The Dream Chaser space vehicle of the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) supposed to head for the International Space Station this year has rescheduled its launch period to 2022. This move was catalyzed by the delays created by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, halting the space vehicle’s completion in time.
The leaders of SNC announced that the delays in the completion of this cargo spacecraft had opened their minds to the idea of developing payload and crew modules of the spacecraft. These developments would facilitate the set up of a commercial space station by the company by 2030.
SNC intended to test the Dream Chaser’s capacity to deliver its payloads to the International Space Station by next year. This project is part of the company’s agreement with NASA to send the other five spacecraft to the ISS with payloads. Nevertheless, the company rescheduled the mission to 2022 to witness space policies’ induction and redesign the space vehicle for improved performances.
Senior strategist of SNC Space Systems, Steve Lindsey, stated that the coronavirus pandemic had willed a different approach. For instance, the company can now test the payload module at its site before the actual mission. The pandemic halted the successful conduction of this operation by its engineers. So they have to fix a date for this procedure and retest the other structures.
Similar approaches to carry out the test from a work-from-home concept took substantial time than it would have under the normal schedule. The engineers will have to repeat the process for surety and assess the mission’s success rate.
Additionally, Lindsey blamed the pandemic for the delay in the supply of other components. He enumerated that technical irregularities have also played a role in the postponement of the launch period for this mission but resorted to keeping the technicalities a secret for proficiency.
Moreover, Lindsey was adamant about outlining a specific date that the corporation would surely launch the mission. Lindsey explained that these are variable details that depend entirely on the completion of the cargo and crew spacecraft.
SNC emphasized that it is accepting offers from space companies other than NASA to take up the spacecraft. Lindsey expressed confidence in the demand for their spacecraft by companies admiring their progress. Another agency that has expressed interest in the company’s space vehicle is Outer Space Affairs of the United Nations.
The leaders of SNC were reluctant to divulge any details concerning their upcoming commercial space station. Lindsey explained that they are keeping these plans a secret until they procure enough funding to lay grounds for this project.
In conclusion, such plans indicate that NASA is pulling away from the International Space Station. This move would imply the ISS would be deorbited very soon. Nevertheless, space companies are keen to follow the next move in the expansion process.
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