SpaceX's Big Solution to Launch Sierra Dream Chaser Replace Vulcan…

[@billmullins6833]

The narration made a point of saying that Falcon Heavy's launch cadence was well below that of Falcon 9. What the narration failed to mention was that the reason fewer FHs launch than F9s is the simple fact that not every customer needs the heavy lift capacity of the FH. For most payloads, the FH would be wasted. Using FH for most payloads would be like chartering a semi to haul a load which could be carried by a pickup.

[@stephenkingsley5815]

Additionally, the fairing on FH and F9 are currently the same size. They are working on a larger one for Gateway station's PPE/HALO module launch.

[@andrewfrancis9178]

You just recycled an old video. There is nothing in the video about Space X actually doing anything to put Dream Chaser into orbit. Only your conjecture that they could.

[@alphatech4966]

speculate based on real evidence

[@fionajack9160]

@@alphatech4966 what evidence? There’s no evidence.

[@alphatech4966]

@@fionajack9160 So you haven't watched our video yet.

[@alphatech4966]

@@fionajack9160 Lie on the sofa and enjoy

[@fionajack9160]

@@alphatech4966 there’s no evidence in your video, or elsewhere that SpaceX is going to be used to launch dream chaser. Just speculation that they could.. And they probably could

[@icare7151]

The crewed Dream Chaser will replace StarLiner, as StarLiner should have been cancelled years ago. Fire NASA Director Bill Nelson, cancel StarLiner contract and Boeing refund $6,000,000,000 for breach of contract, reckless endangerment of crew and ISS.

[@pedrosura]

It’s ironic to call ULA an unproven launch vehicle while suggesting to use Starship instead, also unproven.. Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy are proven but to wait for Starship to launch a small payload is ridiculous.

[@myfavoritemartian1]

By the time Dream Chaser gets flight certified, The ISS will be de-orbited and gone. Better find another use for it.

[@rocroc]

The bottom line is that Dream Chaser was not ready and was still dealing with technical issues preventing them from launching. They were removed from the launch schedule and are still not ready to launch. Dream Chaser is a very costly and highly technical craft. A manned version is at least five years away. By that time other less expensive alternatives will be available as well. I think it likely that ULA will be sold to Blue Origin and that will leave two or three US big rocket providers still standing. One still struggles with a single small rocket that continues to have problems. Not a good picture at the moment.

[@Shivaho]

Boeing screwed up by not making a Cargo Starcoffin they could test without Risking Astronauts

[@animejanai4657]

SpaceX has always been an aggressive meritocracy. Boeing operates a unionized DEI shop. So the style and responsiveness of the designs reflect different ways of problem solving. People who hide from responsibility in group projects don't meet schedules like the SpaceX meritocracy. Sure, meritocracy is tough on employees that don't have merit, and it feels unfair to employees unable to perform but remain employed due to union rules, letters of understanding, and equity employment.

[@spaceranger3728]

That was a huge advantage for SpacEx in developing crewed Dragon. They were able to check qualification points off on every cargo mission that used the same components.

[@privateerburrows]

I've been subscribed to this channel a long time; but this video's title is CLICKBAIT. Where, in the video, is there any news of any *_"SpaceX's Big Solution"?_* Disliking for now; and if clickbait continues I will unsubscribe.

[@mpbroadcast]

If Boeing gives up on Starliner, that will free up at least four Atlas V rockets.

[@CrazyChemistPL]

Honestly, I cannot wait for another spaceplane... especially a crewed version. One that fixes the issues caused by Space Shuttle's unusual launch cofiguration. I firmly stand in my belief that in itself the Shuttle Orbiter was a safe and reliable vehicle, as both its tragic disasters were caused not by faulty design of the Orbiter, but by the way the Orbiter was integrated into the launch stack.

[@dragineeztoo61]

Using a Starship booster for a tiny little Dream Chaser seems like overkill. I'd bet Falcon 9 could do it if you paid to have the booster be expendable. Or use a Falcon Heavy and recover all 3 boosters.

