Dream Chaser readies for second launch as Vulcan flight approaches

Sierra Space's Dream Chaser, a mini space shuttle-like spacecraft, is preparing for its first trip to space on United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket in 2024. The uncrewed spacecraft, designed for cargo missions to the International Space Station, has won a NASA contract for commercial resupply missions. The first version, named Tenacity, will undergo environmental tests in Ohio before heading to the Space Coast. Dream Chaser aims to provide a unique landing option at Kennedy Space Center and can carry up to 12,000 pounds of cargo. Sierra Space also plans to expand Dream Chaser to support crew and develop a commercial low-Earth-orbit space station called Orbital Reef.