“We wished to have a gasoline system that was inexperienced as an alternative of utilizing hypergolics, so we may land it on a runway and we may stroll as much as the car with out being in hazmat fits,” Tom Vice, then Sierra’s chief government, informed Ars in late 2023. “That was laborious, I’ve to say.”
Apparently it nonetheless is as a result of, in response to Weigel, the method to complete testing of the propulsion system and certify it for an uncrewed spaceflight stays ongoing.
“We nonetheless have a few of our built-in security critiques to do, and we’re within the course of with updating each of our schedules to attempt to perceive the place does that actually put us,” she mentioned. “And so Sierra’s engaged on that, and so I would like to attend and simply get info again from them to see the place they assume a few of that work strains out.”
First mission could not berth with ISS
In response to one supply, Sierra is contemplating a modification to its first mission to shorten the certification interval.
The corporate had deliberate to fly the car shut sufficient to the house station such that it might be captured and berthed to the orbiting laboratory. One choice now into consideration is a mission that may deliver Dream Chaser shut sufficient to the station to check key parts of the car in flight however not have it berth.
This might improve confidence within the spacecraft’s propulsion system and supply the information NASA and associate house businesses have to clear the car to method and berth with the station on its second flight. Nevertheless, this is able to require a modification of the corporate’s contract with NASA, and a ultimate determination has not but been reached on whether or not to carry out a flyby mission earlier than an precise berthing.
It seems extremely unlikely that Dream Chaser will probably be prepared for its debut spaceflight this 12 months for these technical causes. One other problem is the provision of its Vulcan launch car. After years of delays, Vulcan is lastly as a result of make its first nationwide safety launch as early as this coming Sunday. Assuming this launch is profitable, Vulcan has a busy manifest within the coming months for the US House Power.
Given this, it’s unsure when a Vulcan launch car will develop into obtainable for Dream Chaser, which was initially designated to fly on Vulcan’s second flight. Nevertheless, as a result of Dream Chaser was not prepared final fall, that rocket flew with a mass simulator on this second launch, again in October 2024.
