Sierra Space has marked significant progress in the development of its Dream Chaser vehicle, completing essential testing as the company explores potential uses for the spaceplane in both civil and national security sectors. The announcement, made on November 13, highlighted the successful completion of electromagnetic interference and compatibility testing for the first Dream Chaser vehicle, named Tenacity, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center (KSC).
"We completed the electrical system closeout and verified that, as we operate the vehicle, we’re not interfering with ourselves or Dream Chaser’s launch vehicle," stated Dan Polis, vice president of engineering solutions at Sierra Space.
In addition to these tests, Sierra Space conducted tow tests at Space Florida’s Launch and Landing Facility, formerly the space shuttle landing runway at KSC. These tests involved pulling the spaceplane at high speeds to assess runway landing performance and validated the closed-loop performance of the spaceplane’s navigation systems, as well as its communication capabilities through both line-of-sight and NASA’s TDRS network to the company’s control center in Colorado.
The company is preparing for launch acoustics testing in December. Polis also mentioned the previous testing of the Shooting Star cargo module. The Dream Chaser has been under development for several years with the initial goal of providing cargo transportation services to the International Space Station (ISS). A Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) 2 contract awarded by NASA in 2016 included seven missions to the ISS. However, in September, Sierra Space revealed that NASA had modified the CRS-2 contract to encompass only a single flight in late 2026. This mission will now focus on testing the vehicle in low Earth orbit instead of traveling to the ISS. Under the revised agreement, NASA retains the option to order further cargo flights.
Sierra Space has indicated a shift towards potential national security applications for the Dream Chaser, though specifics remain undisclosed. Following the acoustics tests, the spaceplane will be transported back to Colorado for modifications related to these applications. Polis added that hot-fire tests of the Dream Chaser’s propulsion system and comprehensive “day in the life” testing will also occur in Colorado before the vehicle returns to Florida for final launch preparations. The change in mission objectives, from ISS to low Earth orbit testing, necessitates adjustments to the test program. "We will gear our verification so there are some pivots away from things we were doing for a station-first mission, and pivot toward our new potential customers," Polis explained.
Tenacity arrived at KSC a year and a half prior, designated for final vehicle testing. Originally planned for launch on the second flight of United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) Vulcan rocket in late 2024, Sierra Space conceded its slot in June 2024. This allowed ULA to expedite the rocket's certification for national security missions. Polis clarified that no single issue caused the launch delay. "As with any complex vehicle, we’ve worked through non-conformances as we get to final vehicle integration," he said. He also noted the importance of "getting mutual alignment with NASA" on the vehicle's future to "really be able to exploit the vehicle’s flexibility for multi-platform applications."
Despite the focus on national security, Sierra Space intends to maintain the option of utilizing the Dream Chaser for supporting the ISS or future commercial space stations – or commercial low Earth orbit destinations (CLDs). "NASA is a critical customer," Polis emphasized. "We ultimately want to be their service provider after this first flight, and through their CLD partners, and so we have an eye on all of those requirements."
"This is a multi-purpose vehicle, and we see it fitting both national security and civil space," he said. "NASA has been a great partner. We believe the contract realignment really showed their commitment to the vehicle."