Latest news with #SierraSpace
Gizmodo
7 days ago
- Science
- Gizmodo
The World's First Commercial Spaceplane Won't Be Launching Anytime Soon
The highly anticipated launch of the Dream Chaser spaceplane may be delayed yet again as Sierra Space continues to test its experimental vehicle. The inaugural Dream Chaser, named Tenacity, is slated for a launch date in 2025. However, recent comments by a NASA official revealed that there's a lot more work to be done before the spaceplane is ready to fly to the International Space Station and that it's highly unlikely to meet its deadline. 'We still have some of our integrated safety reviews to do, and we're in the process with updating both of our schedules to try to understand where does that really put us,' Dana Weigel, the program manager for the ISS, said during a recent media briefing, according to Aerospace America. 'Sierra's working on that, and so I need to wait and just get information back from them to see where they think some of that work lines out.' Dream Chaser has been years in the making. NASA awarded Sierra Space a Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS-2) contract in 2016 to provide at least seven cargo deliveries to the ISS. The Colorado-based company originally intended for Dream Chaser's inaugural flight to take place in 2020, but the spaceplane suffered several delays due to technical issues and certification hurdles. Although its 2025 launch date still appears on NASA's schedule, Weigel's recent comments don't sound too promising. Dream Chaser is designed to launch to low Earth orbit atop a rocket but survive atmospheric reentry and perform runway landings on the surface upon its return, similar to NASA's Space Shuttle. The futuristic-looking vehicle has foldable wings that fully unfurl once it's in flight, generating power through solar arrays. The spaceplane is also equipped with heat shield tiles to protect it from the high temperatures of atmospheric reentry. 'I think everyone really underestimates what it takes to put together a complex spacecraft. I mean, you're watching it right now with Boeing Starliner, you're watching it with Sierra, but if we remind ourselves on average it takes eight to 10 years for a spacecraft to get ready and fly,' Weigel told reporters during the briefing. Apart from SpaceX's Dragon spacecraft, NASA hasn't had any luck in moving forward with an alternative means of transportation for its crew and cargo to the ISS. Following lessons learned from Boeing's Starliner fiasco, which left a crew stranded on the space station for nine months, NASA may be taking extra precaution before launching Tenacity to the ISS. One of the remaining tasks to be completed before its debut launch is a certification of Dream Chaser's software. Starliner experienced significant software issues during its first orbital test flight in December 2019, which pointed to problems with the spacecraft's software certification. Another hurdle that stands in Dream Chaser's way to space is its designated launch vehicle. For its debut flight, Tenacity will launch atop United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket. The 200-foot-tall (61-meter) rocket experienced a booster anomaly during its second flight in October 2024, which delayed its certification process for national security missions. Vulcan is still awaiting certification from the U.S. Space Force and has a backed-up schedule to attend to once it's ready to fly those missions. Dream Chaser is the next-generation reincarnation of Space Shuttle that spaceflight enthusiasts have been waiting for, but they may have to wait a little bit longer to see it fly.
Business Insider
23-07-2025
- Science
- Business Insider
I spent 337 days in space working at NASA and left for a desk job. I don't regret giving up astronaut life.
This as-told-to essay is based on a transcribed conversation with Marshburn, a 64-year-old former NASA astronaut who is now a VP at Sierra Space. The following has been edited for length and clarity. I've spent a total of 337 days in space. During that time, I completed five spacewalks. Stepping out of the hatch, there was just this wide universe ahead of me and Earth 250 miles below. The spacewalks were daunting — some would say terrifying — but I felt privileged to be able to do them. While they were a great experience, I'm more than OK with not doing them anymore. These days, I work a desk job in the private sector instead. Are you someone who made an unconventional career move? If you're comfortable discussing it with a reporter, please fill out this quick form. We want to hear from people who have stepped in or out of corporate life in nontraditional ways. Becoming an astronaut I fell in love with space in high school. I majored in physics at college, and got a graduate degree in engineering. I dreamed of working with NASA building spaceships. After completing a college thesis in biomedical engineering, I realized my strengths were more rooted in the medical world. I trained in emergency medicine and practiced for about 10 years. During that time, NASA was accepting applicants from outside physicians for flight surgeon roles, whose jobs would be to take care of astronauts. The NASA selection process varies depending on the role and the makeup of the corps. In my view, they look for people with technical expertise in something, a wide skill set, and the ability to communicate well on technical and non-technical topics. NASA is also interested in how candidates have pushed themselves outside of work and the calculated risks they've taken. When I applied in 1994, I looked at what accepted astronauts had done, made a list of what resonated, and started checking off the boxes. That's how I did it — but there's not one way to become an astronaut. I joined NASA in 1994. During that time, I spent three months learning Russian before heading to Star City, the cosmonaut training center outside Moscow. There are events in training, particularly in Russia, where there was absolute exhaustion, both physical and mental. I've never been as hyperthermic or hypothermic as I was in Russia for both winter survival and