FAA clears Dream Chaser spaceplane built to haul 12,000 pounds

The FAA has authorized Dream Chaser to reenter Earth's atmosphere and land at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, bringing the spacecraft closer to its first orbital flight.

Sierra Space confirmed that the vehicle operator license was issued on November 9, and the approval covers up to four annual reentries under Dream Chaser’s current configuration and mission profile. Vandenberg is now designated as the landing site, replacing the previously preferred Kennedy Space Center runway identified during an environmental review in 2024.

The first mission to be flown will launch from Florida aboard United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket, with the return phase planned to be a runway landing rather than a sea or parachute-assisted return. The launch date remains tied to Vulcan Centaur availability.

Dream Chaser Tenacity, the first spacecraft, features a lifting-body design with folding wings and is sized to fit inside Vulcan’s payload fairing. It can carry about 12,100 pounds of cargo to orbit and return roughly 4,080 pounds, according to the FAA’s environmental assessment.

The runway-return capability is intended to enable careful handling of experiments and sensitive equipment, contrasting with conventional capsule returns. The configuration also allows landings on runways compatible with aircraft like the Boeing 737.

NASA originally entered Dream Chaser into a commercial resupply framework in 2016, but development delays and propulsion issues shifted plans. In 2025, NASA and Sierra Space revised the plan to permit an independent free-flying demonstration in orbit, with future NASA purchases possible if successful.

Despite the regulatory clearance, a firm launch date is not set, as the timing depends on Vulcan Centaur availability and remaining mission preparations, including vehicle integration and ground testing for Tenacity.