DEPLOYDatabase

Robot model

Dream Chaser (Tenacity)

spaceresearchby Sierra Space

Sierra Space lifting-body spaceplane designed for autonomous orbital flight and autonomous horizontal runway landing (GN&C from Draper).

Track Dream Chaser (Tenacity)
Manufacturer
Sierra Space
Form factor
space
Maturity
research
Lifecycle
active
Website
sierraspace.com ↗

The verified answer

As of Oct 2026, DEPLOY verifies Dream Chaser (Tenacity), a space by Sierra Space (research). 4 sources back the record.

Overview

Sierra Space lifting-body spaceplane designed for autonomous orbital flight and autonomous horizontal runway landing (GN&C from Draper). Honest flight status: it has NOT yet flown to orbit. Atmospheric drop-tests of an engineering article (2013-2017) preceded it; the first orbital flight of the 'Tenacity' vehicle is no earlier than late 2026 and the original CRS-2 ISS cargo missions were cut to a single uncrewed demo (contract modified 2025-09). Autonomy is designed, not yet demonstrated (verified-vs-claimed).

Verified vs. claimed

Maturity stage
research(Lab-stage only; no commercial or public deployment reported.)
Sources on file
View all sources →

No verified deployments on file. DEPLOY tracks independently-sourced deployment evidence separately from manufacturer capability claims.

Key facts

Design (company-stated)

A reusable spaceplane designed for autonomous launch, flight and runway landing; Sierra Space says it completed critical pre-flight milestones.

Size (company-stated)

Tenacity is 30 ft (9 m) long with 33 cubic meters of pressurized volume including the cargo module; it launches stowed in a 5 m fairing.

Cargo (company-stated)

8000 lb upmass, 7365 lb disposal, 2245 lb runway return; 6+ tons to the ISS, or up to 12,000 lb with the 15-foot Shooting Star module.

Reuse and landing (company-stated)

Designed for 15+ reusable missions and gentle 1.5 g runway landings, with cargo access 1 hour after landing.

Specs

Gnc

Draper Laboratory

Role

Autonomous cargo spaceplane

Autonomy

designed for autonomous orbital flight + autonomous runway landing (Draper GN&C); not yet demonstrated

Flight status

never flown to orbit; first orbital flight NET late 2026

Data & sources

Web sources

4

4 sources backing this record.View all →

Autonomy: verified vs claimed

What it actually does
Autonomous

Pricing

No verified price is on record for Dream Chaser (Tenacity). Physical-AI systems are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price.

How DEPLOY tracks pricing

Recent activity

Every change to this record is dated, sourced, and independently verified where marked.

Full change history →

Safety record

No incidents on record for Dream Chaser (Tenacity).

Only active incidents are counted. Retracted incidents are excluded from this summary but remain reachable at their canonical URLs.

Sources (4)

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_Chaser
  2. https://www.sierraspace.com/dream-chaser-spaceplane/
  3. https://www.sierraspace.com/press-releases/sierra-spaces-dream-chaser-spaceplane-comes-to-life/
  4. https://www.sierraspace.com/press-releases/sierra-spaces-dream-chaser-spaceplane-successfully-completes-critical-pre-flight-milestones/

Mentioned on (2)

Registry pages whose text names Dream Chaser (Tenacity).

Companies (1)

Sierra Space

People (1)

Tom Vice

Common questions

What is Dream Chaser (Tenacity)?
Sierra Space lifting-body spaceplane designed for autonomous orbital flight and autonomous horizontal runway landing (GN&C from Draper). Honest flight status: it has NOT yet flown to orbit. Atmospheric drop-tests of an engineering article (2013-2017) preceded it; the first orbital flight of the 'Tenacity' vehicle is no earlier than late 2026 and the original CRS-2 ISS cargo missions were cut to a single uncrewed demo (contract modified 2025-09). Autonomy is designed, not yet demonstrated (verified-vs-claimed).
How much does Dream Chaser (Tenacity) cost?
Dream Chaser (Tenacity)'s price is not publicly disclosed. DEPLOY has no verified price on record for Dream Chaser (Tenacity) from Sierra Space. Physical-AI systems like this are often sold through enterprise contracts or operated as a service rather than at a public list price; check the manufacturer for the latest.
Is Dream Chaser (Tenacity) actually deployed in the real world?
Dream Chaser (Tenacity) is at the research stage: it exists, but DEPLOY has no verified real-world deployment on record. Manufacturer capability claims should be read as claims pending independent verification.
Who makes Dream Chaser (Tenacity)?
Dream Chaser (Tenacity) is made by Sierra Space, based in Louisville, Colorado, USA, founded in 2021.
Can you buy Dream Chaser (Tenacity)?
Dream Chaser (Tenacity) is at research stage and is not yet available for sale.
What are alternatives to Dream Chaser (Tenacity)?
On the DEPLOY registry, comparable space robots to Dream Chaser (Tenacity) include Chang'e Lander, Vigoride Orbital Service Vehicle, ION, Mira.
How does Dream Chaser (Tenacity) compare to Chang'e Lander?
Dream Chaser (Tenacity) and Chang'e Lander (China National Space Administration · 4 deployments) are both space robots on the DEPLOY registry. Dream Chaser (Tenacity) has 0 verified deployments on record. Compare both records for specs, safety, deployments, and verified-vs-claimed autonomy.
Is Dream Chaser (Tenacity) a top space?
On DEPLOY's intelligence score, which blends verified deployments, safety, adoption, media, and IP signals, Dream Chaser (Tenacity) ranks in roughly the top 59% of space models tracked by the registry.
What is Dream Chaser (Tenacity)'s maturity stage?
Dream Chaser (Tenacity) is at the research stage on the DEPLOY maturity ladder (research, prototype, pilot, commercial, production). Research stage means active development without commercial deployments on file.
Where is Dream Chaser (Tenacity) deployed?
No verified deployments of Dream Chaser (Tenacity) are currently on the DEPLOY registry. DEPLOY records deployments only when verified at a named site with a primary source; absence may reflect pre-deployment, research, or manufacturer-internal use.
Is Dream Chaser (Tenacity) safe?
Dream Chaser (Tenacity) has no incidents on record in the DEPLOY registry. This does not constitute a safety guarantee; it reflects the incidents DEPLOY has tracked and verified to date.
Methodology: Verified · 4 sources (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-10-10

Verification posture

Verified

Low confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-10-10

Maturity + lifecycle

Maturity stage: research

Lifecycle: active

Architectural position

Cohort: space

Sources by quality tier

3
unclassified
Unclassified source
1
knowledge-base
Knowledge base

The framework is documented at /methodology. Corrections at /corrections. Reviewer: DEPLOY editorial team.

Methodology surface for Dream Chaser (Tenacity).

Recent coverage

Dream Chaser (Tenacity) in third-party press

Sierra Space secures national security cargo for its spaceplane’s first flight

Sep 7, 2026

Sierra Space secures payload contracts for first Dream Chaser flight

Sep 4, 2026

Freightliner Cascadia Tows the Dream Chaser Spaceplane to Make It Feel Like It's Landing

Nov 14, 2025