Dream Chaser's first ISS resupply mission launches in late 2020
After years of testing , Sierra Nevada's Dream Chaser cargo spacecraft has a launch window. NASA has given the go-ahead to the vehicle's first mission, which is now slated for late 2020. Appropriately, it's a straightforward resupply trip for the International Space Station. The company received the all-clear after hitting a slew of key NASA-approved design milestones. Out of the companies NASA picked to provide ISS resupply missions back in 2016, Sierra Nevada's vessel is the only aircraft-like design of the bunch -- the Orbital ATK and SpaceX offerings are capsules. That should give it an edge when it carries scientific experiments, as it can land on a runway and offload equipment immediately (crucial for time-sensitive science) instead of waiting for a recovery. There's a pressurized cabin for human-tended experiments. Dream Chaser might not serve its original purpose for long when the ISS isn't poised to receive funding past 2024 . Even so, it should h...