# Dream Chaser Eagle

> Dream Chaser engineering test article

**Wikidata**: [Q96314611](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q96314611)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/dream-chaser-eagle

## Summary
Dream Chaser Eagle is an engineering test article for the Dream Chaser spaceplane program, manufactured by Sierra Nevada Corporation. Also known as the Dream Chaser Engineering Test Article (ETA), it serves as a specific instance of the reusable cargo lifting-body vehicle model designed to resupply space stations.

## Key Facts
*   **Entity Type**: Engineering test article (instance of Dream Chaser)
*   **Aliases**: Dream Chaser Engineering Test Article, Dream Chaser ETA
*   **Manufacturer**: Sierra Nevada Corporation
*   **Parent Model**: Dream Chaser (American reusable automated cargo lifting-body spaceplane)
*   **Parent Model Mass**: 11,340 kilograms
*   **Operator of Parent Model**: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)
*   **Classifications**: Vehicle model; Subclass of Spaceplane, cargo spacecraft, reusable spacecraft
*   **Commons Category**: Dream Chaser Eagle
*   **Image**: [Dream Chaser at Dawn](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Special:FilePath/Dream_Chaser_at_Dawn_(AFRC2017-0124-015).jpg)

## FAQs
### What is the Dream Chaser Eagle?
The Dream Chaser Eagle is the engineering test article for the Dream Chaser spaceplane program. It is a specific vehicle variant created to test the capabilities of the Dream Chaser system.

### Who manufactures the Dream Chaser Eagle?
The Dream Chaser Eagle is manufactured by the Sierra Nevada Corporation, the same entity responsible for the broader Dream Chaser spaceplane system.

### How does the Dream Chaser Eagle relate to the Dream Chaser spaceplane?
The Eagle is an "instance of" the Dream Chaser vehicle model. While the Dream Chaser is the general reusable cargo spacecraft design operated by NASA, the Eagle serves as the specific engineering test article for this system.

### What are the technical specifications of the Dream Chaser lineage?
As an instance of the Dream Chaser model, the Eagle pertains to a reusable automated cargo spacecraft with a mass of 11,340 kilograms. The design is a lifting-body spaceplane capable of atmospheric flight and spaceflight.

## Why It Matters
Dream Chaser Eagle matters as the physical test platform for one of the few reusable lifting-body spaceplanes capable of cargo delivery. By serving as the engineering test article, it validates the systems necessary for the Dream Chaser program to fulfill its role in NASA's Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) program. This vehicle enables the testing of critical technologies—such as automated flight and lifting-body descent—that allow for the cost-effective retrieval and delivery of cargo to space stations, thereby advancing commercial space logistics.

## Notable For
*   **Test Platform**: Distinguished as the dedicated engineering test article (ETA) for the Dream Chaser program.
*   **Lifting-Body Validation**: serves as the test instance for a vehicle design that generates lift during re-entry for controlled descent.
*   **Reusable Technology**: Represents the testing phase for a spacecraft designed to be reused, reducing mission costs.
*   **Commercial Resupply**: Acts as the development vehicle for a system integral to NASA's Commercial Resupply Services.

## Body
### Identity and Classification
The Dream Chaser Eagle is explicitly classified as the **Dream Chaser engineering test article**. It is an instance of the **Dream Chaser** vehicle model, serving as a testbed for the broader system. While the general Dream Chaser program is operated by the **National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)**, the Eagle itself is manufactured by **Sierra Nevada Corporation**.

### Design and Capabilities
As the test article for the Dream Chaser class, the Eagle is tied to a **reusable automated cargo lifting-body spaceplane** design. The Dream Chaser system it represents has a total mass of **11,340 kilograms**. The design combines features of an aircraft and a spacecraft, utilizing a **lifting-body** shape that generates lift during re-entry. This allows the vehicle to perform a controlled descent and landing, facilitating its reusability.

### Program Context
The Dream Chaser Eagle is a component of the Dream Chaser initiative, also known by aliases such as **Dream Chaser Cargo System** and **Dream Chaser Space System**. The program is an American effort headquartered in the **United States**. Its primary mission profile involves resupplying space stations, such as the International Space Station (ISS), utilizing automated systems that do not require crew intervention during flight.

### Identifiers and Media
The entity is tracked under various identifiers and media properties:
*   **Aliases**: Dream Chaser Engineering Test Article, Dream Chaser ETA.
*   **Wikidata Description**: "Dream Chaser engineering test article."
*   **Commons Category**: Dream Chaser Eagle.
*   **Sitelink Count**: 1 (specific to the Eagle entity, compared to 27 for the parent Dream Chaser class).
*   **Visual Record**: Documented in imagery such as "Dream Chaser at Dawn" hosted on Wikimedia Commons.