The Smart Marty Sky Dispatch
Dream Chaser spaceplane hauling 12,000 pounds wins FAA clearance for runway landings
The FAA has cleared the Dream Chaser spaceplane to land at Vandenberg Space Force Base, opening the door to runway returns from orbit.
Sierra Space has received FAA clearance permitting Dream Chaser to reenter Earth's atmosphere and land at Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, marking a key regulatory milestone ahead of its first orbital flight.
The FAA license, issued November 9 and confirmed by Sierra Space on November 10, allows up to four annual reentries under the existing vehicle configuration and mission profile, with Vandenberg designated as the primary landing site.
Dream Chaser's first mission is planned to launch from Florida aboard United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan Centaur rocket, after which the spacecraft would reenter and touchdown on a conventional runway rather than an ocean splashdown.
Vandenberg initially appeared as a backup option, but the new authorization establishes the California installation as the landing destination, aligning with an approved runway for the inaugural flight.
Tenacity, Dream Chaser’s first spacecraft, features a lifting-body design with folding wings that enable it to fit inside Vulcan’s payload fairing and carry about 12,100 pounds of cargo in orbit, with a return capacity around 4,080 pounds.
The FAA authorization does not set a launch date; mission timing depends on Vulcan Centaur availability and related preparations for Dream Chaser’s runway return.
Dream Chaser’s development and mission plan have evolved since NASA’s involvement began in 2016, with the 2025 revision reducing ISS docking requirements for the initial demonstration and paving the way for an independent, free-flying orbital mission.