CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA and Sierra Nevada Space Systems (SNSS) of Sparks, Nev., sign a Space Act Agreement that will offer the company technical capabilities from Kennedy Space Center's uniquely skilled work force. Sitting, from left, are Kennedy Public Affairs Director Lisa Malone; NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden; Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana; and Mark Sirangelo, head of Sierra Nevada. Standing, from left, are Frank DiBello, president of Space Florida; Joyce Riquelme, manager of Kennedy's Center Planning and Development Office; John Curry, director of Sierra Nevada's Systems Integration, Test and Operations; Kennedy Deputy Director Janet Petro; Jim Voss, vice president of Sierra Nevada's Space Exploration Systems; and Merri Sanchez, senior director of Sierra Nevada's Space Exploration Systems. Kennedy will help Sierra Nevada with the ground operations support of its lifting body reusable spacecraft called "Dream Chaser," which resembles a smaller version of the space shuttle orbiter. The spacecraft would carry as many as seven astronauts to the space station. Through the new agreement, Kennedy's work force will use its experience of processing the shuttle fleet for 30 years to help Sierra Nevada define and execute Dream Chaser's launch preparations and post-landing activities. In 2010 and 2011, Sierra Nevada was awarded grants as part of the initiative to stimulate the private sector in developing and demonstrating human spaceflight capabilities for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The goal of the program, which is based in Florida at Kennedy, is to facilitate the development of a U.S. commercial crew space transportation capability by achieving safe, reliable and cost-effective access to and from the space station and future low Earth orbit destinations. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann KSC-2011-5116
Summary
CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. -- NASA and Sierra Nevada Space Systems (SNSS) of Sparks, Nev., sign a Space Act Agreement that will offer the company technical capabilities from Kennedy Space Center's uniquely skilled work force. Sitting, from left, are Kennedy Public Affairs Director Lisa Malone; NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden; Kennedy Center Director Bob Cabana; and Mark Sirangelo, head of Sierra Nevada. Standing, from left, are Frank DiBello, president of Space Florida; Joyce Riquelme, manager of Kennedy's Center Planning and Development Office; John Curry, director of Sierra Nevada's Systems Integration, Test and Operations; Kennedy Deputy Director Janet Petro; Jim Voss, vice president of Sierra Nevada's Space Exploration Systems; and Merri Sanchez, senior director of Sierra Nevada's Space Exploration Systems. Kennedy will help Sierra Nevada with the ground operations support of its lifting body reusable spacecraft called "Dream Chaser," which resembles a smaller version of the space shuttle orbiter. The spacecraft would carry as many as seven astronauts to the space station. Through the new agreement, Kennedy's work force will use its experience of processing the shuttle fleet for 30 years to help Sierra Nevada define and execute Dream Chaser's launch preparations and post-landing activities. In 2010 and 2011, Sierra Nevada was awarded grants as part of the initiative to stimulate the private sector in developing and demonstrating human spaceflight capabilities for NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The goal of the program, which is based in Florida at Kennedy, is to facilitate the development of a U.S. commercial crew space transportation capability by achieving safe, reliable and cost-effective access to and from the space station and future low Earth orbit destinations. Photo credit: NASA/Jim Grossmann
The Space Shuttle program was the United States government's manned launch vehicle program from 1981 to 2011, administered by NASA and officially beginning in 1972. The Space Shuttle system—composed of an orbiter launched with two reusable solid rocket boosters and a disposable external fuel tank— carried up to eight astronauts and up to 50,000 lb (23,000 kg) of payload into low Earth orbit (LEO). When its mission was complete, the orbiter would re-enter the Earth's atmosphere and lands as a glider. Although the concept had been explored since the late 1960s, the program formally commenced in 1972 and was the focus of NASA's manned operations after the final Apollo and Skylab flights in the mid-1970s. It started with the launch of the first shuttle Columbia on April 12, 1981, on STS-1. and finished with its last mission, STS-135 flown by Atlantis, in July 2011.
Nothing Found.