Space & Astronomy

Dream Chaser: could the reusable space plane's dream be over?

By T.K. Randall
April 16, 2026 ·  0 comments

Image: Dream Chaser
Credit: Ken Ulbrich / (PD) NASA Work on Dream Chaser began back in 2004 and was initially based on NASA's HL-20 Personnel Launch System - a concept that had itself been developed in the 1980s and 1990s.

The idea was simple - to create a reusable space plane that could launch vertically atop a rocket and then land on a runway like a normal aircraft.

In 2008, the project was taken over by Sierra Nevada Corporation and although we haven't seen much of it over the years, Dream Chaser is actually still being developed to this day.

The last time we reported on its progress was back in 2017 when it achieved a free-flight test over the Mojave Desert, with plans (at the time) to have it dock with the International Space Station in 2020.As of 2026, however, the space plane has still never reached orbit, mostly due to delays and technical difficulties.

If Dream Chaser eventually does fly, it will be quite unlike its original premise (a crewed space plane) and more like an automated cargo delivery system that will dock with the ISS.

While the space station itself may be decommissioned soon, there are rumors of its lifespan being extended up to 2032, meaning that Dream Chaser may yet be in with a shot of fulfilling a resupply contract or two, that is if it can be readied for use in space before that opportunity wanes.

As things stand, Dream Chaser is still a work in progress and we don't know if it will eventually make it into space or not.

Given its lengthy development and novel concept, however, it would be a shame if it ended up being cancelled before making it into orbit.

Source: Scientific American | Comments (0)

Tags: Dream Chaser