Sierra Nevada has announced that it plans to do additional test flights in 2014 of its prototype Dream Chaser engineering test vehicle
Sierra Nevada has announced that it plans to do additional test flights in 2014 of its prototype Dream Chaser engineering test vehicle.
This is the same test vehicle that skidded off the runway during its first flight when one of its landing legs did not deploy. The company has never released any images of that smashup, but has said the craft was salvageable. I imagine this announcement is part of the continuing lobbying campaign by all the companies (SpaceX, Boeing, Sierra Nevada) competing in NASA’s commercial manned program. NASA is supposed to down select to two companies, maybe only one, by the end of the summer.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit.
The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
Sierra Nevada has announced that it plans to do additional test flights in 2014 of its prototype Dream Chaser engineering test vehicle.
This is the same test vehicle that skidded off the runway during its first flight when one of its landing legs did not deploy. The company has never released any images of that smashup, but has said the craft was salvageable. I imagine this announcement is part of the continuing lobbying campaign by all the companies (SpaceX, Boeing, Sierra Nevada) competing in NASA’s commercial manned program. NASA is supposed to down select to two companies, maybe only one, by the end of the summer.
On Christmas Eve 1968 three Americans became the first humans to visit another world. What they did to celebrate was unexpected and profound, and will be remembered throughout all human history. Genesis: the Story of Apollo 8, Robert Zimmerman's classic history of humanity's first journey to another world, tells that story, and it is now available as both an ebook and an audiobook, both with a foreword by Valerie Anders and a new introduction by Robert Zimmerman.
The print edition can be purchased at Amazon. from any other book seller, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. The ebook is available everywhere for $5.99 (before discount) at amazon, or direct from my ebook publisher, ebookit. If you buy it from ebookit you don't support the big tech companies and the author gets a bigger cut much sooner.
The audiobook is also available at all these vendors, and is also free with a 30-day trial membership to Audible.
"Not simply about one mission, [Genesis] is also the history of America's quest for the moon... Zimmerman has done a masterful job of tying disparate events together into a solid account of one of America's greatest human triumphs."--San Antonio Express-News
I’m wondering why companies are competing to operate under NASA’s purview. Why not just develop the hardware and operating procedures, and open for business? Oh, right. All that Federal money.
Its not so much the cash. They would charge about the same to any other company that wants a launch.
What they like about a contract with NASA are the guaranteed launches. Its guaranteed work with prearranged payments.
Contracts are something they can use as collateral to gain more investments.
Currently NASA is the bulk of the market anyone can find. Also securing that high profile contract gives you serious cred with any other market
SNC is interesting in that they have been quietly building up a lot of expertise and cash flow. Wholly owned by the couple who bought them in ’91, no debts, about $3B a year in sales, and building up. I know a couple big announcements in the pipeline, and wouldn’t be surprised if they are building up toward a full up RLV not to long from now. Given they don’t have to answer to stockholders, they could go ahead and do it, where a Boeing, McDonnell Douglas, Lockheed/Martin couldn’t get it past stockholders who really are just pension fund managers. And they have more expertise and internal funds/capital then Musk had, and not the crippling ego unwilling/able to work with others. (SNC is happily teamed with both Boeing and L/M on Dream Chaser, even though they compete with both.)
Much mention is made of the three companies that continue to receive NASA CCDev funding, and little is made of those companies that are doing as you suggest.
Blue Origin continues development of its New Shepard spacecraft despite no longer receiving NASA funds.
Pzatchok, below, is correct. One company (or maybe two) will end up with a NASA contract to taxi astronauts to the ISS for half a dozen-ish flights.
Those not in the running – those doing as you suggest – will have to rely upon flights to other destinations, such as Bigelow inflatable space habitats.