US spacecraft revealed ahead of first flight.

The reusable Dream Chaser spacecraft, with a payload capacity of 5,215 kg, was unveiled ahead of its first mission to the International Space Station (ISS) later this year.

The Dream Chaser spacecraft at Neil Armstrong's test site. Photo: Josh Dinner/Space.com — The Dream Chaser spacecraft at Neil Armstrong's test site. Photo: *Josh Dinner/Space.com*

On February 1st, NASA and Sierra Space, a Colorado-based company, invited reporters to observe Dream Chaser up close, according to Space .

The event took place at NASA's Neil Armstrong Test Site in Sandusky. The Dream Chaser autonomous aircraft and its cargo module, nicknamed "Tenacity" and "Shooting Star" respectively, were positioned vertically as if for launch. The pair of vehicles were 16.8 meters tall, roughly the length of a school bus.

The highly anticipated debut flight of Tenacity will carry cargo to the ISS for NASA. That unmanned mission will help advance science in space and further encourage the economy in low Earth orbit. But before the launch, Tenacity and Shooting Star must complete a variety of tests at Sandusky. The spacecraft will demonstrate how well it performs at NASA's Mechanical Vibration Facility. These tests will expose the vehicles to the many harsh environments they will experience during a mission.

Sierra Space received a multi-year contract from NASA in 2016 for the Commercial Resupply Services (CRS2) program, providing at least six cargo missions to the ISS. According to NASA, this is part of an effort to increase commercial resupply options in low Earth orbit.

As its name suggests, Shooting Star will burn up in the atmosphere after completing its single mission. Tenacity will then land and prepare for its next flight. In fact, the spacecraft is designed to fly up to 15 missions. Tenacity will carry over 3,540 kg of cargo on its first flight, although it can carry up to 5,215 kg of cargo and experimental samples. Over 3,950 kg of debris can be ejected from the cargo module during re-entry.

Tenacity and Shooting Star are scheduled to launch in the first half of this year from Space Launch Complex 41 at Space Force Station in Florida. After liftoff, teams at Sierra Space's Dream Chaser Mission Control Center in Louisville, Colorado, NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida, and the Johnson Space Center in Houston will collaborate to monitor the flight, control the aircraft, and obtain system certification.

An Khang (According to Space )

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