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Dream Chaser's first ISS resupply mission launches in late 2020
After years of testing, Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser cargo spacecraft has a launch window. NASA has given the go-ahead to the vehicle's first mission, which is now slated for late 2020. Appropriately, it's a straightforward resupply trip for the International Space Station. The company received the all-clear after hitting a slew of key NASA-approved design milestones.
Sierra Nevada spacecraft completes first test flight in 4 years
If Sierra Nevada is going to fulfill supply missions for the International Space Station and the UN, it'll have to prove that its Dream Chaser spacecraft is ready to fly... and it just took a big step in that direction. The company has revealed that Dream Chaser completed a glide test flight on November 11th, launching from a helicopter and landing at California's Edwards Air Force Base. Notably, it's this vehicle's first flight in 4 years, and its first successful landing demonstration -- when this ship last flew in 2013, stuck landing gear forced a rough touchdown.
Sierra Nevada is taking the United Nations to space in 2021
Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser might not have won NASA's space taxi contract, but at least it's taking the United Nations to orbit. The spacecraft, which resembles NASA's old Space Shuttles, will launch the UN Office for Outer Space Affairs' first actual mission in 2021, 59 years after the division was established. It's meant to give developing nations without a space program the chance to send experiments and other payloads outside our planet, though any UN member can apply for a spot on the vehicle. UNOOSA will even offer technical assistance to countries that have no experience developing microgravity payloads.
NASA will build full-scale deep space habitats on Earth
NASA is already preparing for humanity's journey into the great unknown, and part of its efforts is developing a suitable habitat for future spacefarers. In order to create a place where people can live outside our own planet, the agency has teamed up with six private corporations to build full-scale ground prototypes of the habitats they designed. NASA has chosen those six out of all the proposals it got for the second Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnerships. And as you can see above, Boeing is one of them.
NASA picks three private space companies to resupply the ISS
NASA will fund the International Space Station at least through 2024, so keeping the astronauts on it fed and experimenting is a big deal. That's why the nation's top space agency announced new resupply contracts for Orbital ATK and Elon Musk's SpaceX, two major incumbents that were joined by newcomer Sierra Nevada and its resumable, mini-spaceplane. Each company will get at least six resupply missions, but it's "likely" that NASA will buy more than 18 flights — NASA will grant additional missions based on what they and the station's spacefaring crew need at the time.
Work on NASA's space taxis delayed after protests over contract allocation
Waiting for a space taxi? It looks like it might show up a little late. Of course, it's only NASA astronauts currently in line for one of the agency's recently commissioned spacecraft, but both companies involved -- Boeing and SpaceX -- will have to down-tools after the third company in the mix (and the only one to not get commissioned) protests the awarded contracts. While Boeing scooped the lion's share ($4.2 billion), SpaceX also picked up $2.6 billion in funding to develop craft that will shuttle astronauts to the ISS. Currently NASA relies on Russian ships for this expensive service. Sierra Nevada claims it could do the same work as Boeing, but for a full $900 million less. The disgruntled firm also claims NASA's own debrief on the selection contains inconsistencies and raises "serious questions." NASA has 30 days to respond to the allegations. With current seats on Russian craft running a cool $70 million a time, that certainly puts the cost of a cab stuck in traffic firmly in perspective.
Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin has struck a deal with Boeing and Lockheed to build space rockets
Wondering why NASA gave Boeing the lion's share of its space taxi funding? Jeff Bezos could have something to do with it. Shortly after NASA awarded Boeing $4.2 billion in funding, the Wall Street Journal claimed the company padded its bid with a partnership with Bezos' Blue Origin. Turns out, the WSJ was right: today Blue Origin and the United Launch Alliance (a joint venture of Boeing and Lockheed Martin) entered an agreement to fund and build the Blue Origin BE-4 rocket engine. Basically, Boeing is going to build NASA's space taxi capsules and Bezos' rocket company is going to launch them out of our atmosphere.
Boeing and SpaceX will shuttle American astronauts to the ISS
There had been rumors of NASA awarding Boeing a big contract for its Commercial Crew Program, and it turns out that the claims were true -- and then some. The agency has just announced that both Boeing's CST-100 capsule and SpaceX's Dragon V2 will ferry American astronauts to the International Space Station from 2017 onward. Most of the funding ($4.2 billion) will go to Boeing's entry, but the SpaceX deal is still pretty hefty at $2.6 billion. Once both vehicles are certified and tested, they'll participate in manned scientific missions (up to six each) and serve as lifeboats in emergencies. Unfortunately, Sierra Nevada's aircraft-like Dream Chaser isn't part of the picture. It's ultimately a good day for space travel, but those hoping for a Space Shuttle-like design will be disappointed.
