LOUISVILLE, Colo. — After years within the making, the world’s first business area airplane, Dream Chaser, will quickly be shipped from Louisville, Colorado, to a NASA facility in Ohio.
Denver7 first confirmed you Dream Chaser and the Sierra House facility in October 2022. Our crew checked out the ending touches Monday earlier than the airplane makes its technique to the Neil Armstrong Check Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, roughly 57 miles west of Cleveland.
The primary spacecraft of the Dream Chaser collection, Tenacity, is ready to launch from the Kennedy House Heart subsequent 12 months.
“There are over 2,000 tiles on this car,” stated Sierra House Chief Security Officer Angie Smart.
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Dream Chaser is the primary spacecraft design to function folded wings that will not open till the airplane is in area. Every flight will probably be unmanned, with the purpose of delivering cargo to the Worldwide House Station (ISS). There are at the least seven deliberate missions to and from the ISS.
“We’ll stroll over right here to Cargo Module 2, since you’ll discover Cargo Module 1 is now not in our facility,” stated Smart.
Cargo Module 1 is en path to NASA. It attaches to the again of the area airplane and can maintain the cargo. As soon as the Dream Chaser will get to the ISS, the module will probably be unloaded after which reloaded with undesirable materials. The cargo will dissipate upon re-entry into the ambiance as soon as Dream Chaser’s mission is full.
“So, we all know we’ve got to construct at the least seven cargo modules to help these NASA missions,” stated Smart.
It’s the corporate’s first large-scale contract with NASA.
Sierra House is constructing a second Dream Chaser area airplane. Every airplane can fly as much as 15 instances, in keeping with Smart. Tenacity and the second airplane will probably be used for the seven ISS missions.
“We’re basically getting [Tenacity] prepared for transport. So, try that touchdown gear. We will put every part again in, stow it, transfer it onto that fixture and get her out of right here,” stated Smart.
Tenacity will endure environmental testing as soon as it is at NASA’s facility in Ohio, which may take one to 3 months. Then, it will likely be shipped to the Kennedy House Heart in Florida.
