The Dreamchaser space plane has been added to the list of new vehicle launches scheduled for the first quarter of 2024. The small shuttle-like Orbiter and its shooting star cargo module are currently undergoing final preparations at the Neil Armstrong testing facility in Ohio. Sierra space, the creators of the Dreamchaser, announced its arrival on November 30th, marking the beginning of the last round of trials for the vehicle. Development of the Dreamchaser began in 2010, and the Neil Armstrong test facility is where NASA ensures that prototype vehicles can withstand the challenges of space travel, from launch to re-entry. This 6400-acre site houses some of the world's largest simulation equipment, which is used to determine if a new spaceship is ready for orbit. In the case of the Dreamchaser, the tenacity cargo variant, measuring almost 30 feet long, will be stacked with the 15-foot long shooting star cargo module in a launch configuration. Both vehicles will undergo environmental testing in the facility's thermal vacuum chamber, as well as mechanical vibration testing in a simulator that replicates the forces experienced during launch. If the spacecraft pair successfully passes these tests, the next steps involve inspections and fitting the uncrewed craft into a fairing for launch. We are now very close to witnessing the actual flight of the Dreamchaser.
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