Jay Clemens
Lockheed Martin and Sierra Nevada’s space systems division have introduced the orbital spacecraft composite airframe of the Dream Chaser vehicle that SNC is developing for NASA’s human spaceflight program.
Mark Sirangelo, corporate vice president of space systems, said Friday that Lockheed has begun work to to manufacture the Dream Chaser orbital structure airframes.
The structure will serve as an airframe for Dream Chaser’s orbital launch, which is scheduled to take place in November 2016 via a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket.
“We are able to tailor our best manufacturing processes, and our innovative technology from across the corporation to fit the needs of the Dream Chaser program,†said Jim Crocker, VP of the civil space business at Lockheed’s space systems company.
Lockheed previously started to fabricate the Dream Chaser structure at its Michoud assembly facility in New Orleans.
Dream Chaser’s structural components will undergo integration into the airframe at a Lockheed facility in Fort Worth, Texas after completion of the fabrication and inspection processes at MAF before the airframe is transported for final assembly to an SNC facility in Louisville, Colorado.
