NASA and Sierra Space clip Dream Chaser's ISS wings
(2025/09/26)
- Reference: 1758902540
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2025/09/26/nasa_sierra_space_contract/
- Source link:
NASA and Sierra Space have modified the Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract, which originally called for the Dream Chaser spaceplane to be used to supply the International Space Station (ISS).
Currently, there is a strong chance the vehicle will never reach the ISS before the outpost is deorbited in 2030.
The [1]change to the contract means that Dream Chaser will now perform a free-flight demonstration, targeted for late 2026, and NASA will no longer be obligated to order a specific number of resupply missions. The agency might order Dream Chaser flights to the ISS after the free-flight demonstration, but there are no guarantees.
[2]
The Dream Chaser, a lifting-body spaceplane derived from NASA's HL-20 concept (among others), has suffered from a problem familiar to many in the space industry – delays. The vehicle was originally intended to carry crew, but it was the cargo version that NASA selected.
[3]
[4]
The launch date for the vehicle, which can land on a runway and carries the nostalgic whiff of the Space Shuttle program about it, has slipped over the years. There seemed to be a good chance that it might [5]finally launch in 2024 , but this target also passed without the Dream Chaser troubling a launcher.
"Development of new space transportation systems is difficult and can take longer than what's originally planned," said Dana Weigel, manager of NASA's International Space Station Program. The problem is that with so few years remaining for the ISS and the Dream Chaser's demonstration flight set for late 2026, there does not seem to be much point in committing resources to a block of resupply flights to the outpost.
[6]Dream Chaser mini-shuttle set to take flight at last
[7]Sierra Space bursts full-scale inflatable space habitat module
[8]Commercial space station Orbital Reef's design phase passes NASA review
[9]Baby Space Shuttle biz chases dreams at Spaceport Cornwall
Not having the Dream Chaser fly to the ISS for its demonstration also de-risks the exercise, and while NASA has preserved the option to use the vehicle, it has also left itself the option to not bother with it at all, depending on the needs of the space station. If and when commercial space stations start being launched, there might be other destinations for Dream Chaser to visit.
The move is also notable in light of the company's focus on defense technology. Sierra Space executive chair Fatih Ozmen [10]said : "This transition provides unique capabilities to meet the needs of diverse mission profiles, including emerging and existential threats and national security priorities that align with our acceleration into the Defense Tech market."
[11]
While the news means that a visit to the ISS by a winged spacecraft is unlikely, there is still a possibility that the vehicle might finally be launched. In the meantime, NASA's commercial resupply needs for the ISS will continue to be met by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman. ®
Get our [12]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/nasa-sierra-space-modify-commercial-resupply-services-contract/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aNcM5_BCKIK3zPZ6F9ZMSQAAAMU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aNcM5_BCKIK3zPZ6F9ZMSQAAAMU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aNcM5_BCKIK3zPZ6F9ZMSQAAAMU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2024/05/10/dream_chaser_set_to_take/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/05/10/dream_chaser_set_to_take/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/22/sierra_space_bursts_fullscale_inflatable/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/23/commercial_space_station_orbital_reef/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/09/snc_cornwall/
[10] https://www.sierraspace.com/press-releases/dream-chaser-advances-toward-first-flight-eyes-multi-use-applications/
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aNcM5_BCKIK3zPZ6F9ZMSQAAAMU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Currently, there is a strong chance the vehicle will never reach the ISS before the outpost is deorbited in 2030.
The [1]change to the contract means that Dream Chaser will now perform a free-flight demonstration, targeted for late 2026, and NASA will no longer be obligated to order a specific number of resupply missions. The agency might order Dream Chaser flights to the ISS after the free-flight demonstration, but there are no guarantees.
[2]
The Dream Chaser, a lifting-body spaceplane derived from NASA's HL-20 concept (among others), has suffered from a problem familiar to many in the space industry – delays. The vehicle was originally intended to carry crew, but it was the cargo version that NASA selected.
