© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 1
Commercial Space Markets Based on the Dream Chaser® Spacecraft
Mark N. Sirangelo Corporate Vice President
Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Space Systems
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 2
• 26+ Years of space flight heritage
• 450 space missions supported • 4,000 products delivered • 70+ successful NASA
missions • Launching ~every 3 weeks • Space relationships in more
than 20 countries • Certified to all three industry
quality and safety standards • Trusted provider of advanced
space technologies for critical “can’t fail” missions
Sierra Nevada Corporation A proven heritage with extensive capabilities
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 3
Space Systems Product Lines Spacecraft Systems Space Technologies
Space Exploration Systems Propulsion and Environmental Systems
Free Flying Science, Servicing, Remote Sensing, Exploration Support
Dream Chaser Space Utility Vehicle NASA Commercial Cargo Services
Crewed Missions
Credit: NASA
Deep Space Habitat
Recovery System Upper Stages/Payloads
ESPA Compatible
Constellation Mission Design and Satellite
Production
Small Geo Satellites
Near Space Systems RF Applications
Berthing & Docking Pointing & Motion Control Electrical Power Systems
Adapters & Separation Systems Thermal Control Electro-Mechanical
Credit: NASA
In-space Propulsion Systems
Upper Stages & Launch Propulsion
Advanced ECLSS Development and BioProduction Systems
Credit: SpaceX
Credit: NASA
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 4
History: Dream Chaser Program • 1982-84: ½ scale Russian BOR-4 orbital flights
o Recovery photographed by Australian Royal Air Force P-3 Orion aircraft
• 1983-95: NASA Langley development of HL-20 (based on
BOR-4 images)
• 2005-10: SpaceDev (later acquired by SNC) modified the HL-20 into the Dream Chaser spacecraft
• 2010-14: SNC awarded NASA’s CCDev 1, CCDev2, CCiCap and CPC contracts to continue development
• 2014-15: SNC modified the Dream Chaser spacecraft to
become the Dream Chaser Cargo System for NASA’s CRS2 program
Credit: NASA
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 5
NASA’s HL-20 Mockup Re-Designated ‘Dream Chaser’ - 2005
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 6
Dream Chaser First Captive Carry Flight - 2012
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 7
Dream Chaser at Edwards Air Force Base - 2013
Credit: NASA
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 8
Making Space History
NASA Space Shuttle Enterprise
Final Flight
SNC’s Dream Chaser
First Flight
Credit: NASA
Credit: NASA
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 9
“Respect the past as the key to the future”
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 10
NASA Chooses Dream Chaser! January 14, 2016
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 11
Dream Chaser Spacecraft – Vehicle Variants
Crewed Dream Chaser
Uncrewed Dream Chaser
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 12
Dream Chaser Cargo System Capable: Exceeds ALL of NASA’s Cargo Needs
Safe: Gentle reentry, runway landing, all non-toxic propulsion
Responsive: Immediate post-land access to full payload
Affordable: Highly reusable (15x), broad commercial services
Flexible: Cargo Disposal + return, stows in 5m launch fairings
Mature: Leverages 40+ years of Shuttle/X-plane experience The Best Cargo Services Solution in the world
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 13
Dream Chaser Cargo System Features
Pressurized Cargo Storage
Cargo Module
Uncrewed Dream Chaser
Pressurized and Unpressurized Cargo
Pressurized Cargo
Powered Payload Capabilities
Unpressurized Cargo Storage
(3 FRAMs)
Pressurized Cargo Storage
Wings fold inside Fairing
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 14
Dream Chaser on Alabama-Built United Launch Alliance Atlas V
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 15
• SNC plans to initially build two Dream Chaser spacecraft to support both NASA cargo missions and additional commercial missions
• CRS2 Contract plans a total flight rate to the ISS of 4-5 per year for the years 2019-2024 o Total of 24 – 30 Flights o Each company guaranteed a minimum of six flights (18 total) o Potential for many more Dream Chaser flights o The ISS may be extended to 2028 or beyond creating further missions
• With two vehicles, SNC could support 30 flights during that
timeframe o Could reasonably support 10 – 15 commercial missions during the
CRS2 contract period o Dream Chaser vehicles could then continue to support commercial
missions after 2024
Ability to Support Additional Commercial Missions
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 16
Building markets on the NASA Foundation Existing and potential missions, clients and partners
• Manufacturing industry (e.g., materials, semiconductors, protein crystal growth, biotech, bio-pharmaceuticals
• International customers seeking a ‘turn-key’ space program
• Academia, laboratories and universities seeking regular and affordable access to space
Free-flying (not ISS) Missions Science and Testbed Missions Remote Sensing Missions
• NASA, ESA, Japan, Canada, emerging Asia-Pacific (e.g., South Korea, Malaysia, Vietnam, Philippines), India and Middle East/Gulf States (e.g., United Arab Emirates [UAE], Qatar)
• Institutions/Academia • Industry (sensors and payloads,
ECLSS), materials, solar arrays, long-duration space medicine, radiation, propulsion and combustion
• Weather, communications, measurement, geospatial intelligence
• Agriculture, land and resources management
• National security space • Change detection, commerce
monitoring, critical infrastructure inspection and monitoring
• Resiliency and reconstitution
• Government • Commercial providers • International • Institutions/Academia
Interagency Missions
• International (e.g., ESA, Canada and Japan)
• Institutions and academia (Naval Research Laboratory [NRL], Air Force Research Laboratory [AFRL] and universities)
• Private companies • NASA
International Missions
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 17
Customer Defined Missions
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 18
• Mission: Applied Research, Technology Development and On-Orbit Assembly and Test
Support for Exploration Programs Including Missions of Exploration to Asteroids, the Moon and Mars
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 19
Advantages of the Dream Chaser Lifting-body Spacecraft
Dream Chaser Attribute Low-g (<1.5g) atmospheric entry,
descent, landing
All non-toxic fuels and no hazardous operations
Highly-maneuverable vehicle w/on-board propulsion system
Ability to safely return cargo and crew to a runway landing at any time
Reusable spacecraft (15 mission capability)
Standard commercial runway landing
Operational Advantage Protects sensitive experiments and crew
with gentle, responsive return
Safe, cost effective ground and flight operations, flight turnaround
Allows for a wide range of missions for NASA and other customers
Improves responsive science return and emergency operations
Reduces recurring costs
Allows for immediate access to critical returning ISS experiments or
distressed/injured crew
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 20
• Immediate post-landing access to critical science (<3 hour handover) • Can provide all cargo in 24 hours for rapid and responsive utilization
Unique Features Provide Operational and Research Benefits to Commercial Customers
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 21
• Low-toxicity fluid commodities to enable runway landings around the world o Can land at any runway that
supports a B737 or A320 aircraft
• Basic runway landing o Runway length: nominal
10,000 ft o <1,000 nmi cross-range
capability
• Tri-landing gear configuration o Two main landing gear with
wheels o One nose landing gear with a
nose skid
Dream Chaser Landing Capability
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 22
Dream Chaser in the National Airspace Only 3 -4 minutes in NAS and within 20 nmi of airport
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 23
In a World Full of Capsules…
All images – credit: NASA
Orion
Cygnus
Dragon ATV
Apollo Mercury
CST-100
HTV
Soyuz
© 2017 Sierra Nevada Corporation 24
The only reusable, lifting-body crew-capable spacecraft in the world!
Dream Chaser Stands Alone!
Credit: NASA
Top Related