Space Shuttle Replacement?

[FormerDirtDart]

Sierra Space recently delivered the first spaceflight-optimized example of the Dream Chaser spaceplane, the Tenacity, to the Kennedy Space Center in May of this year. Although the Dream Chaser is designed to be launched from a multistage rocket, just like the Dragon 2 and Starliner, I'm inclined to view the Dream Chaser as the first true manned successor to the STS Space Shuttle to reach the hardware phase because it is a VTHL vehicle like the STS Space Shuttle and cancelled VentureStar (the X-33 tech demonstrator for the VentureStar was to be a suborbital vehicle).

Dream Chaser space plane arrives in Florida ahead of 1st launch to ISS (photo)

The vehicle, named Tenacity, will reach orbit in the coming months, if all goes to plan.

www.space.com

NASA, Sierra Space Deliver Dream Chaser to Florida for Launch Preparation - NASA

As part of NASA’s efforts to expand commercial resupply in low Earth orbit, Sierra Space's uncrewed spaceplane arrived at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in

www.nasa.gov

The craft delivered, Tenacity, is part of the Dream Chaser Cargo System. It is strictly a cargo carrier and has no ability to carry a crew. There has been no evidence that a crew capable Dream Chased is being produced yet. Sierra Space has only been contracted to provide unmanned cargo deliveries to the ISS.

 

[Masquerader]

The craft delivered, Tenacity, is part of the Dream Chaser Cargo System. It is strictly a cargo carrier and has no ability to carry a crew. There has been no evidence that a crew capable Dream Chased is being produced yet. Sierra Space has only been contracted to provide unmanned cargo deliveries to the ISS.

I'm aware of the fact that the Tenacity will be used for unmanned cargo flights, but Sierra Space does have one crewed Dream Chaser vehicle on order, to which the serial DC201 has been allocated, even though Sierra Space hasn't started fabrication of it yet.

 

[koxinga]

Is DC201 even funded and by who? I got the impression that was one of the design concepts and some talk about it supporting Orbital Reef. But nothing heard about any serious money on the table for it.