[@Dularr]

If you combine it with starlink

[@carldietz9767]

Maybe if Blue Origin and ULA really want to get to actual SPACE they could NICELY/POLITELY ask SpaceX for a delivery.

[@sxmolin]

Bigger payload doors need to be on Starship if they want to use it to launch Dream Chaser

[@patmcnally6]

I hope Dream Chaser gets adopted to Super Heavy . More Different Rockets the Better for them. BO has messed with them too much in the last Joint space station..

[@anthonyhunt701]

I hope there IS a manned version👆🏻🚀

[@alanblasczyk1779]

These are the best times to be alive.

[@kjetilhvalstrand1009]

Ariane 6 has only been used once, but based on powan technology, Cooperation between ESA and Sierra makes a lot of sense.

[@alphatech4966]

I think it won't fly as often as SpaceX rockets.

[@daveoatway6126]

Dream Chaser looks very promising but is TOTALLY untested for the most difficult re-entry phase of flight. It would have been good to see Elon's test to failure, fix, test again approach. There is no reason to expect Dream Chaser to perform as expected until it has done so. It could wind up another Star Liner like Boeing. Fly it! Then Fly IT again until it works as intended!

[@ronlee9984]

These space related KZbin videos are becoming worthless. Clickbait titles. Extraneous commentary and often little content associated with the title. Actually, they have probably been this way for some time. I am just becoming tired of the worthless content.

[@alphatech4966]

What more do you want really!

[@jefferi78]

falcon heavy would be nice to put dream chaser to the space.

[@thenakedtruth0205]

OLD NEWS PRETENDING TO BE NEW. THIS IS THE WORST KIND OF CLICK BAIT!

[@arbigdog73]

Dreamchaser is getting screwed over again!

[@kennethwers]

Put Dream chaser on a falcon without Shooting Star (Shooting Star lite?) with a falcon heavy faring (should fit as the core is the same. That would be a good test for Dream chaser. SpaceX would be wise to give Sierra space A fantastic deal that would put a feather is SpaceX capabilities in the long run.

[@SlipKnotRicky]

Dream Chaser on the Starship? Why not Dream Chaser on the Booster?

[@saquist]

Need the 2 stages. The Dreamchaser doesn't have the power to make orbit even even with a small load on the Super Heavy Booster.

[@marinoceccotti9155]

I have asked YT not to recommend this channel anymore, but it keeps popping up.

[@TechnoCaveman1]

This was the premise of the video: "No doubt! Dream Chaser is teetering on the edge of the abyss because it no longer has a launch vehicle as planned for its first launch. Who will help them? Well, no one else but SpaceX. But it won't be the Falcon 9 rocket, so which one will it be, the Falcon Heavy or the Starship? Let’s find out on today's episode of Alpha Tech:" Conclusion: I have no idea what Dream Chaser is going to do. 9.5 minutes of my life waisted on Click Bait!

[@alphatech4966]

what's the problem?

[@fionajack9160]

@@alphatech4966 problem is you’re not saying anything new. SpaceX could possibly carry Dream chaser, that’s it

[@WFKO.]

Dream Chaser as Starship escape shuttle :D

[@user-ve1zb8xq8h]

While Dream Chaser isn't proven as yet, NASA, Sierra, and SpaceX need to come together to ensure a timely launch vehicle for Dream Chaser and make Boeing repay the $4.2B they were given for Starliner development. Then NASA could fund projects like VIPER that have been recently cancelled, Sierra would get a proven launch vehicle, and we'd all get another vehicle capable of going to space without leaks everywhere.

[@LordDustinDeWynd]

I'm wondering why it's taken so long to switch to SpaceX to carry it! It's the logical choice.

