Sierra Space

Founded in 2021, Sierra Space is an independent commercial space startup that was created as a result of the transition of defense contractor Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Space Systems business area to an independent company.

The company is developing the Dream Chaser Spaceplane, claimed to be the world’s first commercial spaceplane and only winged commercial spaceplane, with a NASA contract that was expected to fly cargo resupply trips to the ISS beginning late 2023. The Dream Chaser is reusable and capable of a low, 1.5 g-force re-entry – for crew and cargo transportation – and can land on compatible commercial airport runways around the globe.  However, in June 2024, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced that Dream Chaser’s launch aboard the Vulcan Centaur rocket was postponed. However, Sierra Space reports that the Dream Chaser is still set to launch by the end of 2024.

The company is also developing the LIFE habitat (Large Integrated Flexible Environment), an inflatable three-story commercial habitation and science platform designed for low Earth orbit. The LIFE habitat has the capacity to sleep four astronauts, with additional room for science experiments, exercise equipment, a medical center, and Sierra Space’s Astro Garden system, which can grow fresh produce for astronauts. In July 2024, Sierra Space concluded its second full-scale burst test of the LIFE module, and announced its plans to fly it as a standalone spacecraft and to test a module with a volume of 500 m3 by 2025.

In June 2024, the United Launch Alliance (ULA) announced that Dream Chaser’s launch abroad the Vulcan Centaur rocket was postponed. However, Sierra Space reports that the Dream Chaser is still set to launch by the end of 2024.

Key customers and partnerships

In October 2021, Sierra Space and Blue Origin announced that the companies are developing Orbital Reef, a commercial space station, backed by players including Boeing, Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Arizona State University. Orbital Reef will be a commercially developed, owned, and operated space station to be built in low Earth orbit. The Dream Chaser and LIFE Habitat are critical components for Orbital Reef. In October 2022 , the company signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with IBM to collaborate on space technology and software platforms for Sierra Space’s entire range of spacecraft and infrastructure. Sierra Space partnered with Keystone Space Collaborative in November 2022 , to advance space economy and for the development of Orbital Reef.

In February 2023, the company signed a five-year MoU with the University of Notre Dame for the exploration of space-based research and development in low-earth orbit (LEO), which includes identifying potential opportunities for R&D payloads, conducting microgravity experiments, along with designing and developing hardware components to facilitate experimental objectives and commercialization of research findings. Further, in April 2023, Sierra Space entered a long-term strategic partnership with engineering and manufacturing company ILC Dover to accelerate the development of next-generation space infrastructure. The companies were to collaborate on expediting the deployment of LIFE modules, as well as developing space suits for extra and intra-vehicular activity. Sierra Space also partnered with Redwire in August 2023 for the development of a biotech experiment platform that would be installed on its LIFE inflatable module.

In July 2023 , Sierra Space secured a USD 22.6 million Air Force contract to advance the development of its VR35K-A engine for future launch vehicles. The contract will facilitate further work on the engine, including refining its flight-weight engine component design.

In July 2024, Sierra Space partnered MUFG Bank Ltd. and Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co. Ltd, along with existing partners Oita Prefecture, Kanematsu Corporation, and Japan Airlines to explore the potential for a landing spaceport in Oita, Japan.