one: the spacecraft demonstrated real-time command and control through NASA’s Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS), successfully receiving telemetry and distributing commands between Mission Control in Louisville, Colorado, and the spacecraft.
The company concluded the campaign with a post-landing recovery rehearsal, testing procedures for vehicle safing and rapid access to sensitive payloads immediately after touchdown.
Dream Chaser’s next step is acoustic testing scheduled for December 2025, after which Sierra Space plans to evaluate modifications at its Colorado facilities to support national security applications, broadening the platform’s role across defense-oriented mission sets.
The spaceplane is slated to launch on its first mission to Low Earth Orbit in Q4 2026, concluding with a runway landing at Vandenberg Space Force Base.
“Each milestone we achieve is a testament to the resilience, innovation and dedication of the Sierra Space team,” said Fatih Ozmen, Executive Chair at Sierra Space. “We are excited to see Dream Chaser progressing steadily toward its inaugural flight to support the nation’s most pressing space priorities.”
Sierra Space said the program remains focused on advancing reusable space transportation and delivering capabilities that strengthen U.S. space access, exploration, and national security.
