Sierra Space

Last updated

Sierra Space Corporation
Company type Privately Held
Industry Aerospace and space technology
FoundedApril 21, 2021
Founders Eren Ozmen & Fatih Ozmen [ citation needed ]
Headquarters
Louisville, Colorado, United States [1]
Number of locations
6
Area served
United States of America
Key people
Tom Vice (CEO)
ProductsSpace components, subsystems and systems, Dream Chaser, Orbital Reef
Number of employees
~2000
Parent Sierra Nevada Corporation
Website SierraSpace.com

Sierra Space Corporation is a privately held aerospace and space technologies company headquartered in Louisville, Colorado, [2] with additional facilities in Colorado, Wisconsin, Florida, North Carolina and a testing site at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. [3] [4] The company makes spaceflight hardware for various applications across the industry. It is currently developing the Dream Chaser spaceplane. [5] The spaceplane was selected by NASA to provide services to the International Space Station under NASA's Commercial Resupply Service 2 contract. [6] [7] The company is also in collaboration with Blue Origin to develop components of the Orbital Reef space station. [8]

Contents

History

Sierra Space is a spin-off from Sierra Nevada Corporation that was established as an independent commercial space company in April 2021. [9] Its parent company, the Sierra Nevada Corporation, was a long established aerospace development company which was founded in 1963. Sierra Space operates facilities in 6 states including Colorado, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Florida, Texas, and Alabama. [4]

In October 2022, Blue Origin and Sierra Space partnered to jointly develop the world’s first commercially owned and operated space station, Orbital Reef. Orbital Reef will be a “mixed-use business park in space in low Earth orbit (LEO) for commerce, research, and tourism by the end of this decade." [10] Sierra Space and Blue Origin received a $130 million contract to develop the Orbital Reef space station. It is expected to be operational by 2027. Sierra Space expects to announce its first astronaut trainees in 2023. [11]

In April 2023, Sierra Space and ILC Dover announced their partnership for developing of inflatable space station modules and spacesuits. ILC Dover will be the exclusive partner in providing soft goods for Sierra Space’s Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) modules for commercial space stations. [12] [13]

Sierra Space and the United States Air Force announced a partnership in July 2023. Under a 27-month, $22.6 million contract, Sierra Space will develop a 35,000 lbf thrust upper stage engine, known as the Vortex (VR35K-A). Work for the Vortex involves designing flight-weight engine components through the use of component and integrated breadboard engine test data. [14]

In August 2023, Sierra Space announced that it would be collaborating with BioServe Space Technologies to grow hematopoietic stem cells in microgravity to research undergoing treatment for blood cancer. [15] [16] The same month, the company also partnered with Redwire on a biotech experiment platform that will be installed on Sierra Space's commercial space station LIFE module. [17]

Reports in November 2023 indicated that Sierra Space laid off 165 workers in a realignment of the company. There were additional layoffs in October 2024. [18]

Products

Sierra Space provides a mix of products and services in three areas: transportation, destinations, and applications. [19]

Transportation

Initial cargo flights of the Dream Chaser vehicle are planned under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Contract with follow-on cargo, crewed and other missions available for commercial, civil, and national security uses.

On September 8, 2022, Sierra Space announced it signed a CRADA with the United States Transportation Command to develop concepts for using Dream Chaser space planes and Shooting Star cargo modules for “timely global delivery of Department of Defense logistics and personnel." [20] [21]

The first Dream Chaser, DC-101 Tenacity, completed assembly in November 2023. The vehicle will be shipped to NASA’s Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility for environmental testing. [22] [23]

Destinations

Prototype of LIFE habitat inside the Space Station Processing Facility (2021) NASA HQ New A-Suite Visit (KSC-20210419-PH-KLS01 0202).jpg
Prototype of LIFE habitat inside the Space Station Processing Facility (2021)

Products from Sierra Space’s Destinations organization include the Orbital Reef space station (in partnership with Blue Origin) [24] and the LIFE habitat. [25]

Through NASA’s NextSTEP project, Sierra Space completed its successful test in July 2022, which a maximum burst pressure rate of 192 psi. It then completed its second sub-scale ultimate burst pressure test on November 15, 2022 that achieved a 204 psi burst pressure rate. The safety requirement is 182.4 psi. [25] The full-scale LIFE pressure tests began in 2023, and on January 22, 2024 the company announced a successful full scale burst test of the LIFE habitat, exceeding safety margins by 27%. [26]

Applications

Applications products include three areas:

Satellite Bus Line

In early 2024, Sierra announced their own satellite bus line named Velocity, Horizon, and Titan. [29]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Space station</span> Habitable artificial satellite

A space station is a spacecraft which remains in orbit and hosts humans for extended periods of time. It therefore is an artificial satellite featuring habitation facilities. The purpose of maintaining a space station varies depending on the program. Most often space stations have been research stations, but they have also served military or commercial uses, such as hosting space tourists.