[@2150dalek]

That would be epic cool if Dreamchaser was launched by Starship. Why burn up pods in atmosphere? Maybe leave cargo pods attached to I.S.S and have Starship retrieve them on subsequent flights.

[@pepelegal333]

call me unimaginative but don't see it fitting through the Pez dispenser...

[@timreed353]

Dream chaser still not proven yet.

[@SPak-rt2gb]

They sure could use it right now to bring back two stranded astronauts on the ISS

[@LordDustinDeWynd]

2:26 WAIT! Narrator says first Vulcan launch IS scheduled for January, 2024. How old IS this video?

[@raystevens687]

And yes SpaceX will more than likely give them a better deal when it comes to launch them into space.

[@Peter-cn4hm]

Right. I’d sooner ride on Space X than on Boeing Starliner.

[@azamzain24]

SpaceX should take over dream chaser

[@lnr12241]

Waiting for nasa to call SpaceX to rescue the stranded Boeing astronauts lol. I can't wait. Maybe Boeing should have spent some of that government money on R&D instead of bonuses

[@bazoo513]

I hope that Gwynne Shotwell receives a nice invoice after each of your videos... The only bit fitting the title is the fact (claim, but I think it is correct) that Dream Chaser with its Shooting Star disposable module would fit both fairing size and mass to LEO capabilities of Falcon Heavy. All other mentions of SpaceX were just an ad. That said, overview of Dream Chaser capabilities and Vulcan manifest situation was not all too bad.

[@brianw612]

All these expensive systems to service an asset that will be expended in a short 6 years while Space X is developing Starship for dynamic missions into the foreseeable future.

[@johnnicol8598]

That's what I was thinking. They are going to de-orbit it relatively soon. What's the role of this thing then? What's the point?

[@kydelastra]

That's the space industry in a nut shell though. They just pass government funding back and forth in a giant snake oil scheme. If you want to know which companies are legit, just look up how long they've been in business and measure it against how much of their product has actually gone to space. It's rather appalling.

[@RobertLutece909]

The whole point of the ISS was to give the space shuttle a reason to keep existing. Once it's deorbited they'll put up another one just to keep the ball rolling.

[@peterpalumbo1963]

#$#x space x. I say again, #$#x space x!!!

[@davidmcdonald944]

Nothing but Click Bait

[@majic5zero]

Yeah, yeah. Go fish click bait.

[@garylester3976]

Glad to see SpaceX might help Sierra get their rig going... Most Space endeavors are positive Space endeavours... Listening to whats going on, had me thinking about possible next steps. That maybe Sierra and SpaceX could think about working together on their next versions? What I could see is an upscale space plane from Dream Chaser, say kind of a Milspec styled Trooper and Cargo orbital pickup truck, built using more durable Stainess, and using the new Raptor 3 engine. Maybe even be able to piggy back off what SpaceX learns in their on going tile experiments. Then, have SpaceX work on a Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy replacement thats a size DOWN from Starship, for utility launches like the new space plane. It could use Raptor 3 engines, fabricated construction like Starship and booster, and be two stages, so that Space planes etc. could be injected into orbit with full fuel tanks. Maybe they could call it Falcon X, (Falcon 10) And get a less complecated and less expensive to build and operate new super Falcon... And be able to fulfull intermediate missions smaller than Starship more affordably than Jeffie's upcoming design... Just for fun! and to encourage Blue Origin to go back to the drawing board, and start over on attempts at competing with SpaceX and their new line of Rator 3 powered lifters... 👿 (paybacks for whiney lawyers)... The new image is out on Raptor 3, serial number 1, and She's a beauty... Just what I had in mind with parts count. Proud of the Enginerds at SpaceX for finally arriving at the "Art" level in Rocket motors... "Art is doing things as they should be done, not as they are done." She's a long shot from Raptor 1 or BE-4 Spaghetti monsters, and I know Elon is like a smiley face emogi over his engines now... 😊 I'll make a prediction: the Raptor 3 will be the new baseline in lift engines, and maybe in production for a century. it will be the preferred engine of Space Yacht builders and a hydrogen/Methane multifuels version will be a favorite of Asteroid Miners, due to its reliability. Note; To Elon, your new engine factory isnt anywhere near big enough for the business potential of R-3's.... Basically they are like a Continental Industrial engine... will go on everything from trucks to tractors... You might wanna do a maint. and repair manual for them, for the guys in remote locations... and make any special tools needed for service for sale with the engines. Also suggest different colors for different iterations of Raptor 3 engines, so the mechanics know the models at a glance... And offer complete rebuild kits affordably, also color coded to match Raptor 3 models.. Great job guys! Humanity is proud!

