Dream Chaser and the Shooting Star cargo module proved ready for launch
March 7, the space company Sierra Space announced the successful completion of the first phase of environmental testing of the Dream Chaser Tenacity spaceplane at NASA's Neil Armstrong facility in Ohio.
Over the past month, Sierra Space has conducted rigorous vibration tests on Dream Chaser and its cargo satellite Shooting Star, installing them in their launch configuration inside NASA's mechanical vibration facility. In preparation for launch from Kennedy Space Center, the tests subjected the vehicles to intense launch vibration conditions from the world's most powerful spacecraft testing table. The purpose of these tests was to check how the spaceplane would cope with mechanical loads during the launch process.
Sierra Space CEO, Tom Weiss, emphasized the importance of this stage: “We have experienced years of development, work and solving complex engineering problems. These tests show how Dream Chaser and the Shooting Star cargo module are prepared for launch. We are now moving from development to orbital operations».
Dream Chaser DC-100 Program Director, Jake Ingram, noted: «Completion of vibration testing in the launch configuration is an important achievement for Sierra Space and the Dream Chaser program. We successfully tested the vehicle's structural response and functionality before and after a series of vibration tests».
Key points during this phase of testing included conducting three-axis sinusoidal vibration testing, simulating the separation of the Dream Chaser from the Shooting Star, and deploying the wings. All tests are aimed at assessing the performance of Dream Chaser under conditions of launch stress, maneuvering in orbit and communication with the ISS.
As part of this test phase, Joint Test #3, Sierra Space conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the completed Dream Chaser system in a configuration similar to that which would be used in the actual launch. After liftoff on the Vulcan Centaur rocket developed by United Launch Alliance, Dream Chaser will separate from the rocket fairing, deploy its wings and fly to the ISS in semi-autonomous flight mode. Particular attention was paid to a comprehensive evaluation of the software interface between Dream Chaser and the ISS to ensure smooth operation of commands and data processing.
In the next phase of testing, the Shooting Star cargo module will be disassembled from the Dream Chaser and transported from the Space Environment Complex (SEC) to the Space Propulsion System (ISP). Dream Chaser will also be delivered to ISP where both will undergo thermal vacuum testing. This step is equally important in preparation for launch and is the next milestone in Sierra Space's mission to commercialize space.