Sierra Nevada Corporation's Dreamchaser Loses out to SpaceX and Boeing

Ah well. I still think the Dreamchaser kicks ass. And hey, she did help liberate Earth from the Changeling menace in my My Little Pony fanfic! No one can take that away from her!

http://www.bizjournals.com/denver/blog/boosters_bits/2014/09/sierra-nevada-corp-space-systems-waits-for-nasas.html

Comments

[Shpoople96]

Ho shit, NASA chose the contract winners already? At least it was as I predicted.

[RK_Striker_JK_5]

I was just reading a story on that!

[Jordanis]

Didn't surprise me. Dream Chaser is too risky/unconventional for NASA these days--which is sad, because it's not that risky.

At least SpaceX is getting a good taste.

[JarCat]

Hey man, there's always the Farscape-1.

[Harry Leferts]

2460249
Don't see how considering it is based on at least two NASA designs, the HL-20 and the HL-42, with the first having had a full mockup made. Heck, it can claim descent all the way back to some Russian designs such as the MiG-105.

[Jordanis]

2468949

Which they abandoned for being too unconventional. NASA has basically zero motivation to try anything that isn't totally conventional with Commercial Crew, because the amount of crap they would get from Congress and the media in the event of a failure would be astronomical (irresponsible NASA wastes money on pie in the sky new idea boondoggle!!1), but they would get no credit at all if it went right. If they choose something completely conventional, they have that as a defense in the event of a problem.

[Shpoople96]

2468949
I think it was because Boeing is a tried and true company, and SpaceX already has a proven design with the Dragon V1.
On that topic, you gonna watch the CRS-4 launch tonight Tomorrow?

[Harry Leferts]

2469039
Sadly, I'll probably be asleep.