[@alphatech4966]

That's great!

[@brokensoap1717]

Except that Dreamchaser very much plan to launch on Vulcan, just not on the second launch. Right now it looks like flight 2 will be the final NSSL cert flight, flights 3 and 4 in the fourth quarter of this year will be launching NSSL payloads and flight 5 will be launching Dreamchaser probably in early 2025. The spacecraft is taking longer to complete so they will be flying on a later slot in the Vulcan manifest. This happens all the times with payloads and launch vehicle providers. Basically what Sierra Space said was "we're not going to launch on the second Vulcan launch", what they didn't say was "we're not going to be launching on Vulcan at all". There's no question about which rocket they'll be launching on.

[@alanmcmillan6969]

Dream chaser is the definate way forward, a space plane. Remember the idea f rom the 60s? Called.Dìno Saur? The way forward is, SpaceX!

[@RobertLutece909]

The X-37 is probably a better comparison, and that's been pretty successful.

[@alanmcmillan6969]

@@RobertLutece909 but limited information for it it. In the 69s, there was a program called Dino saur, a space plane cancelled for the capsule idea.

[@RobertLutece909]

@@alanmcmillan6969 We know the X-37B has had at least seven orbit flights, one of which lasted more than 2 1/2 years. And it returned safely each time. That's a success, in my book.

[@alanmcmillan6969]

@@RobertLutece909 Very true. But it belongs to Darpa?

[@kennethjaggers4108]

Excellent report

[@PeteSty]

Isn't that the old HL20 program from about 1960? And what is taking so long. NASA at it's best.

[@EddyKorgo]

For first second i thought you were serious about starship.

[@Sacto1654]

I think SpaceX has offered the use of the Falcon Heavy already.

[@TiberiusMaximus]

sounds like dream chaser is gonna be a once or twice launch per year, they made it way to complicated. Theres no way they are going to be launching on an aggressive schedule

[@davidhollfelder9940]

A flying tennis shoe .. The ISS does not have very many years life left. Why does the ISS need this?

[@Trifler500]

Because this works for the ISS, for the next space station, and for commercial and government science experiments that don't need to go to a space station. This is basically a capsule that can land at any runway, allowing science experiments to be collected quickly, rather than having to wait for them to be returned from the ocean to land, then put on a plane, etc.

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

​@@Trifler500>>> Bingo.

[@terencespross]

Once Starship is completed, it will be a major boon for space travel and orbital industry of all kinds. But it is not going to be ready to launch any humans. At least in the next 5 years. They are already eight years behind on their promises.

[@BusstterNutt]

Thank you, a great synopsis as alway. How about releasing a 3D printable model?

[@Davo32795]

Pretty sure they said recently that they are sticking with Vulcan.

[@RossM3838]

Is it my imagination or does dream chaser, especially the crewed version, look exactly like crightons craft in the show Farscape?

[@alphatech4966]

Oh! I went to see it again and I think it's similar!

[@raystevens687]

Siria Space out to sell one of the ships Brandsen so he can launch people into outerspace. Anyway just an idea only.

[@kjetilhvalstrand1009]

Starship is not designed for that type of cargo, it’s also highly experimental, its clear it has to be falcon heavy, unless India or Europa (Ariane 6) can help.

