Thu, Dec 01, 2016
Midland International Air & Space Port Receives Dream Chaser Spacecraft Compatible Landing Site Designation
Midland International Air & Space Port is now considered a compatible landing site for SNC’s Dream Chaser spacecraft.
Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) and the Midland Development Corporation (MDC) recently announced that Midland International Air & Space Port, located in Midland, Texas, has successfully completed the compatibility portion of the Dream Chaser Landing Site Designation process, which is the first step toward becoming an approved landing site for Dream Chaser spacecraft landings.
In order for the Dream Chaser spacecraft to obtain final approval to land at any airport or spaceport, SNC must receive a Part 435 Reentry License from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). This license is issued to the vehicle operator and is paired to the landing site. With the successful completion of this first phase, Midland International Air & Space Port is one step closer to becoming an approved, licensed Dream Chaser landing site for commercial missions.
“Midland is already an FAA-licensed spaceport, making pursuit of Dream Chaser landing opportunities a logical next step,” said John Roth, vice president of Business Development and Strategy for SNC’s Space Systems. “We entered into an agreement to begin working on the Landing Site Designation earlier this year and are pleased to have successfully progressed in the process. Midland is now considered a compatible landing site for Dream Chaser commercial missions.”
SNC developed the Landing Site Designation process to provide airports and spaceports around the world the opportunity to assess the feasibility of landing its Dream Chaser spacecraft on site. The SNC Landing Site Designation is the first of several steps required in order to become an FAA licensed landing site.
“[This] announcement demonstrates Midland Spaceport’s continued commitment to furthering the commercial space industry on behalf of the City of Midland. Our goal is to one day see the Dream Chaser spacecraft land safely on our Midland International Air & Space Port runway,” said J. Ross Lacy, president of the Spaceport Development Board.
(Source: SNC news release. Image from file)
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