing her to go for a tumble, surrounded by dust, debris and her imitation Thermal Protection System (TPS) tiles flying off in all directions. She came to rest in the upright position.<\/p>\n
*Click here for more Dream Chaser news articles*<\/p>\n
Thankfully, the damage was not as bad as that feared by those observing the landing, with her scars mainly of the cosmetic nature, as opposed to structural. It was later revealed that had there been a crew on board, they would have \u201cwalked away\u201d from the accident.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/01\/Z86.jpg\")
While that provided SNC with an unscheduled test of Dream Chaser\u2019s strength during such an incident, the focus was soon switched back towards what were numerous successes during her first free flight.<\/p>\nThe objective of the test milestone under CCDev-2 focused on the ability for Dream Chaser to fly and approach the runway. As such, SNC were confident NASA managers would provide a green light to class the test as complete.<\/p>\n
Although it took over a month, that confirmation recently arrived, allowing for SNC to tick off the remaining box on their CCDev-2 requirements.<\/p>\n
![\"Z9\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Z91.jpg\")
\u201cSNC is pleased to begin flight testing and to have successfully completed the CCDev2 agreement,\u201d said Mark Sirangelo, corporate vice president and head of SNC\u2019s Space Systems.<\/p>\n\u201cHaving the Dream Chaser flight exceed our expectations on its first autonomous flight was an extraordinary accomplishment for SNC, its team of industry, government and university partners and all those who worked on the NASA heritage HL-20.\u201d<\/p>\n
In reviewing the performance of the ETA, all expected trajectory and flight data \u2013 including the nominal glide slope and other aerodynamic data \u2013 were successfully demonstrated and collected in-flight. The vehicle\u2019s performance during flight exceeded predictions and requirements.<\/p>\n
![\"Z66\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/10\/Z661.jpg\")
\u201cA spacecraft that lands on runways provides unique benefits for commercial spaceflight, but also presents unique development challenges,\u201d added Phil McAlister, NASA\u2019s director of Commercial Spaceflight Development.<\/p>\n\u201cThis flight of the Dream Chaser\u2019s full-scale atmospheric flight test vehicle considerably improves confidence in the Dream Chaser\u2019s design and Sierra Nevada Corporation\u2019s ability to overcome engineering development challenges.\u201d<\/p>\n
The confirmation of the successful milestone came after extensive post-flight analysis by NASA, resulting in SNC receiving the full award value.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/08\/Z310.jpg\")
\u201cWe thank NASA for the tremendous support we have received over the life of the CCDev2 agreement and look forward to continuing our strong working relationship in building the next-generation crew transportation vehicle,\u201d added Mr. Sirangelo.<\/p>\n\u201cOur goal is to restore America\u2019s leadership in human spaceflight and completing CCDev2 was a critical step along that path.\u201d<\/p>\n
SNC now move into an busy period of pressing towards their upcoming CCiCAP milestones, as they press ahead into what could be a 2016 flight into space via a future Dream Chaser.<\/p>\n
Dream Chaser has also attracted interest from Europe \u2013 namely the Germany space agency, DLR \u2013 in using the vehicle in several capacities, with a future article set to outline the vehicle\u2019s American and overseas aspirations.<\/p>\n
(Images via SNC, NASA and L2)<\/p>\n
(Click here: http:\/\/www.nasaspaceflight.com\/l2\/ \u2013 to view how you can access the best space flight content on the entire internet and directly support NSF\u2019s running costs)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As had been expected, Sierra Nevada Corporation\u2019s Dream Chaser ETA (Engineering Test Article) spacecraft successfully passed the final NASA Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev-2) milestone requirement, despite her tumble at the end of what was an impressive debut free flight in October. Dream Chaser Progress: One of the three main contenders to regain American independence […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":30316,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[8996,4055,970,8894],"class_list":["post-39689","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-ccdev","tag-ccicap","tag-dream-chaser","tag-snc"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39689"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39689"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39689\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/30316"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39689"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39689"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/starpath.global\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39689"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}