Author Topic: NASA's Commercial Crew Partner Sierra Nevada Completes Dream Chaser Nose Landing  (Read 5521 times)

Offline jacqmans

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RELEASE: 12-231

NASA'S COMMERCIAL CREW PARTNER SIERRA NEVADA COMPLETES DREAM CHASER NOSE LANDING GEAR TEST

LOUISVILLE, Colo. -- NASA partner Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has
completed a successful test of the nose landing gear for its
full-scale Dream Chaser engineering flight test vehicle. The
completed test and an upcoming flight test are part of SNC's
Commercial Crew Development Round 2 (CCDev2) agreement with NASA's
Commercial Crew Program.

The gear test is an important milestone to prepare for the upcoming
approach and landing test of the Dream Chaser Space System later this
year. It evaluated the impact the nose landing gear will experience
on touchdown in order to ensure a safe runway landing.

SNC is one of seven companies developing commercial crew
transportation capabilities to ferry U.S. astronauts to and from low
Earth orbit and the International Space Station. The Dream Chaser is
the only spacecraft under CCDev2 that is winged and designed to land
on a conventional runway. It is designed to carry as many as seven
astronauts to space.

"The landing gear system must perform flawlessly, just like the space
shuttle orbiter's did, for the safe return of the crew," CCP program
manager Ed Mango said. "It's great to see that SNC is building on
that experience while developing the Dream Chaser spacecraft."

SNC tested the spacecraft's main landing gear in February. This nose
landing gear test completes the milestones leading up to the upcoming
approach and landing test, which will complete the CCDev2
partnership.

"This test marks a significant point in the development of the Dream
Chaser orbital crew vehicle. As the last milestone before free flight
of the Dream Chaser spacecraft, we are now preparing for the approach
and landing tests to be flown later this year," said Jim Voss, SNC
vice president of space exploration systems and program manager for
the Dream Chaser.

All of NASA's industry partners, including SNC, continue to meet their
established milestones in developing commercial crew transportation
capabilities under CCDev2.

For more information about NASA's Commercial Crew Program and CCDev2,
visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew
Jacques :-)

Offline Rocket Science

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Well done! Maybe we’ll get some pics and video sometime soon… :)
"The laws of physics are unforgiving"
~Rob: Physics instructor, Aviator

Offline Robotbeat

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Chris  Whoever loves correction loves knowledge, but he who hates reproof is stupid.

To the maximum extent practicable, the Federal Government shall plan missions to accommodate the space transportation services capabilities of United States commercial providers. US law http://goo.gl/YZYNt0

Offline BrightLight

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With pics of the actual gear we will know if its a skid! Great to see forward progress.

Offline Lars_J

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Offline Lobo

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With pics of the actual gear we will know if its a skid! Great to see forward progress.

So...do we know if it's a skid or nose wheel?  Any pictures yet?

"The landing gear system must perform flawlessly, just like the space
shuttle orbiter's did, for the safe return of the crew," CCP program
manager Ed Mango said. "It's great to see that SNC is building on
that experience while developing the Dream Chaser spacecraft."

THat's either a reference to the Shuttle's nose wheel, or just a general reference to the fact both the Shuttle and Dreamchasers nose gear both worked well.

Anyone know?

Offline Lee Jay

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Yes.

http://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2012/06/snc-dream-chasers-enterprise-test-approach/

"With a target a landing speed of 191 knots, Dream Chaser will touch down with its Main Landing Gear, before pitching the nose forward on to an inbuilt skid strip, as opposed to a Nose Landing Gear wheel."

Offline Lurker Steve

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I assume the nose gear consists of a lot more than just a piece of metal that deploys from the front of the spaceship.

Offline Lee Jay

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There's an artist's conception in that article.  From that, it looks like a hinged skid to me.  Of course, that's not exactly an engineering drawing.

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