Trent J. Perrotto
Headquarters, Washington
202-358-1100
trent.j.perrotto@nasa.gov

Candrea Thomas
Kennedy Space Center, Fla.
321-867-2468
candrea.k.thomas@nasa.gov

Krystal Scordo Sierra Nevada Corp. Space Systems, Louisville, Colo.
720-407-3192
krystal.scordo@sncorp.com

RELEASE: 13-135

NASA COMMERCIAL PARTNER SIERRA NEVADA COMPLETES SAFETY REVIEW

WASHINGTON -- Sierra Nevada Corp. (SNC) Space Systems of Louisville,
Colo., has completed its first major, comprehensive safety review of
its Dream Chaser Space System. This is the company's latest
paid-for-performance milestone with NASA's Commercial Crew Program
(CCP), which is working with commercial space partners to develop
capabilities to launch U.S. astronauts from American soil in the next
few years.

The Integrated Systems Safety Analysis Review provided NASA with
hazard reports and safety and reliability plans for the major
components of the company's integrated crew transportation system,
including the Dream Chaser spacecraft, United Launch Alliance Atlas V
rocket, and flight and ground systems.

"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."

SNC is developing its Dream Chaser Space System under NASA's
Commercial Crew Integrated Capability (CCiCap) initiative, which is
intended to lead to the availability of commercial human spaceflight
services for government and commercial customers.

"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."

A Dream Chaser engineering test craft is being prepared for shipment
to NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center in California this month for
its first free-flight test later this year at the center. The test
will provide data on the winged spacecraft's aerodynamic performance
during approach and landing on a traditional runway.

For more information about NASA's Commercial Crew Program, visit:

http://www.nasa.gov/commercialcrew