The Dream Chaser spacecraft is being built by Sierra Space. It's first commercial cargo spaceflight to the ISS is scheduled for 2023.
The first cargo spacecraft, named “Tenacity”, is currently being manufactured and progress is illustrated in the following photos.
Dream Chaser spacecraft have the following characteristics:
- Lifting body spacecraft and no special handling requirements related to toxic propellants, which allows landing on commercial runways
- Fully autonomous launch, flight and landing capability (no pilot required)
- Cargo and crew versions
- LEO capability
- Reusable up to 15+ times
- A Shooting Star cargo module can be added to increase the cargo capacity
- Cargo version, with the addition of a Shooting Star cargo module, can carry up to 5500 kg of cargo to the space station
- Crew version can carry up to seven astronauts and cargo (less than cargo version)
- Compatible with current (e.g. Vulcan, Ariane 5, Falcon 9) and future launch vehicles
