Sierra Space

Dream Chaser

In Development

A reusable lifting-body spaceplane that launches vertically (Vulcan Centaur, folding wings inside a 5 m fairing) and lands on a conventional runway at less than 1.5 g. The cargo configuration can carry 5,000 kg pressurized and 500 kg unpressurized, with an expendable Shooting Star module adding cargo, power, and disposal. First vehicle Tenacity is planned for a late-2026 free-flyer from Kennedy to Vandenberg rather than an ISS docking. A crewed version remains a later product.

Latest update Sep 18, 2026

Dream Chaser

01

Current status

Tenacity in final pre-flight closeouts. Inaugural free-flyer targeted late 2026, pending Vulcan availability. ISS cargo missions are optional after a successful demo.

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Specifications3

Pressurized / unpressurized cargo
5,000 kg / 500 kg
Reentry load
<1.5 g runway landing
First orbital vehicle
Tenacity (DC-101)

03

Upcoming milestones2

Announced next steps from Sierra Space that mention Dream Chaser.

  1. Late 2026

    Dream Chaser Tenacity inaugural free-flyer

    Launch Tenacity on a Vulcan Centaur from Kennedy for a multi-day free-flyer, then land at Vandenberg. Sierra still targets late 2026 and on September 2 said national-security and commercial payloads are signed, with the manifest still being finalized. The flight depends on Vulcan's return to flight after the February 2026 USSF-87 anomaly and sits behind NSSL missions on ULA's manifest. No launch date is posted.

  2. Late 2026

    ULA or Space Force posts a 2026 Vulcan slot for Dream Chaser Tenacity

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