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Sierra Space’s spaceplane faces a reinvention after NASA contract change
Sierra Space's Dream Chaser spaceplane is facing an identity crisis after NASA changed contract terms to remove its guarantee to buy cargo flights to the ISS.
Typically, such programs rely heavily, if not entirely, on government support, as the up-front development costs for a crewed or cargo spacecraft are so high that commercial customers are rarely able to provide enough demand to close the business case. Its executive chair Fatih Ozmen said the transition will allow Sierra to provide “unique capabilities to meet the needs of diverse mission profiles, including emerging and existential threats and national security priorities that align with our acceleration into the Defense Tech market.” Historically, aerospace systems were designed around highly specific mission profiles, but Sierra is arguing that Dream Chaser’s reusability and runway capability make it flexible.
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