It was well worth the wait to be sure... Note to ground crew "don't forget to wear your oven mitts"...
Mature Vehicle with All Major Risks Retired-Hot fired ORBITEC Vortex engine propulsion system numerous times
It's not recent but I found this presentation on DC which is good:http://ndiatvc.org/images/downloads/SMDWG_July_2016/ndia_space___missile_defense_wg_18_jul_16_vfinal2.pdfAmong other things, it states the following:QuoteMature Vehicle with All Major Risks Retired-Hot fired ORBITEC Vortex engine propulsion system numerous times
SNC has been working with ORBITEC for over three years. ORBITEC is the lead for the Environmental Control and Life Support Systems (ECLSS) and Thermal Control Systems (TCS) for SNC, providing reliable living conditions including temperature and humidity control to support the astronauts during their journeys on SNC's Dream Chaser® spacecraft. Recently, SNC selected ORBITEC to provide the RCS engines for Dream Chaser using green, nontoxic propellants. The flexibility of fuel and oxidizer options along with the ability to quickly scale engine size makes ORBITEC's Vortex technology the growing industry preferred choice for Reaction Control Systems (RCS), Upper Stage engines and potentially boost class engines.
Orbitec will produce the environmental control system that handles air and heat inside the Dream Chaser and rocket engine thrusters that will propel and steer the vehicle in space, Zamprelli said.
Thank you for the great article gents and congrats on your first John!
I wonder how far along ULA is in development of the 2-engine Centaur? The investment may have already been spent so it may be too late to switch horses now. Just seems like the Falcon is a more optimized LV for DC's needs, given it's thrust and propellant types than Atlas which is more optimized for payloads going beyond LEO with it's low thrust/high efficiency Centaur upper stage.
It looks like DC will now have folding wings to fit into the Atlas PLF (this may have happened awhile ago, I haven't been following DC very closely for awhile).And will fly on Atlas with 5 SRB's and a new modified Centaur with two RL-10's.Seems like it'd almost make more sense to move the LV to Falcon 9, as that's a more LEO optimized LV than Atlas-Centaur. No upper stage modifications required, it's just a much higher thrust upper stage. It'd probably have to fly in expendable configuration, but obviously Atlas does anyway.I wonder how far along ULA is in development of the 2-engine Centaur? The investment may have already been spent so it may be too late to switch horses now. Just seems like the Falcon is a more optimized LV for DC's needs, given it's thrust and propellant types than Atlas which is more optimized for payloads going beyond LEO with it's low thrust/high efficiency Centaur upper stage.
Seems like it'd almost make more sense to move the LV to Falcon 9, as that's a more LEO optimized LV than Atlas-Centaur. No upper stage modifications required, it's just a much higher thrust upper stage. It'd probably have to fly in expendable configuration, but obviously Atlas does anyway.
I believe DC wouldn't fit inside Falcon's fairing.
Quote from: Lobo on 02/08/2018 05:00 pmSeems like it'd almost make more sense to move the LV to Falcon 9, as that's a more LEO optimized LV than Atlas-Centaur. No upper stage modifications required, it's just a much higher thrust upper stage. It'd probably have to fly in expendable configuration, but obviously Atlas does anyway.Not sure you've heard, but if a reusable Falcon 9 is not powerful enough for your needs, SpaceX now has a reusable launch vehicle called Falcon Heavy that can likely take care of your needs... However I'm sure Sierra Nevada knows what their launch vehicle options are, and for whatever good reasons they have they have determined that Atlas V is their best choice. Which is fine with me, because I'm more interested in getting Dream Chaser into space than who takes them there!Fingers crossed for my favorite LEO spacecraft to stay on schedule...
Ok, I'm confused. Will her first orbital flight be the demo to the ISS, or are they planning another orbital "flight to nowhere" without an ISS rendezvous to test her out?
Quote from: rayleighscatter on 02/08/2018 08:36 pmI believe DC wouldn't fit inside Falcon's fairing.I think both the Atlas 5m and Falcon PLF's are about the same diameter?