14 DAY TRIAL // Officials at private aerospace company Sierra Nevada Corporation have just announced that the space plane they are developing could begin conducting commercial spaceflights as early as 2016. The vehicle is called the Dream Chaser.
Analysts could not help but notice the similarities between the designs of Dream Chaser and the NASA space shuttles. According to Sierra Nevada, the space plane will be affixed aboard Atlas V delivery systems provided by the United Launch Alliance – a partnership between Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
The spacecraft will take the place of the usual Atlas V payload fairing, as illustrated above. Though it appears small, Dream Chaser will actually be able to carry 7 passengers. At the end of each flight, it will land on a runway, like a normal airplane, Space reports.
One of the most interesting aspects of the spacecraft is that it will be able to dock to the International Space Station. This opens up new prospects for the company, and it is also one of the main reasons why it managed to secure NASA funding for developing Dream Chaser.