Dream Chaser® Advances Toward First Flight, Eyes Multi-Use Applications

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LOUISVILLE, Colo.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 25, 2025--

Sierra Space, a proven Defense Tech company delivering solutions for the nation’s most critical missions and advancing the future of security in space, announced today a strategic transition for its Dream Chaser® spaceplane. Dream Chaser’s first flight will be a free-flyer, demonstration mission, which is expected to prove the technology and deliver critical data to NASA. This approach aims to provide Sierra Space with flexibility to address the nation’s most pressing National Security Space challenges, while continuing to advance Dream Chaser’s capabilities for NASA and commercial customers.

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Sierra Space's Dream Chaser® spaceplane advances toward first flight, eyes multi-use applications. (Photo: Sierra Space)

Sierra Space is prioritizing first-flight readiness with Dream Chaser, targeting a launch in late 2026 to align with expected launch vehicle availability. Sierra Space and NASA worked together to reach this mutually beneficial agreement that provides greater mission flexibility for Dream Chaser’s first flight. This flight aims to demonstrate critical capabilities for NASA’s ISS resupply and future Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) missions and position Dream Chaser as a national asset available for future national security and defense demonstrations.

As America’s Spaceplane ®, we believe its adaptability as an orbital, hypersonic spacecraft and rapid deployment, commercial testbed is critical to addressing the nation’s evolving priorities and emerging threats. Additionally, Dream Chaser has unique features and capabilities as a commercial, autonomous spaceplane with the ability to land on any conventional runway, enabling reusability, rapid turnaround, and cost-efficient operations for space missions.

“Dream Chaser represents the future of versatile space transportation and mission flexibility,” said Fatih Ozmen, Executive Chair at Sierra Space. “This transition provides unique capabilities to meet the needs of diverse mission profiles, including emerging and existential threats and national security priorities that align with our acceleration into the Defense Tech market. Together with NASA, we are seeking to preserve the exceptional potential of Dream Chaser as a national asset, ensuring its readiness for the next era of space innovation.”

About Sierra Space

Headquartered in Colorado, Sierra Space is a mission-proven Defense Tech company delivering satellite platforms, critical subsystems, reusable spaceplanes, hypersonic technologies, propulsion systems, and infrastructure for the nation’s most critical missions.

With more than three decades of heritage and a record of flight-proven success in space, Sierra Space is trusted by U.S. National Security and Civil customers, and global allies. Our technologies serve to safeguard our nation, sustain human exploration in space, and preserve the freedom of operations beyond Earth.

Sierra Space is dedicated to defining the new era of Space Defense, strengthening deterrence today and preserving freedom of action for generations to come.

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KEYWORD: UNITED STATES NORTH AMERICA COLORADO

INDUSTRY KEYWORD: HARDWARE OTHER DEFENSE CONTRACTS SECURITY AEROSPACE SATELLITE MANUFACTURING GOVERNMENT TECHNOLOGY TECHNOLOGY DEFENSE OTHER TRANSPORT AIR TRANSPORT SCIENCE RESEARCH ENGINEERING

SOURCE: Sierra Space

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PUB: 09/25/2025 02:15 PM/DISC: 09/25/2025 02:16 PM

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