Human spaceflight programs have been conducted, started, or planned by multiple countries and companies. Until the 21st century, human spaceflight programs were sponsored exclusively by governments, through either the military or civilian space agencies. With the launch of the privately funded SpaceShipOne in 2004, a new category of human spaceflight programs – commercial human spaceflight – arrived. By the end of 2022, three countries and one private company (SpaceX) had successfully launched humans to Earth orbit, and two private companies had launched humans on a suborbital trajectory.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Blue Origin</span> American aerospace company

Blue Origin Enterprises, L.P., commonly referred to as Blue Origin, is an American aerospace manufacturer and launch service provider. The company makes rocket engines for United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket and is currently operating its suborbital reusable New Shephard vehicle. Blue Origin is developing its heavy-lift launch vehicle named New Glenn, the Blue Moon human lunar lander for NASA's Artemis program, and Orbital Reef space station in partnership with other companies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dream Chaser</span> US reusable automated cargo lifting-body spaceplane

Dream Chaser is an American reusable lifting-body spaceplane developed by Sierra Space. Originally intended as a crewed vehicle, the Dream Chaser Space System is set to be produced after the Dream Chaser Cargo System cargo variant is operational. The crewed variant is planned to carry up to seven people and cargo to and from low Earth orbit. Sierra plans to manufacture a fleet of the spaceplane.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commercial Resupply Services</span> NASA program for delivery of cargo to the ISS

Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) are a series of flights awarded by NASA for the delivery of cargo and supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) on commercially operated spacecraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Boeing Starliner</span> Class of partially reusable crew capsules

The Boeing Starliner is a spacecraft designed to transport crew to and from the International Space Station (ISS) and other low-Earth-orbit destinations. Developed by Boeing under NASA's Commercial Crew Program (CCP), it consists of a reusable crew capsule and an expendable service module.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Development of the Commercial Crew Program</span> NASA space program partnership with space companies

Development of the Commercial Crew Program (CCDev) began in the second round of the program, which was rescoped from a smaller technology development program for human spaceflight to a competitive development program that would produce the spacecraft to be used to provide crew transportation services to and from the International Space Station (ISS). To implement the program, NASA awarded a series of competitive fixed-price contracts to private vendors starting in 2011. Operational contracts to fly astronauts were awarded in September 2014 to SpaceX and Boeing, and NASA expected each company to complete development and achieve crew rating in 2017. Each company performed an uncrewed orbital test flight in 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Comparison of space station cargo vehicles</span>

A number of different spacecraft have been used to carry cargo to and from space stations. This list does not include crewed spacecraft.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vulcan Centaur</span> United Launch Alliance launch vehicle

Vulcan Centaur is a heavy-lift launch vehicle created and operated by United Launch Alliance (ULA). It is a two-stage-to-orbit launch vehicle consisting of the Vulcan first stage and the Centaur second stage. It replaces ULA's Atlas V and Delta IV rockets. It is principally designed for the National Security Space Launch (NSSL) program, which launches satellites for U.S. intelligence agencies and the Defense Department, but ULA believes it will also be able to price missions low enough to attract commercial launches.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">SSC Demo-1</span> Planned 2025 American test spaceflight to the ISS

SSC Demo-1, also known as Dream Chaser Demo-1, is the planned first flight of the Sierra Space robotic resupply spacecraft Dream Chaser to the International Space Station (ISS) under the CRS-2 contract with NASA. The demonstration mission is planned for launch no earlier than May 2025.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gateway Logistics Services</span> NASA uncrewed spaceflight program for the Lunar Gateway space station

The Gateway Logistics Services will be a series of uncrewed spaceflights to the Lunar Gateway space station, with the purpose of providing logistical services to the Gateway. Overseen by NASA's Gateway Logistics Element, the flights will be operated by commercial providers, contracted by the agency in support of crewed expeditions to the Gateway made under the Artemis program. As of March 2023, SpaceX is the only company contracted to provide the services.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Commercial Crew Program</span> NASA human spaceflight program for the International Space Station

The Commercial Crew Program (CCP) provides commercially operated crew transportation service to and from the International Space Station (ISS) under contract to NASA, conducting crew rotations between the expeditions of the International Space Station program. American space manufacturer SpaceX began providing service in 2020, using the Crew Dragon spacecraft, and NASA plans to add Boeing when its Boeing Starliner spacecraft becomes operational no earlier than 2025. NASA has contracted for six operational missions from Boeing and fourteen from SpaceX, ensuring sufficient support for ISS through 2030.

Orbital Reef is an under development low Earth orbit (LEO) space station being designed by Blue Origin and Sierra Nevada Corporation's Sierra Space for commercial space activities and space tourism uses. Blue Origin has referred to it as a "mixed-use business park". The companies released preliminary concepts for the station on 25 October 2021. The station is being designed to support 10 persons in 830 m3 of volume. As of March 2022, the station was projected to be operational by 2027.

