SNC Questions NASA Selection of Boeing and Space X for Commercial Crew Program Prize.

 Hey have you heard of this?
SNC (The Sierra Nevada Corporation) has filed a legal challenge to NASA's recent selection for the contract for the Commercial Crew Program prize.

NASA selected Boeing and its CT-100 and Space X with it's Dragon 2. 

SNC, in spite of not challenging any contract selection in over 50 years of doing business with NASA but felt justified in this case, when  NASA's own documents, "indicate there are serious questions and inconsistencies in the source selection process."

Sierra Nevada stated that the $6.8 billion in contracts announced for Boeing and SpaceX will cost taxpayers "up to $900 million more" than a choice that included Sierra Nevada.  


Gizmodo article HERE       AL News from Huntsville HERE

America's Next Shuttle?

Out in Jefferson County Colorado,  people have be seeing a strangely familiar  craft.  In fact this strange apparition is reminiscent of early prototypes of NASA's retired Space Shuttles.

What is it?  Its  Sierra Nevada Corporation's Dream Chaser.  A space going craft that would launch atop an Atlas V rocket and carrying up to seven astronauts to or from space, along with cargo.

Much of what makes the Dream Chaser unique is that its mission parameters are what was envisioned by NASA for its STS.  The craft is reusable,   quick turn around, plus something the shuttles could not do which was to use a variety of airport solutions because of its robust cross range making many airports useable instead of being locked in as the shuttle was. 

Here are some short videos of tests that SNC's  Dream Chaser recently completed


 

Here is the link to SNC's main site HERE