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Robot model

Dream Chaser (Tenacity)

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 ↗

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.)
Verified deployments
None on file
Sources on file
2 sources, view all

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

Key facts

Form factor

space

Maker

Sierra Space

Autonomy level

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

Role

Autonomous cargo spaceplane

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

2

2 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

Dream Chaser (Tenacity) on the deployment map

Where Dream Chaser (Tenacity) is verified operating. Explore the deployment map by place and type.

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 (2)

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dream_Chaser
  2. https://www.sierraspace.com/dream-chaser-spaceplane/

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.
Methodology: Verified · 2 sources (no primary) · last reviewed 2026-07-22

Verification posture

Verified

Low confidence

Review state

Stable

Last reviewed 2026-07-22

Maturity + lifecycle

Maturity stage: research

Lifecycle: active

Architectural position

Cohort: space

Sources by quality tier

1
knowledge-base
Knowledge base
1
unclassified
Unclassified source

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

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

Nov 14, 2025

SpaceOps: Dream Chaser Reality Check - Aviation Week

Oct 22, 2025

America's Spaceplane Will No Longer Kiss the ISS, Dream Chaser First Flight Delayed Again - autoevolution

Sep 29, 2025