Next year, construction will start on a huge spacecraft processing facility at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. This spaceplane processing facility will prepare Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser for missions to the International Space Station. All Points Logistics, based in Merritt Island, will partner with Sierra Space to provide services like payload integration before launch.
“Our current spaceport infrastructure is struggling to keep up with the demand for launches,” said Kevin Brown, from All Points Logistics. The new facility aims to meet the needs of modern spacecraft technologies by offering testing and integration services before launch. Once the spacecraft leaves the facility, it heads to the launch pad for liftoff.
The Dream Chaser space plane named “Tenacity” is getting ready for its first flight from Cape Canaveral. It will carry 7,800 pounds of cargo to the ISS and then return to Earth, landing like a space shuttle. Sierra Space hopes that the new facility will simplify turnaround preparations for future Dream Chaser flights.
This development is part of ongoing efforts to enhance spacecraft testing and launch services at Kennedy Space Center, providing essential support for space missions. Visit floridatoday.com/space for the latest news on space developments in Cape Canaveral and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
Vocabulary List:
- Facility /fəˈsɪlɪti/ (noun): A building or equipment that serves a specific function.
- Integration /ˌɪntɪˈɡreɪʃən/ (noun): The process of combining parts into a whole.
- Infrastructure /ˈɪnfrəˌstrʌkʧər/ (noun): The basic physical and organizational structures needed for the operation of a society or enterprise.
- Turnaround /ˈtɜrnəˌraʊnd/ (noun): The time taken to prepare a spacecraft for its next flight.
- Demand /dɪˈmænd/ (noun): The desire of consumers to purchase goods or services.
- Enhance /ɪnˈhæns/ (verb): To improve the quality value or extent of something.
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