Sierra Space teams with New Mexico’s Spaceport America

Louisville-based Sierra Space might soon be landing its winged spacecraft at New Mexico’s Spaceport America, according to a news release.

The two companies signed a memorandum of understanding outlining their “mutual pursuit to increase Spaceport America’s capabilities and demand for Dream Chaser reentry at the spaceport.”

The next step would be to pursue a “Part 433 reentry site operator’s license” from the Federal Aviation Administration.

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The Dream Chaser is scheduled to execute “cargo supply and return missions” for NASA starting next year. It could deliver up to 12,000 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station per trip.

“Sierra Space is building the future of space — from transportation, to commercial space destinations and all of the emerging applications — to develop a vibrant, growing and accessible commercial space economy,” CEO Tom Vice said in the release. “With that vision in mind, we are creating space-tech hubs within the commercial space ecosystem and adding Spaceport America as a prospective landing site for Dream Chaser to continue to open up affordable access to space for all.”

The momentum continues for Sierra Space, which broke off from Sierra Nevada Corp. to become its own entity last year. Earlier this year, it announced plans to double its workforce, especially in Colorado, by adding 1,000 jobs in 2022. It has about 700 workers in the state.

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In the last 11 months, it has picked up more aerospace contracts and signed partnerships for large-scale space projects in coming years, including with NASA and Blue Origin. It was awarded a $130 million contract to design, build and operate Orbital Reef, which is described as a business park in space.

Spaceport America, at 18,000 acres, is in southwest New Mexico. It claims to be the “first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world.” It’s already licensed by the FAA for rocket launches and is next to the U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range.

Other areas the Dream Chaser can land include the Shuttle Landing Facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center; airports and landing sites in Huntsville, Alabama; Oita Airport, Japan; and Spaceport Cornwall in the United Kingdom.

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“Spaceport America is enormously proud to combine efforts with Sierra Space,” Scott McLaughlin, executive director of Spaceport America, said in the release. “As a potential landing site for the Dream Chaser spaceplane, we will continue to open affordable access to space for all in the United States and the world. … This MOU also helps highlight the vision for Spaceport America and to help connect other users of both the spaceport and the Dream Chaser to New Mexico.”

Sierra Space officials haven’t had any formal discussions with the Colorado Air and Space Port in Adams County, formerly called the Front Range Airport.

“We talked at Space Symposium real informally, but nothing beyond that,” said Jeff Kloska, director of the Colorado Air and Space Port. “We’re not sure what kind of requirements their vehicle needs by way of runway length … but we’d love to work with them and see something happen some time. If they require something of us, we’d look towards and consider making those improvements.”


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