spacetoday.net: Sierra Nevada Corp. tests Dream Chaser vehicle

Sierra Nevada Corp. tests Dream Chaser vehicle

Posted: Sun, Sep 3, 2017, 9:40 AM ET (1340 GMT)
Dream Chaser captive carry flight, Aug 2017 (SNC)

Sierra Nevada Corporation completed a captive carry flight August 30 of its Dream Chaser vehicle. The vehicle, carried aloft underneath a helicopter, flew for more than 90 minutes at Edwards Air Force Base in California to test various systems and overall flying characteristics. A second captive carry flight is planned for the coming weeks, followed by a free flight where the vehicle will glide to a runway landing. The tests, part of an older NASA commercial crew agreement, are supporting the development of a cargo version of the lifting-body vehicle scheduled to begin flying in 2020.