[@alphatech4966]

India is probably a possibility and arian 6 is not sure, but I think Falcon heavy is also very suitable

[@RFMaster6]

DynaSoar 2.0

[@charlescouncill]

My dad was an AF pilot for Dynosoar 1.0 (X-20)

[@abirios7515]

Thank you for the report. It's good😊❤

[@danygauthier605]

Most likely it will be launched on a Rocket lab neutrons 😊

[@icare7151]

Where are my posts?

[@skylarking12]

New Arienne?

[@stephensfarms7165]

Thanks great video 👍👍

[@bd5av8r1]

New Glenn or Falcon 9. (Or even the Chinese)

[@fionajack9160]

Dreamchaser looks cool, and can bring a limited amount of cargo and/or personnel to orbit or the space station; but Starship will be able to carry way more payload and people. And do it for less. Doesn’t seem to be any plan in the works to use SpaceX

[@alphatech4966]

But who else can get Dream Chaser into orbit other than SpaceX by the time it's ready?

[@fionajack9160]

@@alphatech4966 dream chaser doesn’t have to go into space if there are better alternatives by the time It’s good to go

[@gncolgan]

Does the heeat shied look a little bit `dainty` to anyone else? Sorry about using the word dainty.

[@mrhyperbolic7455]

No.

[@k.sullivan6303]

Good informative video Alpha Tech.

[@alphatech4966]

Thank you so much! Have a good day!

[@JoeSmith-gb6mq]

You go Clarence!!!

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

I keep seeing what look like _bot comments_ here. But the SPELLING is so bad in some of them I cannot believe bots could do that...🙄

[@terencespross]

you you i not is bhot

[@philippostiglione2011]

Has SpaceX actually mentioned launching Dream Chaser? Or is this a pipe Dream? ULA can't do it on Vulcan. Space x can do it, but will they do it? How will it happen? Falcon Heavy sounds good.

[@RobertLutece909]

What do you mean "ULA can't do it on Vulcan"? ULA was on time and now has to launch a "mass simulator" because Sierra wasn't ready.

[@Epsilon3inc]

Super interesting insights!

[@caturlifelive]

Why dreamchaser dont have front tire?

[@philippostiglione2011]

Dream Chaser could replace Starliner

[@alphatech4966]

sure!

[@jamesmatheson9624]

Aren't 2 astronauts stuck in space?

[@kjetilhvalstrand1009]

this is the cargo version, this wont help

[@harrychildress4575]

Do they think recovering waste from Orbitals and releasing the cargo to reenter Earth to burn up in atmosphere to be a good idea? Ask yourself, what could go wrong?

[@Allan_aka_RocKITEman]

Disposing of garbage by letting it burn up in the atmosphere is a common thing.

[@arnoldsmith5754]

dream chaser needs plenty of testing to not be a repeat like starliner

[@jeffwalther3935]

Launch accelerated and finished Dreamchaser on next available Vulcan to dock with the International Space Station and bring home Starliner's marooned crew. JFK woulda done it.

[@conraddickinson24]

Cast Sierra space considered teaming up with the European Space Agency? Is the Ariane 6 rocket powerful enough?

[@kjetilhvalstrand1009]

its a mid range rocket, thats all i know

[@VolkerHett]

10.35 tons to LEO with 2 and 21.65 tons with 4 boosters.

[@Aerobird23]

This channel is such a boot licker of spaceX it's hilarious if you understand what happened and why.

[@Easy-Eight]

Losing your job at Boeing, right?

[@Aerobird23]

@@Easy-Eight bot at all, But why is spacex failure is considered a setback and for others it's like major catastrophe?

