Free Republic

The orbital airframe structure for the first commercial Dream Chaser mini-shuttle that will launch to Earth orbit just over two years from now has been unveiled by Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) and program partner Lockheed Martin. Sierra Nevada is moving forward with plans for Dream Chaser’s first launch and unmanned orbital test flight in November 2016 atop a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The winged Dream Chaser is being developed under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program aimed at restoring America’s indigenous human spaceflight access to low Earth orbit and the International Space Station (ISS).

The mysterious US Air Force (USAF) space plane that ended a top secret 15 month mission over the summer could have its base of operations consolidated to the state of Florida, according to recent media reports. The unmanned X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle, which departed from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in March 2011 but landed at the Vandenberg Air Force Base in California in June 2012, could have its third flight both begin and end in the Sunshine State, an Air Force spokesperson told Florida Today reporter Todd Halvorson on Friday. USAF Rapid Capabilities Offices representative Major Tracy Bunko said...