summer water survival training. At one point, during water survival training, I had a core body temperature of 104°F. Another challenge was being away from my family. My wife and I have one daughter. We communicated every day that we could, even if I was exhausted, they were tired, or we just didn't feel like it. We did it anyway, because then you get used to it and it becomes a habit. I spent the next decade as a flight surgeon. I supported one crew, then various crews, before supporting NASA's entire medical program for the International Space Station. I was selected to become an astronaut in 2004 and spent 18 years in the NASA Astronaut Corps. An emergency spacewalk taught me about preparation My first flight was in 2009 — a 15-day space shuttle mission to the International Space Station, or ISS. At the launchpad, there's a huge sense of excitement. At your first launch, there's some trepidation. It's like you're about to take the biggest final exam of your life. Typically, you don't get a lot of sleep, but there's a lot of laughter and anticipation. On that mission, I did three spacewalks. My second flight was in late 2012. I flew to the ISS aboard a Russian Soyuz. I had no spacewalks planned, but about three days before I was set to come back, in May 2013, there was an emergency — a leak of ammonia coolant. If you lose the coolant, the power system can overheat, and then you have to shut it down, which is a really big deal. Preparing for a spacewalk typically takes nine weeks, and we had a matter of hours. It taught me that preparation matters. Mission control had the plan. We just followed their lead, step by step. It was one of the best examples of teamwork I've ever had the privilege of being a part of. All the years of training and experience meant we were prepared and had the confidence to handle that situation. Transition to the private sector From 2021 to 2022, I was part of the SpaceX Crew-3 mission for about six months. It was my final mission, and the first for my crewmate, Kayla Barron. Once it was over, I knew I was ready to leave the astronaut corps. I was in my sixties. There were a lot of new, good people who needed to fly, and I didn't want to take their spots. In 2022, I entered the private sector when an opportunity at Sierra Space came up. I wanted to do work that would allow others to fly into space. The company has invested a lot of money in transportation to and from space and platforms for living in space. I enjoy the variety in my work days. I'm involved in business development and human-factor requirements, which help ensure that a space vehicle for humans keeps them safe and able to do their job without injury or undue physiological stress. This job is a little more sedate in the sense that I'm usually at a desk. I miss some of the more physical aspects of being an astronaut, but it did take its toll on me. I'm OK with being able to figure out what my body can endure on my own, rather than being told I'm going to spend three nights in freezing conditions in the Russian Siberian Outback. Any regret about no longer being an astronaut is extremely momentary. It's a fleeting feeling when I see my former colleagues and hear what they're up to. I've been able to bring a lot of lessons from NASA to my current role: leadership, team building, and the technical parts of humans in space. A desk job at Sierra Space is the right place at the right time for me.
Business Wire
15-07-2025
- Business
- Business Wire
Sierra Space Awarded Contract by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
LOUISVILLE, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company and defense tech prime that is building a platform in space to benefit and protect life on Earth ®, announced today it has been awarded a contract by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to deliver key components for spacecraft docking on the International Space Station (ISS). This includes a Passive Common Berthing Mechanism (PCBM), connection hatch, lighting system, and pressure sensor technology to enable spacecraft to dock at the ISS. The components will ultimately be used by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) for space station missions to the ISS. 'By working with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to support JAXA's future missions to the ISS, we're underscoring our commitment to scientific advancement and the growth of the low-Earth orbit economy,' said Dr. Tom Marshburn, Chief Astronaut and VP of Human Factors Engineering at Sierra Space. 'This contract reinforces Sierra Space's reputation for delivering mission-critical, flight-proven systems that our partners can rely on. We're committed to a diverse and reliable Space Tech product portfolio that helps shape the future of space infrastructure.' The PCBM is a critical component that enables secure and reliable docking of pressurized vehicles to the ISS. As one of the industry's trusted suppliers of this flight-proven hardware, Sierra Space's PCBM provides precise alignment and environmental sealing between the ISS and visiting spacecraft. The fully passive assembly, complementing the active system mounted on the ISS, features minimal moving parts, making it a highly dependable choice for international space missions. Sierra Space will also build the hatch system to round out the entry and exit connection. This award further strengthens Sierra Space's position as an industry leader in space infrastructure. The company remains committed to advancing the frontiers of space technology through the development, integration, and testing of Space Tech programs including the creation of environmental systems, subsystems, rocket engines, and propulsion technologies. About Sierra Space Sierra Space is a leading commercial space company and emerging defense tech prime, that is building an end-to-end business and technology platform in space to benefit and protect life on Earth. With more than 30 years and 500 missions of space flight heritage, the company is reinventing both space transportation with Dream Chaser ®, the world's only commercial spaceplane, and the future of space destinations with the company's expandable space station technology. Using commercial business models, the company is also delivering orbital services to commercial, DoD and national security organizations, expanding production capacity to meet the needs of constellation programs. In addition, Sierra Space builds a host of systems and subsystems across solar power, mechanics and motion control, environmental control, life support, propulsion and thermal control, offering myriad space-as-a-service solutions for the new space economy.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sierra Space's $45M power station can build a solar panel a day and a satellite wing a week
