The long-anticipated visit of the Dream Chaser spaceplane to the International Space Station (ISS) in 2026 has now been officially shelved. In a joint decision by NASA and Sierra Space, the spacecraft’s first orbital mission will no longer involve docking with the ISS. Instead, the mission will proceed as a free-flying demonstration. The change reflects both technical and programmatic difficulties that have accumulated over the vehicle’s protracted development.
Originally, Dream Chaser was intended to fly multiple cargo missions to service the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Service-2 (CRS-2) contract. But with repeated delays, shifting launch schedules, and increasing scrutiny over certification and safety, NASA has relieved itself of its obligation to purchase a fixed number of resupply missions. The revised plan allows NASA the option, but it’s no longer a requirement. If necessary, NASA can engage Dream Chaser for future ISS cargo flights. This means that the spaceplane will have to take on a more flexible role in low Earth orbit, potentially for commercial or national security use. As the ISS edges closer to its planned decommissioning in 2030, this new trajectory may better suit the spacecraft’s long-term viability.
Chasing the dream
Dream Chaser traces its roots to NASA’s HL-20 lifting body concept from the 1990s. It’s imagined as a small spaceplane capable of reentering Earth’s atmosphere and landing horizontally on a runway. That concept was revived in the 2000s by SpaceDev, and later acquired by Sierra Nevada Corporation, which eventually spun off Sierra Space to bring the idea to fruition. Originally, the Dream Chaser was to be a crewed vehicle to transport astronauts to the ISS under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program. When NASA ultimately chose SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Boeing’s Starliner for crew transport, Sierra Space shifted focus to an uncrewed cargo version.
In 2016, NASA awarded Sierra Space a Commercial Resupply Services-2 contract, under which Dream Chaser was to deliver supplies, science payloads, and return cargo to Earth. Each mission would combine the reusable spaceplane with a disposable cargo module called Shooting Star. This module would be capable of carrying several tons of equipment to orbit.
Unlike traditional capsules that splash down at sea, Dream Chaser’s design allows it to glide back and land on a runway. This would enable the rapid return of the scientific materials and minimize recovery time. The spacecraft was intended to launch atop United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket and operate alongside SpaceX’s Crew Dragon and Northrop Grumman’s Cygnus as part of NASA’s resupply fleet. However, progress was slowed due to technical hurdles and shifting schedules.
Why the change of plans?
By 2025, NASA and Sierra Space mutually agreed to revise the Dream Chaser’s role under the CRS-2 contract. Rather than pushing for a docking mission to the ISS under mounting schedule pressure, the partners opted to proceed with the free-flying demonstration. This adjustment allows Sierra Space to validate key systems without the additional risks associated with approaching a crewed space station. It also gives NASA more flexibility, removing its obligation to purchase a set number of ISS resupply flights while retaining the option to contract additional missions if the demonstration succeeds.
The change also reflects the shifting landscape of low Earth orbit operations. The ISS is expected to retire around 2030, with fewer resupply opportunities available in its final years. Maintaining a heavy commitment to a new cargo vehicle became increasingly impractical as NASA transitions towards commercial space stations. For Sierra Space, focusing on a free-flying platform allows Dream Chaser to evolve into a more versatile spacecraft. It would be capable of supporting research missions, commercial payload deliveries, or even national security operations.
Dream Chaser’s first flight is now targeted for late 2026. It will use United Launch Alliance’s Vulcan rocket to reach orbit. The vehicle, aptly named Tenacity, will spend several days conducting autonomous flight operations before returning to Earth for a runway landing. If successful, it will mark the first orbital flight of an American spaceplane since the shuttle era. It will also demonstrate a new capability for rapid, reusable space access. While it may no longer deliver cargo to ISS as once planned, the mission could define a broader, more independent future for the Dream Chaser program. It would be a program aligned with the emerging era of commercial spaceflight.
