Dream Chaser is scheduled to lift off for the first time in the third quarter of this year. This long-awaited mission will be the first test of a handful of different systems. This includes the heat shield, rocket body, thrusters, and main propulsion, just to name a few. All of which will be put to the test with a mission profile that takes Dream Chaser Tenacity to the International Space Station and back for a runway landing.
One of the most important yet often overlooked components of Dream Chaser is its two main engines on the rear of the spacecraft. While unlike the Space Shuttle, these won’t be used during liftoff, they will help Dream Chaser get into its operational orbit depending on the mission profile. It’s important to point out however that the Vortex Engine has yet to be flown in space.
Originally, on-orbit propulsion of the Dream Chaser was proposed to be provided by twin hybrid rocket engines capable of repeated starts and throttling. This was before an acquisition by the company all the way back in 2014. Here I will go more in-depth into the primary Dream Chaser propulsion system, what this looks like on Tenacity, what to expect in the coming months, and more.
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Credit:
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Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:57 - Dream Chaser Propulsion
3:31 - Tenacity's First Mission
