NASA's New Space Plane is finally Ready and It's a Problem for Boeing, even SpaceX Dragon...

"NASA's New Space Plane is finally Ready and It's a Problem for Boeing, even SpaceX Dragon...
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#techmap #techmaps #elonmusk #starshipspacex #spacex
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Intro 0:00
Dream Chaser’s journey 0:51
A cool design 4:20
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NASA's New Space Plane is finally Ready and It's a Problem for Boeing, even SpaceX Dragon...
Everyone talks about SpaceX’s Dragon or Boeing’s Star liner—but what if I told you the real game-changer is the one NASA didn’t pick for crewed missions?!
Meet Dream Chaser—Sierra Space’s winged wonder that looks like a mini space shuttle and lands like an airplane! It’s sleek, reusable, science-friendly, and low-key, solving problems the other two still struggle with.
With advanced heat shielding, smooth 1.5G landings, and runway access anywhere in the world, Dream Chaser isn’t just cool—it might be the smartest spacecraft design yet.
So why did NASA reject it for the Commercial Crew Program? And why is it STILL quietly gaining ground, even as Star liner stumbles and Dragon dominates?
Find out everything in today's Techmap episode!
NASA's New Space Plane is finally Ready and It's a Problem for Boeing, even SpaceX Dragon...
Whenever we talk about standout spacecraft, it’s hard not to mention Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser. This sleek, reusable spaceplane instantly brings to mind NASA’s legendary Space Shuttle—thanks to its distinctive winged shape and airplane-style runway landings. But Dream Chaser isn’t just a nostalgic nod to the past; it’s a high-tech evolution. It takes the Shuttle’s flexibility and upgrades it with modern engineering, aiming to fix many of the issues that held the Shuttle back. Designed for both cargo and, eventually, crewed missions, Dream Chaser is quickly emerging as a strong candidate to carry on the Shuttle’s legacy.
Dream Chaser’s journey hasn’t been without hurdles. The concept first took flight in 2004 with SpaceDev, a company pushing the boundaries of space tech. SpaceDev laid the foundation with a lifting-body design inspired by older NASA projects like the HL-20.
NASA's New Space Plane is finally Ready and It's a Problem for Boeing, even SpaceX Dragon...
A major shift came in 2008 when Sierra Nevada Corporation acquired SpaceDev, bringing Dream Chaser under its wing. SNC accelerated the spacecraft’s development, securing NASA funding through Space Act Agreements under the Commercial Crew Development program. They also joined the race for NASA’s Commercial Crew Program and Commercial Resupply Services-2 contracts.
But not everything went smoothly. In 2014, Dream Chaser lost out in NASA’s Commercial Crew Transportation Capability phase. NASA instead picked Boeing’s Star liner and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon. SNC was not happy, so they protested the decision to the GAO in September 2014, claiming inconsistencies in the selection process. However, in January 2015, the GAO upheld NASA’s decision, finding the evaluation was fair.
Fortunately, the tide turned in January 2016 when NASA selected Dream Chaser—along with SpaceX’s Cargo Dragon and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus—for CRS-2, awarding contracts to deliver supplies to the International Space Station.
To boost its space ambitions, SNC created a new entity in April 2021: Sierra Space Corporation. As a fully independent subsidiary, SSC would focus exclusively on commercial space ventures, with Dream Chaser leading the charge.
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