[3]
[4]
The launch date for the vehicle, which can land on a runway and carries the nostalgic whiff of the Space Shuttle program about it, has slipped over the years. There seemed to be a good chance that it might [5]finally launch in 2024 , but this target also passed without the Dream Chaser troubling a launcher.
"Development of new space transportation systems is difficult and can take longer than what's originally planned," said Dana Weigel, manager of NASA's International Space Station Program. The problem is that with so few years remaining for the ISS and the Dream Chaser's demonstration flight set for late 2026, there does not seem to be much point in committing resources to a block of resupply flights to the outpost.
[6]Dream Chaser mini-shuttle set to take flight at last
[7]Sierra Space bursts full-scale inflatable space habitat module
[8]Commercial space station Orbital Reef's design phase passes NASA review
[9]Baby Space Shuttle biz chases dreams at Spaceport Cornwall
Not having the Dream Chaser fly to the ISS for its demonstration also de-risks the exercise, and while NASA has preserved the option to use the vehicle, it has also left itself the option to not bother with it at all, depending on the needs of the space station. If and when commercial space stations start being launched, there might be other destinations for Dream Chaser to visit.
The move is also notable in light of the company's focus on defense technology. Sierra Space executive chair Fatih Ozmen [10]said : "This transition provides unique capabilities to meet the needs of diverse mission profiles, including emerging and existential threats and national security priorities that align with our acceleration into the Defense Tech market."
[11]
While the news means that a visit to the ISS by a winged spacecraft is unlikely, there is still a possibility that the vehicle might finally be launched. In the meantime, NASA's commercial resupply needs for the ISS will continue to be met by SpaceX and Northrop Grumman. ®
Get our [12]Tech Resources
[1] https://www.nasa.gov/missions/station/nasa-sierra-space-modify-commercial-resupply-services-contract/
[2] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=2&c=2aNcM5_BCKIK3zPZ6F9ZMSQAAAMU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D2%26raptor%3Dcondor%26pos%3Dtop%26test%3D0
[3] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aNcM5_BCKIK3zPZ6F9ZMSQAAAMU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[4] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=3&c=33aNcM5_BCKIK3zPZ6F9ZMSQAAAMU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D3%26raptor%3Deagle%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[5] https://www.theregister.com/2024/05/10/dream_chaser_set_to_take/
[6] https://www.theregister.com/2024/05/10/dream_chaser_set_to_take/
[7] https://www.theregister.com/2024/01/22/sierra_space_bursts_fullscale_inflatable/
[8] https://www.theregister.com/2022/08/23/commercial_space_station_orbital_reef/
[9] https://www.theregister.com/2021/06/09/snc_cornwall/
[10] https://www.sierraspace.com/press-releases/dream-chaser-advances-toward-first-flight-eyes-multi-use-applications/
[11] https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/jump?co=1&iu=/6978/reg_offbeat/science&sz=300x50%7C300x100%7C300x250%7C300x251%7C300x252%7C300x600%7C300x601&tile=4&c=44aNcM5_BCKIK3zPZ6F9ZMSQAAAMU&t=ct%3Dns%26unitnum%3D4%26raptor%3Dfalcon%26pos%3Dmid%26test%3D0
[12] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Including emerging and existential threats
Do you think he meant to say "emerging and existing threats"?
If not, can we rest easier, knowing that there are not going to be any new existential threats emerging in the future?*
* or does he just mean that the sum total of all the current existential threats are enough to guarantee that our existence will end in the expected lifetime of the Dream Catcher, so frankly don't bother about getting out of bed tomorrow, we are all doomed, doomed I tell you.
PS
Shame if Dream Catcher doesn't make it to the ISS, as there is just something about the photos from Earth of the station with an obvious winged shape docked to that somehow made it all seem more real, if you get what I mean; the silhouette was such a change from the normal profile that it was so much more obvious that something was paying them a visit.