On the Feasibility of Landing the Dream Chaser Space Vehicle in South Africa

The Dream Chaser is a space vehicle currently under development by the Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) for purposes of carrying humans and cargo to low Earth orbit. In 2016, the United Nations Office for Outer Space Affairs (UNOOSA) entered into an agreement with Sierra Nevada Corporation to fly experimental payloads on the Dream Chaser. The collaborative UNOOSA-SNC Dream Chaser mission will be approximately two to three weeks in duration, with the Dream Chaser orbiting Earth at an altitude of 500 km with an inclination of 0–35°. This will be the first space mission dedicated to attaining the Sustainable Development Goals. In this chapter we assess the feasibility of landing the Dream Chaser Space Vehicle in South Africa. The research dictates having to possibly establish a dual-use airport/spaceport recognised by the South African Space Council under supportive legislation to enable re-entry and landing of spacecraft in South Africa. Elements addressed in this investigation range from physical facilities such as the airports, workshops and laboratories, through Dream Chaser specific requirements and specifications, right down to space and civil aviation regulations. Relevant information and publicly available on government owned infrastructure, available private facilities and supporting entities that will facilitate the safe landing of the Dream Chaser space vehicle in South Africa was assessed. This investigation prefaces the University of Cape Town’s SpaceLab plans to submit a proposal in response to calls for possible alternative landing sites for the Dream Chaser outside of the USA. This chapter is the first major step in researching and documenting the potential for landing the Dream Chaser or any reusable space vehicle in South Africa. This research is now particularly pertinent as an official Call for Interest (CFI) has been announced by UNOOSA.