Sierra Space
| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Aerospace, Space technology |
| Predecessor | Sierra Nevada Corporation |
| Founded | April 2021 |
| Headquarters | Louisville, Colorado , United States |
Area served | United States (Colorado, Wisconsin, Florida, North Carolina, Texas, Alabama) |
Key people | Fatih Ozmen (CEO) |
| Products | Dream Chaser spaceplane, Orbital Reef space station components, Vortex engine, LIFE habitat modules, satellite bus lineup (Velocity, Horizon, Titan) |
| Parent | None |
| Website | www |
Sierra Space Corporation is a private aerospace and space technology firm based in Louisville, Colorado, with additional operations located in Colorado, Wisconsin, Florida, North Carolina, and a testing facility at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. The company manufactures hardware for space missions serving various sectors and is advancing the development of the Dream Chaser spaceplane. Chosen by NASA under the Commercial Resupply Service 2 agreement, Dream Chaser is set to deliver cargo to the International Space Station. Sierra Space also collaborates with Blue Origin on key components for the Orbital Reef commercial space station.
History
Formed in April 2021 as an independent entity spun off from Sierra Nevada Corporation, Sierra Space builds upon its parent company's aerospace legacy dating back to 1963. The company maintains operations across six states: Colorado, North Carolina, Wisconsin, Florida, Texas, and Alabama.
In October 2022, Sierra Space joined forces with Blue Origin to create Orbital Reef, which is envisioned as the first commercially owned and operated space station. Designed as a mixed-use hub in low Earth orbit (LEO) for business activities including commerce, research, and tourism, Orbital Reef secured funding through a $130 million contract and targets operational readiness by 2027. Sierra Space also planned to announce its inaugural class of astronaut trainees during 2023.
By April 2023, Sierra Space had partnered with ILC Dover to develop inflatable modules for space stations alongside spacesuit technology. ILC Dover became the exclusive supplier of soft goods for Sierra Space’s Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFE) modules intended for commercial orbital habitats.
In July 2023, Sierra Space secured a 27-month contract valued at $22.6 million from the United States Air Force to design and develop the Vortex (VR35K-A), an upper stage engine producing 35,000 pounds-force of thrust. This initiative emphasizes creating flight-qualified engine components informed by integrated testing data.
August 2023 featured collaborations with BioServe Space Technologies to cultivate hematopoietic stem cells in microgravity conditions aimed at advancing blood cancer research. Concurrently, Sierra Space partnered with Redwire to engineer a biotechnology experiment platform tailored for its LIFE module.
In November 2023, the company underwent workforce reductions involving 165 employees as part of organizational restructuring; additional layoffs occurred in October 2024.
At the close of 2024, Tom Vice stepped down as CEO and was succeeded by Fatih Ozmen.
Products
Sierra Space delivers a portfolio spanning transportation systems, orbital destinations, and specialized applications.
Transportation
The Dream Chaser spacecraft is slated for initial cargo missions under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services phase 2 contract. Future missions will extend to cargo deliveries, crewed flights, and other operations supporting commercial ventures, civil agencies, and national security objectives.
On September 8, 2022, Sierra Space entered into a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with the United States Transportation Command to investigate employing Dream Chaser vehicles alongside Shooting Star cargo modules for expedited global transport of Department of Defense personnel and logistics.
The assembly of the first Dream Chaser vehicle—designated DC-101 Tenacity—was completed in November 2023. It is scheduled for environmental testing at NASA’s Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility.
Destinations
The Destinations division at Sierra Space is responsible for the development of the Orbital Reef space station, collaborating closely with Blue Origin and the LIFE habitat project.
As part of NASA's NextSTEP program, Sierra Space conducted successful burst pressure evaluations for the LIFE habitat, exceeding safety thresholds with results of 192 psi in July 2022 and 204 psi in November 2022. The comprehensive LIFE pressure testing commenced in 2023, leading to a full-scale burst test announcement on January 22, 2024, which demonstrated a safety margin surpassing requirements by 27%.
Applications
Sierra Space directs its applications toward three primary sectors:
- Rocket Engines & Propulsion
- Space Technology & Subsystems
- Environmental Systems
Satellite Bus Line
In early 2024, Sierra introduced its satellite bus lineup, which includes the Velocity, Horizon, and Titan models, marking a significant expansion into satellite manufacturing and space infrastructure services.