Sierra Space, the company behind the in-development Dream Chaser spaceplane, announced a technology center expansion that will allow it to scale its solar power systems manufacturing. The $45 million power station facility in Broomfield, Colorado, will focus on manufacturing the company's Surface Mount Technology (SMT) solar arrays—compact, resilient, and built with commercial pick-and-place electronics tech. The result: power systems that are scalable from 10 watts to 10 kilowatts, with fast lead times and high durability. Sierra Space's new facility spans 70,000 square feet and features integrated testing capabilities, including a thermal vacuum chamber, air chamber, and dynamics lab. According to the company, the SMT solar cells are attached to Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) and are assembled using "standard commercial electronics pick-and-place technology." "Sierra Space is re-industrializing the space-defense technology sector," Sierra Space Vice President Erik Daehler explained in the press statement. "We have the ability to build a solar panel a day and a wing a week. We plan to deliver 40 satellite wings in the first phase of production and are scaling up to 100 satellite wings per year by our full rate of production." "Additionally, because of our unique architecture, our solar arrays are more resilient," Daehler continued. "The Power Station is a proof point in our dedication to support national security." The solar arrays will play a critical role in Sierra Space Defense, the company's new division focused on supplying technologies to the US government. That includes powering satellites built at its recently announced "Victory Works" facility. Sierra Space says 100 team members are currently working at the Power Station, and it will continue to create new job opportunities as it expands. Space missions require increasingly efficient arrays capable of harvesting more energy with lower-weight solutions. "Using state-of-the art tools and integration equipment, our engineering and production teams have the expertise and experience to define, analyze, build, and test complete solar array systems," explained Brian Anthony, Vice President of Spacecraft Systems at Sierra Space. "Our scalable power systems can be tailored to fit a wide variety of mission options with reduced cycle time and risk by incorporating existing qualified and flight-proven designs." "With this new production facility coming online, Sierra Space is ready to meet the needs of the rapidly emerging satellite constellation market and deliver space power at lightning speed," Anthony continued. Sierra Space is one of a growing list of companies looking to change the way we operate in Earth's orbit. The company is developing the Dream Chaser spaceplane, which will eventually fly astronauts to the International Space Station. The spacecraft will also eventually fly astronauts to Sierra Space and Blue Origin's in-development private space station, Orbital Reef.
Broadcast Pro
04-06-2025
- Business
- Broadcast Pro
Sierra Space wins NASA contract for lunar habitat study
The NextSTEP-2 Appendix R contract positions Sierra Space as a leader in lunar logistics, including transport, storage, tracking, and waste management. Sierra Space has won a significant contract from NASA to study the use of the companys expandable space station technology on the moon. Sierra Space has been awarded a major contract by NASA to study the potential use of its expandable space station technology on the lunar surface. The agreement, part of NASAs NextSTEP-2 Appendix R initiative for Lunar Logistics and Mobility Studies, places the company at the forefront of efforts to develop advanced systems that will support future moon-to-Mars missions. The contract focuses on exploring how Sierra Spaces inflatable LIFE habitat and related technologies can be adapted to meet a range of logistical and habitation needs on the moon. This includes applications such as tunnel systems around lunar bases, storage and tracking of equipment and supplies, waste management, and the integration of comprehensive frameworks for sustained human presence on the lunar surface. Sierra Space brings considerable expertise to the project, with prior experience in design and analysis of lunar landers, rovers, and habitats. The company has also worked closely with teams supporting human landing systems and lunar terrain vehiclescritical components for building a long-term lunar infrastructure. Earlier this year, in April, Sierra Space completed hypervelocity impact tests at NASAs White Sands Test Facility in New Mexico. These trials, which used a .50 caliber two-stage light gas gun to simulate micrometeoroid and orbital debris strikes, were aimed at reinforcing the structural integrity of the LIFE habitat. The successful results marked a key milestone in adapting the habitat for potential lunar and orbital deployment. Dr Tom Marshburn, Chief Astronaut and Vice President of Human Factors Engineering at Sierra Space, said: 'We believe our expandable softgoods space station technology can thrive in low-Earth orbit for commercial uses and for deep space exploration with NASA. Sierra Space is able to leverage existing technologies to deliver robust and scalable solutions that support both near-term and long-term mission objectives on the moon. Weve developed a versatile technology with our expandable habitation products that we feel supports NASAs moon to Mars goals.'