Boeing is expected to build most of NASA's space taxis (update: official)
NASA may have been even-handed when it started doling out money to contractors for its space taxi program, but there are hints that it's about to play favorites. The Wall Street Journal hears from anonymous officials that Boeing is now the odds-on favorite to get the majority of NASA's astronaut transportation business. SpaceX, once thought to be the frontrunner, would be relegated to a "second source" alongside Sierra Nevada. Reportedly, the agency sees Boeing's CST-100 capsule as the easy choice -- it carries relatively few risks, and is more likely to be ready for business in three years than SpaceX's Dragon V2. Update: Sure enough, NASA announced its contracts today. Boeing will get the lion's share of the business with $4.2 billion in funding, but SpaceX isn't exactly a bit player here -- it's getting $2.6 billion. Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser won't be part of the picture, however.
NASA awards Boeing, SpaceX and Sierra Nevada $30 million in contracts
The race to get the US back into space, under its own power that is, is on. While we bide our time, hitching a ride to the ISS with Russian cosmonauts, our private sector is working diligently to put an American behind the wheel (yoke? joystick?) of a space vehicle once again. Of course, our government is helping a bit by signing sizable contracts with the players with the best chance of getting us there. Big winners Boeing, SpaceX and Sierra Nevada Corp. have each been awarded roughly $10 million, which will primarily be used for safety upgrades and testing. The goal is to ultimately receive certification from the agency for delivering astronauts into orbit. This is the first phase of the contract, which will wrap up in May of 2014. By 2017 NASA hopes to have at least one craft from these companies (the CST-100, Dragon or Dream Chaser) running a "space taxi service" to the ISS. But that's still a long way off. For more, check out the PR after the break.
Congress, NASA agree to thin out commercial spaceflight partners for 'space taxi' program
Congress has twisted NASA's arm on a new deal for the "Commercial Crew Program," designed to get private spaceflight companies to ferry astronauts into space. Senator Representative Frank Wolf wants NASA to scale back its grants to four companies: SpaceX, Boeing, Blue Origin and Sierra Nevada down to two, while a third gets a retainer in case one of those chosen pair fails. The administration will be examining the financial health and business viability of each company before doling out the cash -- with one of those named above effectively being shut out of the market. Although, we imagine SpaceX did itself no harm at all when it became the first commercial enterprise to get a capsule to the ISS.
Commercial space shuttle prototypes fly through wind tunnel testing
A pair of companies developing their own commercial space shuttles are presumably trying to flatten their hair after some rigorous wind tunnel testing. First up, Blue Origin, founded by Jeff Bezos (the guy behind Amazon), a company that's remained pretty quiet on its efforts to shuttle astronauts to the International Space Station. Its Space Vehicle setup will plump for a biconic shape (seen above), with a flattened side and a split flap. According to Blue Origin's president, Rob Meyerson, the shape allows greater volume than traditional designs, but forgo the "weight penalty" of winged craft. Compared to earlier capsules, the Space Vehicle's shape, with its fuselage flap to generate lift, should also give it better control on re-entry to earth.Juggling for wind tunnel time, Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser has also been blasted with smoke to test its own air resistance credentials. Its module would launch from the top of the rocket, and glide (as much as anything that costs this much can) back to earth like NASA's own space shuttles. The Dream Chaser is planning its first flight for this fall. You can check out its more traditional take on the future of space travel after the break -- and decide which of the two you'll want sending your children to the mines.[Picture credit: Blue Origin, SNC]
NASA awards $270 million to SpaceX and other commercial spaceflight ventures
NASA has given its seal of approval (and a lot of money) to SpaceX and three other private companies, as part of its Commercial Crew Development (CCDev2) initiative -- a program designed to spur the development of U.S. commercial spaceflight. The agency awarded a total of $270 million to the four lucky winners, with Boeing receiving $92.3 million to help develop its CST-100 capsule design, and the Sierra Nevada Corporation garnering $80 million, which will go toward its shuttle-like Dream Chaser craft. The smallest prize ($22 million) went to Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin, which is reportedly looking to create a cone-shaped craft capable of carrying crew members into the abyss. And then, of course, there's SpaceX, the proud recipient of a cool $75 million in NASA funds. The California-based company has already successfully launched its Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule, and is currently working on the Falcon Heavy -- a 22-story craft heralded as the "world's most powerful rocket." NASA's extra dough should give a little boost to SpaceX's projects, but the funds are contingent upon improvements in Dragon's crew-carrying capacities, to be carried out over the next year. If all goes well, we may see one of these companies launch an intergalactic 'taxi' service by the middle of the decade. Saddle up!
Microwave ray gun promises to put sounds in people's heads
As we've seen countless times, ray guns can employ any number of less than lethal means to stop their targets in their tracks, and it looks like the Sierra Nevada Corporation is making some progress on one of the more novel methods, with its MEDUSA system apparently able to beam sounds into people's heads. According to NewScientist, that's done by exploiting the "microwave audio effect," which uses short microwave pulses to rapidly heat tissue and cause a "shockwave inside the skull." The system (not exactly as pictured above), is also apparently also able to be fine-tuned enough to produce recognizable sounds, and the company claims that it's now ready to actually start building 'em in earnest. The US Navy, who funded the research, still seems to be staying mum on that last point though.[Via Slashdot, image courtesy NASA.gov]