NASA Space Plane: 'Dream Chaser' Serves As ISS Supply Ship

NASA has a new spaceplane, which will serve as a cargo delivery vehicle. The new spaceplane, the Dream Chaser, looks like a smaller version of the Space Shuttle and was designed to be a supply ship to International Space Station.

NASA's new vehicle, the Dream Chaser is being developed by Sierra Nevada Corporation. The Dream Chaser is a reusable vehicle similar to Space Shuttle. The vehicle will be delivered to Mojave desert in California where it will undergo rigorous testing, Telegraph reported.

According to reports, it was difficult for Sierra Nevada Corporation to achieve this success. The company's initial target contract is NASA's Commercial Crew Transportation Capability, which will ferry astronauts to the International Space Station. However, it lost the contract to Spacex and Boeing on September 16, 2014. It then changed its focus to another contract, which is the Commercial Resupply Services 2. The contract is for the transport of cargo and supplies to the space station.

Sierra Nevada Corporation also faced fierce competition even in the commercial resupply contract as there are competitors with favorable and proven vehicles. In spite of the tough competition, NASA awarded Sierra Nevada the contract along with the orbital ATK and SpaceX. The Dream Chaser will deliver at least six cargos to and from the ISS from 2019 to 2024, Stripes reported.

The head of Sierra Nevada space systems division, Mark Sirangelo said that he is proud that the Dream Chaser is now part of the NASA program and will be tested in the same ground where previous successful programs were tested.

NASA's decision to select Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser means a lot to the company, according to Mark Sirangelo. He said that there was a lot of historical meaning to them and very thankful for the support they received from NASA. He also said that it was the continuation of the long legacy of America in testing advanced airplanes and leading the world in terms of technology.