Sierra Space Dream Chaser Testing Complete | NASA's Glenn Research Center

Sierra Space Dream Chaser Testing Complete | NASA's Glenn Research Center

Farewell from Ohio! NASA and Sierra Space recently wrapped up testing of the Dream Chaser spacecraft and Shooting Star cargo module at NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio. The spaceplane is now in the hands of experts at NASA's Kennedy Space Center for final testing before its first flight to the International Space Station later this year. 

As part of NASA’s efforts to expand commercial resupply in low Earth orbit, Sierra Space’s uncrewed spaceplane has now arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida ahead of its first flight to the International Space Station. 

The Dream Chaser spaceplane, named Tenacity, arrived at Kennedy on May 18, 2024, inside a climate-controlled transportation container from NASA’s Neil Armstrong Test Facility in Sandusky, Ohio, and joined its companion Shooting Star cargo module, which arrived on May 11. 

Before arriving at Kennedy, the spaceplane and its cargo module underwent vibration testing atop the world’s highest capacity and most powerful spacecraft shaker system inside the agency’s Space Environments Complex, exposing the stack to vibrations like those it will experience during launch and re-entry to the Earth’s atmosphere. Following vibration testing, the duo moved to NASA’s In-Space Propulsion Facility and was exposed to low ambient pressures and temperatures ranging from -150 to 300 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Video Credit: NASA/Steve Logan and Jordan Salkin

Duration: 1 minute

Release Date: May 21, 2024

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