Sierra Space, a leading commercial space company with 1,100 employees, more than 500 missions and over 30 years of space flight heritage, and Belcan, a global supplier of design, software, manufacturing, supply chain, information technology, and digital engineering solutions, announced today that they have entered into a multi-year arrangement in which Belcan will provide Sierra Space with broad-based engineering capabilities and solutions, primarily focused on supporting Sierra Space’s Transportation and Destination Portfolios. The new agreement includes design, analysis, systems engineering, software engineering, program management, manufacturing engineering, and supply chain solutions.
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“This agreement is a critical step in securing the high-level engineering talent required to support Sierra Space as we build the next generation of space transportation systems and in-space infrastructures and destinations for low-Earth orbit (LEO) commercialization,” said Tom Vice, CEO, Sierra Space. “Our collaboration with Belcan further enhances Sierra Space’s ability to build the next platform for business in the unique environment afforded by space where new technological breakthroughs that will directly enhance our life on earth will be born.”
“We look forward to growing and strengthening our first-rate support of Sierra Space,” said Lance Kwasniewski, CEO of Belcan. “This strong partnership draws upon Belcan’s broad and deep engineering expertise, full lifecycle capabilities, and robust space experience, and expands our relationship with Sierra Space as their trusted engineering services partner.”
“Belcan is excited to create tremendous value for Sierra Space as they develop the foundational infrastructure to support the growing LEO ecosystem,” said Keith Jones, Senior Vice President, Defense & Space at Belcan. “We are proud to serve as Sierra Space’s engineering service provider of choice and we are delighted to enter into this partnership as a demonstration of our commitment.”
Sierra Space aims to build the future of space transportation, commercial space destinations and infrastructure, and enabling technologies that will help to build a vibrant, growing commercial space economy. As the LEO economy reaches a critical inflection point – driven by the convergence of the increasing commercialization of space, renewed public interest, and defense considerations – Sierra Space is developing foundational infrastructure to support this growing ecosystem. By opening up affordable access to space, Sierra Space hopes to enable existing businesses, entrepreneurs, researchers, and governments to create exciting breakthroughs that can empower humanity to begin new civilizations in space and benefit life on Earth.
About Sierra Space
Sierra Space products and programs are working towards a more accessible space economy. The company is rapidly advancing toward the launch of the world’s only winged commercial spaceplane, the Dream Chaser®. As the next generation of space transportation, the Dream Chaser will perform cargo supply and return missions for NASA, set to begin in late 2022, delivering up to 12,000 pounds of cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) at a time. The return journey will carry critical data, generated by ISS researcher experiments, enabling earth-bound scientists to benefit from much faster access to these unique results. Dream Chaser is a reusable spaceplane, uniquely capable of a smooth 1.5 low-g re-entry for crew and cargo transportation with the ability to land on existing commercial runways worldwide.
Sierra Space is the developer of the Large Integrated Flexible Environment (LIFETM) Habitat, a modular, three-story commercial habitation and science platform. The unique structure will provide opportunities for multiple businesses including manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, and other sectors, to optimize zero gravity benefits. The LIFE Habitat will be able to be deployed in low-Earth orbit, on the lunar surface, or lunar orbit, and as a transport vehicle to Mars. Both Dream Chaser and LIFE Habitat will launch using conventional rocket propulsion systems.
The Dream Chaser spaceplane and LIFE platform are central components of the joint partnership Orbital Reef commercial space station and mixed-use business park being developed in partnership with Blue Origin.
About Belcan
Belcan is a global supplier of design, software, manufacturing, supply chain, information technology, and digital engineering solutions to the aerospace, defense, space, government services, automotive, and industrial markets. Belcan engineers better outcomes for customers – from jet engines, airframe, and avionics to heavy vehicles, automobiles, and cybersecurity. Belcan takes a partnering approach to provide solutions that are adaptable, integrated, and value-added, and has been earning the trust of its customers for over 60 years.