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[b]Sierra Nevada Corporation Announces Major Award under NASA's Commercial Crew Development Program[/b] Sierra Nevada Corporation's (SNC) Space Systems Group announces that it has won an award under the NASA Commercial Crew Development Program (CCDev2) to advance the development of SNC's Dream Chaser Orbital Space Transportation System. The 14 month contract is valued at $80 million and will begin in April 2011. The goal of CCDev2 program is to accelerate the availability of U.S. commercial crew transportation capabilities and reduce the gap in American human spaceflight capability. Once developed, crew transportation capabilities could become available to NASA as well as commercial and government customers. Mark N. Sirangelo, head of SNC Space Systems Group commented, "SNC, as the owner and prime contractor for the Dream Chaser program, is very pleased to have won one of the largest awards from NASA. This award will allow us to continue to develop the Dream Chaser Orbital Space System and will allow us to become one of the companies positioned to provide commercial orbital transportation. We want to thank NASA for showing the confidence in us and for all its efforts to maintain the vital Commercial Crew Development program as part of its plan for the future of Space. There are so many people who have engaged with our program over the last 6 years that it will be impossible to recognize all of them. We have received great backing from everyone within our organization, from all our terrific external CCDev teaming partner companies, from the NASA personnel assigned to our efforts and throughout the NASA centers and from our federal, state and local government representatives." SNC has been developing the Dream Chaser for 6 years, most recently through a partnership with NASA under the Commercial Crew Development One (CCDev1) program. During the CCDev1 program SNC successfully completed all milestones on schedule and under budget. During this program in 2010, SNC integrated the efforts of this powerful team of aerospace companies to significantly advance the development of the Dream Chaser. The team completed hybrid rocket motor test firings, primary structure fabrication and testing, significant aerodynamic analysis and guidance, navigation and control development. These activities significantly reduced risk associated with the development of a human spacecraft. SNC will continue to work in full cooperation with NASA to ensure the highest degree of safety on all aspects of the program and on each mission. Jim Voss, Vice President of SNC Space Exploration Systems, said "We have assembled a great team of human-spaceflight experienced personnel and companies that are enabling rapid, cost effective development of the Dream Chaser System. Our Nation needs the capability to transport astronaut crews to the International Space Station and the SNC Team intends to provide that capability through partnership with NASA. The strength of our team and our ability to work well together is leading the development of the Dream Chaser to fulfill that need, as well as transport humans to orbit for other commercial purposes such as scientific research and tourism." [b]About The Dream Chaser[/b] The Dream Chaser is a piloted lifting body spacecraft based on NASA's HL-20 crew vehicle, with a strong development heritage. It will launch on an existing United Launch Alliance Atlas V launch vehicle, and will have on-board propulsion utilizing SNC's proprietary hybrid rocket motor technology. It is a piloted spacecraft which will carry a crew of seven and critical cargo to the International Space Station as well as other low Earth orbit destinations, and return crew and fragile experiments to a gentle runway landing. The combination of NASA heritage and proven technology will enable SNC's unique space transportation system to effectively and reliably carry crew and cargo to orbital destinations.
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