Post by glactus on Jun 28, 2011 3:41:03 GMT
Sierra Nevada Space Systems has announced completion of two significant milestones as part of the Commercial crew development Round 2 (CCDev2) Program. SNC is building the Dream Chaser, a space shuttle-like human spacecraft for NASA to provide astronaut transport to the nternational space station..
The Dream chaser
The Dream Chaser, which is now under full production, is a piloted or autonomous spacecraft which provides safe, reliable, and cost effective transport of up to seven crew members or a combination of people and cargo to low earth orbit and returning them safely to the Earth without excessive deceleration or landing forces. Risk to deconditioned crew and delicate science experiment return samples is minimized through a low G landing on a runway.
Dream chaser in flight
As the only company under contract to NASA for development of a Shuttle-like spacecraft, SNC is positioned to quickly restore US capability to transport humans to the ISS after the Space Shuttle retires and to support other human spaceflight markets in low Earth orbit.
Dream chaser to the ISS
This milestone was a review of the selection of the improved airfoil fin shape to be used on the Dream Chaser. This new fin will improve the handling qualities of the spacecraft as it flies in the atmosphere on return from space to a gentle runway landing. Wind tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamics analyses were used to complete the fin selection milestone work.
The Dream Chaser is a part of NASA heritage and proven technology will enable SNC's unique space transportation system to effectively and reliably carry crew and cargo to orbital destinations.
looking at the Dream chaser
Credits: There are Sierra Nevada/NASA images
Text: This is part text only. See full text and all scientists involved at Space daily.com
www.space-travel.com/reports/Sierra_Nevada_Space_Systems_Completes_Milestones_For_Commercial_Crew_Program_999.html
Telescope in avatar:Meade 16" LX 200
Astronomer in avatar: Glactus
The Dream chaser
The Dream Chaser, which is now under full production, is a piloted or autonomous spacecraft which provides safe, reliable, and cost effective transport of up to seven crew members or a combination of people and cargo to low earth orbit and returning them safely to the Earth without excessive deceleration or landing forces. Risk to deconditioned crew and delicate science experiment return samples is minimized through a low G landing on a runway.
Dream chaser in flight
As the only company under contract to NASA for development of a Shuttle-like spacecraft, SNC is positioned to quickly restore US capability to transport humans to the ISS after the Space Shuttle retires and to support other human spaceflight markets in low Earth orbit.
Dream chaser to the ISS
This milestone was a review of the selection of the improved airfoil fin shape to be used on the Dream Chaser. This new fin will improve the handling qualities of the spacecraft as it flies in the atmosphere on return from space to a gentle runway landing. Wind tunnel testing and computational fluid dynamics analyses were used to complete the fin selection milestone work.
The Dream Chaser is a part of NASA heritage and proven technology will enable SNC's unique space transportation system to effectively and reliably carry crew and cargo to orbital destinations.
looking at the Dream chaser
Credits: There are Sierra Nevada/NASA images
Text: This is part text only. See full text and all scientists involved at Space daily.com
www.space-travel.com/reports/Sierra_Nevada_Space_Systems_Completes_Milestones_For_Commercial_Crew_Program_999.html
Telescope in avatar:Meade 16" LX 200
Astronomer in avatar: Glactus