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Dream Chaser Landing Method SOLVES What SpaceX's Dragon 'Impossible' But...
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Dream Chaser Landing Method SOLVES What SpaceX's Dragon 'Impossible' But...
When we think of Elon Musk, one of the first things that comes to mind is his fearless approach to failure. He's not afraid to let rockets explode if it means pushing the boundaries of innovation.
But even Musk has his exceptions. Take the Dragon capsule—its traditional design is something he’s stuck with, convinced it’s the only real option.
Enter Sierra Space, a bold company based in Louisville, that's challenging that notion entirely.
So, why can Sierra Space do what Musk calls "impossible"?
Find out in today's episode of Techmap!
Have you ever wondered why NASA chose a winged spaceplane design for the Space Shuttle, even though it’s an orbital vehicle?
Dream Chaser Landing Method SOLVES What SpaceX's Dragon 'Impossible' But...
Well, a big reason comes down to the people behind it. Some of NASA’s engineers were trained in aeronautics, so they naturally viewed spaceflight as an extension of atmospheric flight. That mindset led to a preference for a gliding orbiter that could land like a plane rather than splash down like a capsule. This is where the Shuttle’s “cross-range capability” comes in—the ability to maneuver during re-entry and touch down on a runway.
But there was more to the story than just engineering philosophy. Political and budgetary pressures played a role, too. NASA opted for solid rocket boosters instead of more advanced liquid ones because they were cheaper to develop, even if they weren’t technically the best choice.
Dream Chaser Landing Method SOLVES What SpaceX's Dragon 'Impossible' But...
In the end, the Shuttle was retired after 30 years—not because it didn’t work, but because it was expensive and risky to operate. The Challenger disaster in 1986 and the Columbia disaster in 2003 underscored its safety issues. Features like the Shuttle’s large delta wings and thousands of fragile heat shield tiles—originally added to meet Air Force demands—made the system heavier, more complex, and harder to maintain.
The harsh lessons from the Shuttle era pushed NASA back toward a more reliable and cost-effective design: the capsule. This return to basics has shaped NASA’s later programs, including the Commercial Crew Program. Companies like Boeing and SpaceX embraced the tried-and-true capsule model, heavily inspired by the Apollo command modules. Capsules are simpler, with fewer moving parts, and inherently safer during launch and re-entry. Plus, they’re cheaper to build and maintain.