Starlab is a planned LEO commercial space station, which is expected to launch no earlier than 2028. It is currently being designed by Starlab Space, a joint venture between Voyager Space and Airbus. It is planned to be launched before the decommissioning of the ISS.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Large Integrated Flexible Environment</span>

The Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) is an inflatable space habitat design currently being developed by Sierra Space. The proposed Orbital Reef commercial space station would include multiple LIFE habitats.

Dream Chaser <i>Tenacity</i> Uncrewed cargo spaceplane built by Sierra Space

Dream Chaser Tenacity (DC101) is the first Dream Chaser spacecraft expected to fly in space. Manufactured by the Sierra Nevada Corporation, it will first fly to the International Space Station as part of the SSC Demo-1 mission in 2025 under the CRS-2 contract.

The Commercial LEO Destinations program is a public/private partnership program of the NASA, to help facilitate the building of private commercial space stations (CSSs) in low Earth orbit.

References

  1. ↑ "Sierra Space · 1722 Boxelder St, Louisville, CO 80027".
  2. ↑ "Sierra Space Corp". Bloomberg.
  3. ↑ JUDITH KOHLER (October 9, 2022). "Sierra Space says industrial revolution underway "250 miles above our heads"". Denver Post.
  4. 1 2 3 Gus Wintzell (March 24, 2023). "Sierra Space Expands Presence in Huntsville with LIFE Test". Huntsville Business Journal.
  5. ↑ "Dream Chaser: Sierra Space's design for spaceflight". Space.com. April 14, 2023. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  6. ↑ "Dream Chaser". Sierra Space. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  7. ↑ Foust, Jeff (2023-11-06). "Sierra Space completes first Dream Chaser". SpaceNews. Retrieved 2024-01-01.
  8. ↑ "Blue Origin and Sierra Space developing commercial space station". Blue Origin. October 25, 2022. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  9. ↑ Morgan Brennan (April 14, 2021). "Billionaire-owned Sierra Nevada Corp. creating new space company to bet on a low-Earth orbit economy". CNBC.
  10. ↑ Abby Lee (October 16, 2022). "Sierra Space and UCSD Collaborate for a Space Station Researching Stem Cells". The Guardian.
  11. ↑ Judith Kohler (October 9, 2022). "Sierra Space says industrial revolution underway "250 miles above our heads"". Denver Post.
  12. ↑ Jeff Foust (April 18, 2023). "Sierra Space and ILC Dover partner on inflatable modules and spacesuits". Space News.
  13. ↑ Doug Messier (April 24, 2023). "Airbus, Axiom, Sierra Space & ILC Dover Unveil Commercial Human Spaceflight Plans". Parabolic Arc.
  14. ↑ Christine Thropp (July 26, 2023). "Sierra Space Books Air Force Contract for Maturation of Advanced Upper Stage Engine". Executive Biz.
  15. ↑ "Sierra Space, CU to experiment with growing stem cells in space". Biz West. August 4, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Sierra Space and BioServe Space Technologies to Demonstrate In-Space Stem Cell Production to Better Treat Cancer Patients on Earth". Yahoo Finance. August 2, 2023.
  17. ↑ Jeff Foust (August 21, 2023). "Redwire and Sierra Space partner on commercial space station biotech research platform". Space News.
  18. ↑ Foust, Jeff (20 November 2023). "Sierra Space lays off 165 in workforce realignment". Space News. Retrieved 24 November 2023.
  19. ↑ Chitra Sethi (August 1, 2022). "The Commercial Future of Low-Earth Orbit". Tech Brief.
  20. ↑ Jeff Foust (April 29, 2022). "First Dream Chaser vehicle takes shape". Space News.
  21. ↑ Sandra Erwin (September 10, 2022). "Sierra Space and U.S. military to explore using Dream Chaser for point-to-point cargo delivery". Space News.
  22. ↑ Jeff Foust (November 6, 2023). "Sierra Space completes first Dream Chaser". Space News.
  23. ↑ Judith Kohler (November 5, 2023). "Colorado's Sierra Space turning dream into reality with winged spacecraft set to launch in '24". Denver Post.
  24. ↑ "Blue Origin and Sierra Space developing commercial space station". Blue Origin. October 25, 2021.
  25. 1 2 Savannah Mehrtens (December 14, 2022). "Sierra Space, Lockheed Martin create human habitats for missions beyond the moon". Denver Gazette.
  26. ↑ "Sierra Space Advances its Revolutionary Commercial Space Station Technology" (Press release). Louisville, Colo. January 22, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2024.
  27. ↑ Ben Munson (April 12, 2023). "Sierra Space's New Engine Is All About In-Space Propulsion". Thomas Net.
  28. ↑ Keith Cowing (March 23, 2023). "Sierra Space Advances Future of Space Habitation in Low-Earth Orbit and Deep Space with LIFE™ Test". Space Ref.
  29. ↑ "Sierra Space Unveils the Revolutionary Eclipse Satellite Bus Line: Introducing Velocity, Horizon, and Titan". www.sierraspace.com. Retrieved 2024-04-05.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.