Keeping you on the cutting edge.

No Ads... No Nonsense. Just Flight Test News and Analysis.

Friday, January 3, 2014

Sierra-Nevada Finally Gives Thumbs Up to Dreamchaser Data

The flight was weeks ago, and was marred by a very ungraceful landing, but now after looking at all the data, NASA and SNC have concluded that they know what the gear problem was and apparently consider it a simple fix.  The stability derivatives that they were really looking to confirm, and the flight control software that they were looking to exercise, all apparently matched predictions.  This puts the U.S another step closer to getting its own astronauts into orbit.  (This is all the more important, with Lori Garver starting to backpedal on the viability of the SLS.)  What the Dreamchaser doesn't do, of course, is assure the astronauts a place to go.  Yes, ISS cooling loops are back up and running, but what's the next homeowner repair job that the crews will have to do?

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/boosters_bits/2013/12/dream-chaser-test-flight-found-to-have.html

No comments:

Post a Comment

Feel free to join the discussion! Do you know something more about a recent flight test? Jot a line and let us know how it went! Think you know what will be coming next? Tell us what to expect! (Comments are moderated, so they may not appear immediately.)