Posted on 01/07/2019 7:43:44 AM PST by BenLurkin
Acquiring space launch company Orbital ATK in an all-cash $7.8 billion merger, Northrop took possession of Orbital's Minotaur and Antares medium-lift rocket families. It acquired Orbital's ongoing project to build a new "OmegA" class heavy lift rocket as well, with which to compete against the likes of United Launch Alliance and SpaceX for large commercial and military satellite launches.
Northrop Grumman also inherited Orbital's ongoing NASA contract to resupply crew aboard the International Space Station (ISS) with needed consumables under the agency's CRS-1 and CRS-2 "Commercial Resupply Services" contracts -- missions valued at as much as $14 billion across the three companies hired to run them.
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SNC has already completed production of "many critical parts" of Dream Chaser, and last month, Dream Chaser passed another key milestone. Dubbed "Integration Review 4," this latest test evaluated the spaceplane's "design and its integrated performance with launch, ground and flight elements," and concluded that "the Dream Chaser program was ready to move to full-scale spacecraft manufacturing and testing," with a likely introduction into service by late 2020.
Dream Chaser is designed to be reusable, with a service life of 15 missions. In this regard, the SNC is similar to SpaceX, which sends cargo to ISS aboard reusable Dragon space capsules launched into orbit by also-reusable Falcon rockets. Utilizing reusable spacecraft, both SNC and SpaceX should be able to save considerably on the cost of their missions, because they will not need to build new spacecraft for each supply run.
In contrast, Northrop Grumman performs its ISS resupply missions using disposable Cygnus cargo capsules carried by expendable Antares rockets -- likely a more expensive proposition.
(Excerpt) Read more at fool.com ...
I am interested to see how this plays out.
I still have trouble with Orbital ATK as part of NG. Orbital was always more forward-thinking than NG, at least in my experiences with both companies.
Do you have similar issues with NG owning Scaled Composites?
Yes, but Scaled Composites at least kept their name. Orbital was absorbed into the NG borg collective.
The more interesting question is why Northrop wanted the Dreamchaser and what kinds of missions other than ISS resupply that Northrop might conduct with it. Space tourism and satellite repair and refueling seem obvious possibilities with loads of revenue potential, but other missions also beckon.
Might Northrop develop its own private astronaut corps? And where does Northrop's black budget work fit in? Could a military version of the Dreamchaser be in the works, with Northrop looking to pitch the Dreamchaser to the Pentagon as reliable and proven technology?
You read it wrong. Northrop did not acquire the dream chaser.
I sure did. Like an idiot, I have been trying to do three things at once.
Orbital ATK has the best shot at building a big cheap reusable (solid rocket) booster. The Dream Catcher
At least we're both consistent.
Orbital ATK has the best shot at building a big cheap reusable (solid rocket) booster. The Dream Catcher
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Please tell me more. Google hasn’t heard of it.
Sierra Nevada has only entered my conscience in the past 3 years. Times are exciting in the space business.
Dream Chaser keyword, there are probably other topics:
Probably got targeted by the flamers and dysphoric losers because of the name "Dream Chaser".
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