[@danharold3087]

​@@Aerobird23 Good question. SpaceX has a good understanding of the Falcon 9 which has an outstanding safety record with 367 full mission successes. The 'others' you are speaking about are generally unproven prototypes as is the SpaceX starship. The FAA is much more cautious about these. Also SpaceX has a lot of launch experience. It deploys starlink satellites at a low orbit where drag will cause reentry when anything on the 2nd stage or the satellites fail. As it did on July 11. The Falcon 9 2nd stage LOX leak occurred in an oxygen pressure sense line in the oxygen system of the Merlin Vacuum engine. The cause of the leak was engine vibration that led to a crack in the sense line. The sense line is secured by a clamp, but this clamp was too loose to constrain the sense line from vibrating. SpaceX reviewed and improved all the line clamps. Apparently this specific line is redundant and it was removed.

[@robertbrander2074]

LOL ! ... How the heck is Musk's BF Starship going to help the mini Dream Chaser shuttle ?? .... Starship is still a Prototype ... years away from delivering Satellites ... Maybe , Falcon Heavy can help ... It's big enough ! ... and works ...

[@alphatech4966]

Oh my god! Falcon heavy is fine!

[@fionajack9160]

Starship is not going to take years to be operational. Falcon heavy could do it if the fairing size can be accommodated, but there’s nothing out there about this happening

[@peterpalumbo1963]

Space x should leave Dreamchaser alone. Compared to space x Seria space.is 100 times better.

[@user-xq8mk5qu8n]

This is not a recommended channel.

[@linguist2k]

Yeah...didn't all us SpaceX fans know it would come to this in the end?!

[@Wurlyscope]

I may sound heretic 😂 but what about the Arianne VI ?

[@bd5av8r1]

Dream Chaser may be too heavy or they forgot to mention it. :D lol

[@RobertLutece909]

Too expensive.

[@kjetilhvalstrand1009]

@@RobertLutece909 yep, i think so, when starship can take peaple its game over anyway.

[@peterpalumbo1963]

When are they going to deorbit starlink and treat it like the space junk it is?

[@13thbiosphere]

That sounds like a political statement not science

[@andyrbush]

What are they talking about?

[@phillip_mcguinness7025]

Dreamchaser needs a booster to get into low orbit for testing, they had one lined up but the company isn't ready. Spacex should be able to do it on their Falcon Heavy or Starship, and Musk would be smart to offer collaboration to a competitor. This would show how dominant the company is in their market but also be a good PR opportunity.

[@DutchKC9UOD]

Going to drop this channel old post

[@jimraymond3668]

I'm disappointed in you turning to clickbait. I am unsubscribing from your channel.

[@stevensheldon9271]

The AI voice is annoying. Uncanny valley stuff.

[@DH-sw6vg]

Alpha, "Cygnus" is pronounced 'sig - nus, not 'sing - gus.

[@MiterBoone]

I heard Suni got pregnant in space

[@raimundomartin5459]

BS my God !!!

[@DudeAutonomy]

Like listening to a NASA word salad…. I bet you could talk about nothing for hours on end…

[@13thbiosphere]

dream Chaser is redundant Starship can perform all those tasks and more

[@Helliconia54]

What is with it's landing gear? That front Wheel? skid. WT?

[@bazoo513]

Yes, skid, like on Virgin Galactic craft.

[@SliceofLife7777]

If you don't mind paying for a throwaway rocket, ULA will not screw up. ULA may be running on an old fashioned strategy, but they're good at their game. The Atlas was very dependable. ULA doesn't fly with unkown variables. While no provider is perfect, a few are remarkably on their game.

[@Trifler500]

True, but AFAIK they already shut down the factory that built the Atlas V.

[@SliceofLife7777]

@@Trifler500 Yes they did, due to a lack of Russian engines. But, and I mean but, if Blue Origin can provide enough engines, Vulcan will be a dependable rocket. ULA knows how to fly. They've been doing it for decades. The old rocketeers knew that to get funding for NASA, so that NASA could contract them for lift sevices, you had to make jobs, win over Senators and Representatives, maybe bribe some people. All for the 🚀 $. And the government gets to keep the brains in the country. It's another imperfect thing in a perfect universe.

