What Could You Do With a Dream Chaser?
Workshop for Exploring Commercial Microgravity Opportunities
HudsonAlpha Institute for Biotechnology
August 15, 2019
Sierra Nevada Corporation joined local partners of the Dream Chaser landing initiative in Huntsville to share new opportunities that would help fund a commercial space science mission to land in Huntsville. Opportunities through NASA that are expected to be available soon would help defray launch costs, enabling companies who have not been able to afford to operate in microgravity to send payloads to low Earth orbit. And for companies new to incorporating microgravity into their R&D, Rhodium Scientific from Houston shared the “why and how” of taking those first steps. Review the presentations and contact Lucia Cape ([email protected]) if you are interested in being part of a Dream Chaser mission that would land in Huntsville.
Phase II Contract Signed for Dream Chaser® Spacecraft
HSV International Airport has initiated permitting process with the FAA
(August 23, 2017) HUNTSVILLE—Huntsville/Madison County is another step closer to landing a space vehicle at the Huntsville International Airport. The Airport has signed a contract to apply for licensing through the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) to land Sierra Nevada Corporation’s (SNC) Dream Chaser® spacecraft on one of its commercial runways. This Phase II contract follows a Phase I contract completed in 2015 that examined the compatibility of SNC’s Dream Chaser with the existing runway and taxiway environments at the Airport.
“The preliminary study proved the feasibility of landing so now we are pleased to announce that we have initiated the permitting process with the FAA,” said Rick Tucker, executive director of the Huntsville International Airport. “This is much more than an economic development project that will bring additional business to the airport and the community. This represents a shared vision of Huntsville as a leader in the commercial space economy as the first community to make a commitment to this vehicle and its role in space commerce.”
Regional Partners Host Workshop on Dream Chaser® Spacecraft and Commercial Space Industry Opportunities
Chamber provides update on local business opportunities
Huntsville, Alabama (March 31, 2016) – The Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County hosted a workshop for space industry partners today to discuss the business opportunities associated with landing Sierra Nevada Corporation’s (SNC) Dream Chaser® spacecraft at the Huntsville International Airport.
“The Dream Chaser is an exciting focal point for exploring local assets and expertise and their application to commercial space opportunities,” said Lucia Cape, Senior Vice President of Economic Development for the Chamber of Commerce of Huntsville/Madison County. “The Chamber’s goals for hosting the workshop are to promote the community’s resources for supporting Dream Chaser spacecraft and to identify our best targets for economic development in the emerging commercial space industry.”
Regional Leadership Announces Results of Preliminary Study to Land Dream Chaser® Spacecraft at Huntsville International Airport
Huntsville, Alabama (December 17, 2015) – Representatives from a coalition of community leadership, announced today the results of the first phase of a study to assess the feasibility of landing Sierra Nevada Corporation’s (SNC) Dream Chaser® spacecraft at Huntsville International Airport.
“Huntsville International Airport is pleased to report an initial phase of successful testing,” said Rick Tucker, Executive Director for Huntsville Madison County Airport Authority. “No airport related issues were discovered in this phase of testing that would prevent the Dream Chaser landing in Huntsville from becoming a reality. We are eager to move forward with our partners to keep Huntsville at the forefront of the space program.”
The preliminary study examined the compatibility of SNC’s Dream Chaser spacecraft with the existing runway and taxiway environments at Huntsville International Airport, a public use airport. One of the features of the Dream Chaser is the use of a front skid in place of a front wheel for landing, and in October, Morell Engineering of Athens, Alabama successfully conducted static and dynamic tests to determine whether the spacecraft’s deployed front skid plate could potentially cause damage to the asphalt runway. Results from the tests demonstrate that runway impacts would be negligible. In parallel to the skid tests, Reynolds, Smith and Hill (RS&H) of Jacksonville, Florida carried out airspace and sonic boom tests.
NEWS
(Sierra Nevada Corporation, 8/14/19) SNC SELECTS ULA FOR DREAM CHASER® SPACECRAFT LAUNCHES: NASA Missions to Begin in 2021
(AL.com, 3/31/16) Dream Chaser spaceship seems on a glide path to landing in Alabama
(Sierra Nevada Corporation, 1/14/16) NASA Selects Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Dream Chaser® Spacecraft for Commercial Resupply Services 2 Contract
(NASA, 1/14/16) NASA Awards International Space Station Cargo Transport Contracts
(Forbes, 1/14/16) NASA Selects SpaceX, Sierra Nevada And Orbital ATK For Space Station Cargo Contracts
(AL.com, 1/14/16) NASA boosts Alabama's chances of landing Dream Chaser spaceship in Huntsville
(AL.com, 12/17/15) Alabama landings for Dream Chaser spaceship move a step closer
(WAFF, 12/17/15) Phase 1 for SNC's Dream Chaser? "Go for landing" at Huntsville International
(AL.com, 8/12/15) Fox News reports on Huntsville's effort to become a commercial spaceport ** Watch the Fox News report
(Popular Mechanics, 6/24/15) Meet the U.S. Cities Vying To Be Spacecraft Landing Sites
(June 15, 2015) Regional Leadership Begins Assessments of Potential for Dream Chaser® Spacecraft Landings at Huntsville International Airport
(Satellite Today, 6/15/15) SNC, Huntsville Alabama Embark on Dream Chaser Airport-Landing Studies
(AL.com, 6/15/15) Dream Chaser study a 'major step forward' for Sierra Nevada, Huntsville community
(WHNT19, 6/15/15) Huntsville could be home to future spacecraft landings
(AL.com, 6/15/15) Sierra Nevada Dream Chaser could make Huntsville the first commercial landing site for space craft
New Business Innovation – Astrosat & Huntsville Prize, June 21, 2017 Information »
Huntsville's Next Space Industry Workshop Presentations, March 31, 2016 Presentations »
Huntsville International Airport Landing Site Study Phase 1 Results Overview Download PDF »
Photo 1: Morell Engineering installing & testing thermocouple data collector & sensors
Photo 2: Skid tow vehicle during trial run for dynamic testing
Photo 3: Skid paths along runway after dynamic testing
Photo 4: Skid cooling on runway after final dynamic test
Photo 5: From L to R: Rick Rogers (RS&H), Taz Morell (Morell Engineering), Keith Kennedy (Hollis Kennedy House Movers), & Nicholas Kennedy (Hollis Kennedy House Movers) discussing observations during static tests.
Advantage
Overview
Cargo System
Space System Overview