NASA’s Next-Generation Spaceplane Passes Free Flight Test

Universe Today ^ | 11/14/2017 | Matt Williams

[BenLurkin]

For the past ten years, the Sierra Nevada Corporation and NASA have been developing and testing this next-generation space vehicle. When it is ready, this vehicle will not only provide a more cost-effective way of servicing the ISS, it will also help restore domestic launch capability to the United States.

On Saturday, November 11th, the Dream Chaser passed an important milestone by conducting a successful free flight test. This took place at Edwards Air Force Base in California, and verified the spaceplane’s ability to glide and land autonomously. This, in addition to verifying several key avionic and flight systems, is a strong indication that the spaceplane will be capable of conducting runs to and from Low-Earth Orbit (LEO) in the near future.

This test involved the spaceplane being lifted to an altitude of 3,780 meters (12,400 feet) and then let go to glide freely. It then deployed its landing gears and touched down on the Edwards Air Force Base runway before coming to a full stop. This runway, it should be noted, is very similar to the Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility runway that the Dream Chaser will land on once it is operational.

...

This flight test validated the performance of the Dream Chaser during what is arguably the most critical part of a mission – the approach and landing phase – which will be the final phase of future flights from the ISS. The ability to conduct automated landings is central to the spaceplane’s reusability,

[Olog-hai]

Space plane? Isn’t that what Xenu flew to Earth in?

[al baby]

We had something like that back in the day, all relegated to museums around the country

[gaijin]

[SERKIT]

This looks like a 1950’s lifting body design. Everything old is new again.

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[Fiddlstix]

Didn't NASA experiment with the "lifting body concept" way back there many years ago and give up on it?
If memory serves......

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[central_va]

Free? What is the usual fee for a test?

[hinckley buzzard]

Sounds like a mere updating of the basic shuttle concept. Reusable glider. Meh.

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[ProtectOurFreedom]

M2-F3 Lifting Body, 1970 ("M" = Manned)

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[ProtectOurFreedom]

...and with a bit more engineering, they'll be able to return it to orbit just two weeks after landing.

(it's a joke - that's how the Space Shuttle was originally sold)

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