[@SliceofLife7777]

@@Trifler500 The Atlas is no longer politically viable. The Russian engine, on which Atlas is designed is not available, and won't be anytime soon. ULA needs the Vulcan in order to even pretend to be competitive. I believe the shareholders of ULA want to sell the whole works. Hopefully to Blue Origin. The Vulcan will not be economically competitive to the reusable rockets coming out of SpaceX. Their only hope is to sell. You can't sell with no rocket. The Vulcan works. But would anyone pay twice as much per pound to avoid SpaceX? Blue Origin will, so may what's left of Boeing.

[@Trifler500]

@@SliceofLife7777 You replied to the wrong person

[@SliceofLife7777]

If you say so..trifler.

[@arthurhamilton5222]

Starliner isn't stuck in space. Quit lying to people.

[@mackjsm7105]

Let me guess.. you are voting for Harris..

[@bazoo513]

@@mackjsm7105 Let me guess - "MAGA" hat ate your brain.

[@LordDustinDeWynd]

You're right, it's not stuck in space! It's totally inoperative, aka "dead", in space! "Stuck" implies future controlled movement.

[@mackjsm7105]

@@bazoo513 Well.. after seeing you leftists f**ked up everything.. Trump all they way.. just to p*s on your face.

[@mackjsm7105]

@@bazoo513 after what the left did? You bet your butt butt I'm going for Trumpy.

[@mackjsm7105]

Great Vid Alpha. Ignore the woke betas here.

[@bazoo513]

Do you idiots know any other curse word than "woke"? Do you even know what "woke" means? (Hint: "awake" - those are people who actually think - I know, abhorrent for you.)

[@k.sullivan6303]

I hope companies like Sierra succeed and Dream Chaser becomes a big part of American Space Flight someday. In the meantime, lets keep milking Elon Musk for all he's worth and then kick him to the curb. A democratic win in November hopefully reigns in Elon Musk and puts him in his place.

[@mitchr2474]

They won't, i know several people who got laid off by sierra space the moment they finished the construction of the first dreamchaser. If you intended on making lots of future vehicles you wouldn't lay off half your production staff after finishing one ship, you need the experience. Sierra Space is a government contract leach, they don't care about spaceflight they care about money.

[@k.sullivan6303]

@@mitchr2474 Thanks for sharing that. I guess when the government money dries up, they lay off a lot of workers. This Dream Chaser project has been going on a very long time.

[@johnm2213]

Grab you a cup of soy latte and turn on MSNBC, you’ll be OK.

[@peterpalumbo1963]

If it were up to me I would scrap starship and dismantle space x. In my opinion they are s threat to national security.

[@zbaktube]

Agh, it is soo good to see the Soviet Spiral system again! About the usage, it cannot beat any spacecraft like SpaceX has for example. But it is not built for that ;-) Have a look at the Soviet Spiral System: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mikoyan-Gurevich_MiG-105 .

[@alphatech4966]

haha

[@RobertLutece909]

But they never actually got Lapot working.

[@zbaktube]

@@RobertLutece909 Well, first there were the 1/3 model. That was used to figure out the heat shield/tiles. One of it was lost, the Australian navy got it and passed it over to US. You can see it was reused in the Space shuttle program. Then there were the tests with the full scale frame first, later with the engine they tested the go-around capabilities. After that it was dropped from high altitude from an airplane, so the life-support of it was working as well. But, if I remember well it was never tested launching via rocket. Hard to say any concrete on it, but I assume it worked as all of its components were tested some time, but it was never tested in a full mission. But, this was not the end product, the Soviets wanted a bit bigger one that can carry 1 or 2 nuclear missiles on board (like the Dream Chaser), the Lapot was just the test bed. And as the expectations grew and the missile systems enhanced, they cancelled the Spiral and started the Buran...