SPARKS, Nev., May 09, 2013 – Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has successfully completed the Dream Chaser Integrated System Safety Design Review. The review is the first major system safety review of the Dream Chaser conducted under NASA’s Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) agreement. SNC conducted the milestone with the goal of demonstrating that the Dream Chaser system safety analysis is influencing design decisions and sufficiently mature given the stage of the design development to provide confidence that the design will meet all SNC and NASA safety requirements. The review produced numerous data analyses including system and subsystem hazards and causes, and control strategies that NASA reviewed and provided feedback on.
"Safety review milestones are critical to ensuring safety and reliability techniques and methods are incorporated into space systems design," said Ed Mango, NASA's CCP manager. "NASA's participation in these reviews provides our partners with critical design experiences from past human spaceflight activities."
"Dream Chaser is making substantial progress toward flight with the help of our NASA team," said Mark Sirangelo, head of SNC's Space Systems. "The ability to openly exchange information through the work on these CCiCap milestones is invaluable for many reasons, such as communicating Dream Chaser development plans and receiving timely feedback from NASA, all of which help to improve our design and maximize safety and reliability. As we begin our flight test program we have a better and stronger program due to our partnership with NASA."
“The success of this review is a direct result of our team’s dedication to the safe and reliable operation of Dream Chaser. We have put a significant amount of time and energy into ensuring that this spacecraft will be as safe as humanely possible, and we are pleased to have this opportunity to clearly demonstrate that fact to our customer,” said John Turner, SNC’s Space Systems director of safety and mission assurance.
About Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Space Systems
Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Space Systems business area headquartered in Louisville, Colo., designs and manufactures advanced spacecraft, space vehicles, rocket motors and spacecraft subsystems and components for the US Government, commercial customers as well as for the international market. SNC’s Space Systems has more than 25 years of space heritage in space and has participated in over 400 successful space missions through the delivery of over 4,000 systems, subsystems and components. During its history, SNC’s Space Systems has concluded over 70 programs for NASA and over 50 other clients.
About Sierra Nevada Corporation
Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC), headquartered in Sparks, Nev., is one of America’s fastest growing private companies based on its significant expansion and reputation for rapid, innovative, and agile technology solutions in electronics, aerospace, avionics, space, propulsion, micro-satellite, aircraft, communications systems and solar energy. Under the leadership of CEO Fatih Ozmen and President Eren Ozmen, SNC has a workforce of over 3,000 personnel in 30 locations in 16 states. SNC’s six unique business areas are dedicated to providing leading-edge solutions to SNC’s dynamic customer base.
SNC is also the Top Woman-Owned Federal Contractor in the United States. Over the last 30 years under the Ozmen’s leadership, SNC has remained focused on providing its customers the very best in diversified technologies to meet their needs and has a strong and proven track record of success. The company continues to focus its growth on the commercial sector through internal advancements and outside acquisitions, including the emerging markets of renewable energy, telemedicine, nanotechnology, cyber and net-centric operations. For more information on SNC visit www.sncorp.com.