Mini-shuttle for astronaut trips damaged during test

[Buster's Uncle]

Mini-shuttle for astronaut trips damaged during test
The left landing gear of the Dream Chaser failed to deploy during an approach and landing test.
James Dean, Florida Today 9:25 p.m. EDT October 27, 2013




In August, the Sierra Nevada Corp. Dream Chaser flight vehicle was prepared for 60mph tow tests on taxi and runways at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California. (Photo: NASA, Ken Ulbrich)



MELBOURNE, Fla. -- Damage to a mini-shuttle being developed in partnership with NASA to fly astronauts is being assessed after a hard landing during its first, unpiloted free flight test Saturday in California.

The left landing gear of Sierra Nevada Corp.'s Dream Chaser failed to deploy as the vehicle glided to a touchdown at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., after being dropped from a helicopter.

Louisville, Colo.-based Sierra Nevada is investigating the anomaly and did not provide details about the condition of the Dream Chaser test vehicle.

However, early indications are that it can be repaired and fly again.

"As with any space flight test program, there will be anomalies that we can learn from, allowing us to improve our vehicle and accelerate our rate of progress," the company said in a statement.

The Dream Chaser is one of three private spacecraft — and the only winged system — in development under NASA's Commercial Crew Program, with public and private funding.

Boeing's CST-100 and SpaceX's Dragon, both capsules, are the others.

The Dream Chaser had previously completed two captive carry tests, dangled from a helicopter, and a series of tow tests at increasing speeds on an Edwards runway.

As with any space flight test program, there will be anomalies that we can learn from, allowing us to improve our vehicle and accelerate our rate of progress.

— Sierra Nevada Corp., in a statement


The autonomous approach and landing test was performed under the second round of NASA's development program.

In total, NASA could contribute up to $362 million toward development of the Dream Chaser, which resembles a miniature space shuttle measuring nearly 30 feet long with a 29-foot wingspan, and is designed to carry up to seven crew members.

Sierra Nevada said the test flight went well up until the very end, with the flight control system guiding the Dream Chaser through the proper trajectory and flaring its nose up just before touchdown on the runway's centerline.

"The high-quality flight and telemetry data throughout all phases of the approach-and-landing test will allow SNC teams to continue to refine their spacecraft design," the company said in a statement.

After the spacecraft designs are completed, NASA plans to award contracts to one or two companies next summer to continue building and testing systems, aiming to fly astronauts to the International Space Station by 2017.

If selected, Sierra Nevada intends to base its Dream Chaser program at Kennedy Space Center. The spacecraft would launch from Cape Canaveral on an Atlas V rocket and return for landings on Kennedy's former shuttle runway.


http://www.usatoday.com/story/tech/2013/10/27/nasa-sierra-nevada-mini-shuttle-damaged/3283343/

[Geo]

I just compared its mass with the olden space shuttle. Did that machine really mass 2,000 tons! 

[Buster's Uncle]

It was a bus, and this isn't even a station wagon.

[Geo]

It was a bus, and this isn't even a station wagon.

It's a glorified commuter wagon, that's true.
OTOH, is there really a need for more? It is probably more efficient to put cargo and crew on separate launches.

[Buster's Uncle]

That was the problem with the shuttle from the beginning - it wasn't big enough for many cargo needs, but ridiculous overkill for seven astronauts.  This thing may well work out...

[Buster's Uncle]

Private Space Plane Suffers Landing Gear Glitch in Drop Test
SPACE.com
By Denise Chow, Staff Writer  1 hour ago



NASA partner Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) of Louisville, Colo., performs a captive-carry test



A privately built space plane performed its first-ever drop test Saturday (Oct. 26), but experienced a landing gear malfunction after what appeared to be an otherwise successful flight, according to statements by NASA and the space plane's builder.

The Dream Chaser space plane, built by the Colorado-based Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), carried out its first unmanned approach and landing test over the weekend at Edwards Air Force Base in California. As the spacecraft prototype neared the runway, the vehicle encountered a glitch with its left wheel, according to Sierra Nevada officials.

There were no reported injuries during the test, but emergency personnel were called to the scene as a precaution, according to NASA. "Sierra Nevada Corporation engineers, NASA Dryden Flight Research Center and U.S. Air Force representatives are looking into the anomaly that occurred," NASA officials said in a statement.

During Saturday's test, the Dream Chaser space plane was released from a helicopter carrier aircraft at approximately 2:10 p.m. EDT (11:10 a.m. PDT). The spacecraft then flew and glided back autonomously before the accident occurred on Runway 22L at Edwards Air Force Base.

"While there was an anomaly with the left landing gear deployment, the high-quality flight and telemetry data throughout all phases of the approach-and-landing test will allow SNC teams to continue to refine their spacecraft design," Sierra Nevada officials said in a statement.



Dream Chaser, a commercial space plane built by Sierra Nevada Corp.'s Space Systems


Company officials said glitches are to be expected in designing a new spacecraft, and this weekend's malfunction will act as a valuable learning experience.

"As with any space flight test program, there will be anomalies that we can learn from, allowing us to improve our vehicle and accelerate our rate of progress," Sierra Nevada officials said.

The Dream Chaser space plane resembles a miniature space shuttle, and is being developed to carry astronauts to and from the International Space Station, and other destinations in low-Earth orbit. The seven-passenger vehicle is about 29.5 feet (9 m) long and has a wingspan of 22.9 feet (7 m).

Sierra Nevada is one of three companies — together with SpaceX and Boeing — to receive funding from NASA's commercial crew program, which aims to foster the development of new spacecraft to replace the agency's space shuttles, which were retired in 2011.

SpaceX and Boeing are both designing capsules, and Dream Chaser is the only reusable winged spacecraft being developed under NASA's commercial crew program. NASA hopes at least one of the new vehicles will by 2017. The agency currently relies on Russian Soyuz spacecraft to transport astronauts to and from the International Space Station.


http://news.yahoo.com/private-space-plane-suffers-landing-gear-glitch-drop-202053443.html