Maybe the current Dream Chaser program is the wiser one instead of going straight for a crewed flight. Boeing had to jump straight to Crewed flight, and it didn't go well, while SpaceX flew uncrewed Dragon first and succeeded brilliantly. I'm not saying that is the only reason for Boeing's troubles.
Quote from: SoftwareDude on 05/31/2024 05:41 pmMaybe the current Dream Chaser program is the wiser one instead of going straight for a crewed flight. Boeing had to jump straight to Crewed flight, and it didn't go well, while SpaceX flew uncrewed Dragon first and succeeded brilliantly. I'm not saying that is the only reason for Boeing's troubles. OFT-1 was no different than a cargo mission. Its problems were independent of any crew support systems.
Quote from: Jim on 06/05/2024 11:57 amQuote from: SoftwareDude on 05/31/2024 05:41 pmMaybe the current Dream Chaser program is the wiser one instead of going straight for a crewed flight. Boeing had to jump straight to Crewed flight, and it didn't go well, while SpaceX flew uncrewed Dragon first and succeeded brilliantly. I'm not saying that is the only reason for Boeing's troubles. OFT-1 was no different than a cargo mission. Its problems were independent of any crew support systems.Yes, but now we have a third mission with bugs still.
Quote from: SoftwareDude on 06/08/2024 05:40 amQuote from: Jim on 06/05/2024 11:57 amQuote from: SoftwareDude on 05/31/2024 05:41 pmMaybe the current Dream Chaser program is the wiser one instead of going straight for a crewed flight. Boeing had to jump straight to Crewed flight, and it didn't go well, while SpaceX flew uncrewed Dragon first and succeeded brilliantly. I'm not saying that is the only reason for Boeing's troubles. OFT-1 was no different than a cargo mission. Its problems were independent of any crew support systems.Yes, but now we have a third mission with bugs still.Still doesn't matter whether it was crew or not.
Man, I don't get why there needs to be environmental impact statements and EAs for frakking everything. A plane landing at an existing airport?? It's just a glider for goodness sake. I don't think this massively expanded scope was envisioned when Congress first authorized this stuff.
Quote from: Robotbeat on 07/13/2024 06:46 pmMan, I don't get why there needs to be environmental impact statements and EAs for frakking everything. A plane landing at an existing airport?? It's just a glider for goodness sake. I don't think this massively expanded scope was envisioned when Congress first authorized this stuff.You REALLY want to get worked up about Cali-insanity?
Quote from: JAFO on 07/13/2024 09:24 pmQuote from: Robotbeat on 07/13/2024 06:46 pmMan, I don't get why there needs to be environmental impact statements and EAs for frakking everything. A plane landing at an existing airport?? It's just a glider for goodness sake. I don't think this massively expanded scope was envisioned when Congress first authorized this stuff.You REALLY want to get worked up about Cali-insanity?You realize the SLF isn't in California, right?Having a "glider" pass through the national airspace without a pilot, without control of ATC, at far higher speeds and steeper decent rates and angles than any airplane and with unusual chemicals potentially on board warrants some care.
Sierra Space is applying to the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for a Vehicle Operator License to land its Dream Chaser vehicle at the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF) and Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) to provide payload and cargo return services to potential government and private sector users. 2024 Revised Draft EA Public Review and Comment[/size]Since the 2021 Draft EA, Sierra Space Corporation added a proposal for contingency reentry (landing) operations at VSFB in Santa Barbara County, California. Sierra Space plans to reenter the Dream Chaser at the SLF; however, if the Dream Chaser is unable to safely reenter and land at the SLF, but could safely land in another location, Sierra Space would conduct a reentry at VSFB. The FAA prepared a Revised Draft EA, which includes an analysis of Sierra Space reentry operations at Vandenberg Space Force Base and addresses all comments received on the 2021 Draft EA.
[/size]Man, I don't get why there needs to be environmental impact statements and EAs for frakking everything. A plane landing at an existing airport?? It's just a glider for goodness sake. I don't think this massively expanded scope was envisioned when Congress first authorized this stuff.[/size]
Early next year, crews should break ground on a half-million-square-foot spacecraft processing facility at NASA's Kennedy Space Center that will prep Sierra Space's uncrewed Dream Chaser space plane before and after takeoff into orbit.All Points Logistics, a Merritt Island-based company, announced the partnership with Sierra Space to accommodate Dream Chaser pre-launch payload integration, checkout, launch vehicle integration and other ground-based services.All Points hopes to build and open its 150-foot-tall spacecraft complex in 2026 on 60 acres south of NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building.
Sierra Space's Dream Chaser space plane to use new Kennedy Space Center prep facilityQuoteAll Points hopes to build and open its 150-foot-tall spacecraft complex in 2026 on 60 acres south of NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building.
All Points hopes to build and open its 150-foot-tall spacecraft complex in 2026 on 60 acres south of NASA's Vehicle Assembly Building.
Explanation Taxi Tow Testing of Sierra Space Corporations Dream Chaser Space Plane ahead of its first mission to the International Space Station (ISS) for Cargo delivery and return.Purpose of Operation Transmissions from a mobile Ground Station during Tow/taxi test demonstration of multi-system performance over a range of speeds and braking profiles of the Dream Chaser spacecraft.Operation Start Date: 09/14/2024Operation End Date: 12/01/2024
Our Shooting Star cargo module is equipped with six aft-pointing thrusters. Following separation during launch, these thrusters serve as the primary propulsion mechanism until Dream Chaser is maneuvered and aligned with the @Space_Station.
ARS used a total of 48 acoustic devices during the cargo module testing. The company’s Neutron™ System is an industry first, consisting of proprietary, purpose-built acoustic devices made for high-output aerospace acoustic testing. ARS will be using an even larger setup for Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser spaceplane; the impending test will be the largest payload ever tested with DFAN.https://www.sierraspace.com/press-releases/sierra-space-shooting-star-cargo-module-completes-acoustic-testing-at-nasas-kennedy-space-center/
During Shooting Star's acoustic test, the team placed stacks of purpose-built loudspeakers – each one a highly-engineered acoustic device – in 21-ft-tall columns surrounding the spacecraft. A total of 48 acoustic devices were used during testing.https://x.com/SierraSpaceCo/status/1831360483934536096
-Ref the acoustic testing of the Shooting Star module, it this a normal procedure? I don't recall hearing about it being done for other spacecraft. This makes me think not.
Quote from: JAFO on 09/04/2024 08:45 pm-Ref the acoustic testing of the Shooting Star module, it this a normal procedure? I don't recall hearing about it being done for other spacecraft. This makes me think not.Its pretty common, check out MSI DFAT's photos (e.g. Crew Dragon).There was an interesting Off Nominal episode about acoustic testing.
