The US company – headquartered in Sparks, Nevada – is the new commercial space subsidiary of aerospace specialist Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC). It has signed a memorandum of understanding with Spaceport Cornwall, England’s horizontal launch Spaceport at Cornwall Airport Newquay.
“In the backdrop of the G7 Summit, Sierra Space is pleased to announce the ongoing progress we are making with Spaceport Cornwall as a viable site for Dream Chaser,” said Fatih Ozmen, CEO and owner of SNC. “Sierra Space understands and embraces the historical significance this milestone represents for Cornwall, a great partner, and the broader UK space industry.”
“We share with Spaceport Cornwall a vision to increase and democratize space sector participation by lowering the cost of access to space and communicating the vital role satellites can play in combating some of the global climate challenges world leaders are currently discussing at G7.”
The Dream Chaser (pictured) is a reusable, multi-mission space utility vehicle, capable of transportation services to and from low-Earth orbit. SNC describes it as the only commercial, lifting-body vehicle capable of a runway landing.
The Dream Chaser Cargo System was selected by NASA to provide cargo delivery and disposal services to the International Space Station under the Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS-2) contract. (Note that All Dream Chaser CRS-2 cargo missions are planned to land at Space Florida’s Shuttle Landing Facility at Kennedy Space Center.)
Spaceport Cornwall
For its part, Spaceport Cornwall has also been wooing the services of Virgin Orbit, which will achieve the UK’s first ever sovereign orbital launch from the site in 2022, it says.
“We are delighted to welcome representatives from Sierra Space to Cornwall during the G7 Summit, and to announce the signing of the [memorandum],” said Melissa Thorpe, Head of Spaceport Cornwall. “Spaceport Cornwall is a multi-user spaceport and it’s a great achievement to add an additional launch partner to our consortium a year ahead of first launch from the site in 2022. Satellite technology offers so much hope in combating many of the environmental challenges being discussed here this week, and we are proud to be able to showcase the part Cornwall, and the UK is playing.”
The UK Space Agency currently recognises seven spaceports. Five are in Scotland, one in Wales and one in England.
They are: Spaceport 1 (Scolpaig Farm, North Uist,Outer Hebrides, Scotland), Spaceport Machrihanish (Campbeltown, Argyll, Scotland), Prestwick Spaceport (Prestwick, South Ayrshire, Scotland), Space Hub Sutherland (A’ Mhòine peninsula, Sutherland, Scotland), Shetland Space Centre (Lamba Ness, Unst, Shetland Islands, pictured), Spaceport Snowdonia (Llanbedr, Gwynedd, Wales) and Spaceport Cornwall (Cornwall Airport, Newquay, England).
See also: Virgin Orbit signs Oita to bring its air launches to Japan