---
title: "FAA Grants Dream Chaser Landing License: Tenacity Spaceplane to Conduct Up to Four Orbital Returns Yearly"
description: "On November 9, the FAA issued Sierra Space a five-year license for the Dream Chaser Tenacity to land at Vandenberg. The vehicle will be able to perform up to four orbital returns per year, landing like a conventional airplane."
date: 2026-11-14T12:48:49.715Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/faa-grants-dream-chaser-landing-license
tags: [dream-chaser, sierra-space, faa, vandenberg, spaceplane, nasa, ultra, vulcan-centaur]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# FAA Grants Dream Chaser Landing License: Tenacity Spaceplane to Conduct Up to Four Orbital Returns Yearly

![Dream Chaser Tenacity spaceplane sitting on the runway at Vandenberg Space Force Base](https://xab.info/media/2026/11/14/faa-licenzia-dream-chaser-posadka-vandenberg/faa-licenzia-dream-chaser-posadka-vandenberg-1.webp)

## Key Points

- FAA issued Sierra Space a license to land Dream Chaser at Vandenberg, up to 4 returns per year
- Landing site changed: California's Vandenberg base chosen instead of Kennedy Space Center
- First flight is an independent orbital mission without docking with the ISS, using a Vulcan Centaur rocket
- Tenacity spaceplane delivers up to 5,500 kg to orbit and returns up to 1,850 kg with less than 1.5 g force
- First launch date not announced; previously targeted for late 2026

On November 9, 2026, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a license to Sierra Space for the return of the Dream Chaser spaceplane from space and its landing on the runway at the Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. The following day, November 10, Sierra Space officially confirmed receiving the permit. The license is valid for five years and authorizes up to four orbital returns annually, provided that the vehicle's design and mission profile remain unchanged. This is a crucial regulatory step without which no crewed or uncrewed spacecraft can legally land on US soil.

### Landing Instead of Splashdown: What the License Changes

Unlike traditional capsule ships that splash down in the ocean, the Dream Chaser is designed as a glider: after exiting the atmosphere, the vehicle glides like an airplane and lands on a runway. According to Sierra Space, during reentry, cargo experiences forces of less than 1.5 g, and any runway suitable for a Boeing 737 is sufficient for landing. This is critical for sensitive scientific experiments and medical equipment that could be damaged by a rough splashdown. The first spaceplane, named Tenacity, is designed to carry about 5,500 kg of cargo to orbit and return up to 1,850 kg. Before launch, its wings fold to fit the rocket's payload fairing.

### Vandenberg Instead of Kennedy: How the Site Changed

The landing site has undergone significant changes compared to the initial plan. In 2024, when the FAA was conducting an environmental assessment of the project, Sierra Space proposed using the former Space Shuttle landing facility at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, with Vandenberg considered only as a backup. The issued license now specifies the California base. The change in logistics stems from the fact that the launch is planned from a Florida spaceport on United Launch Alliance's Vulcan Centaur rocket, while the landing occurs on the West Coast, leveraging Vandenberg's existing infrastructure.

### From NASA Contract to Independent Mission

Initially, the Dream Chaser was developed under a 2016 NASA contract to resupply the International Space Station. However, after repeated delays, including issues with the propulsion system, the parties revised the agreement in September 2025. The first flight is now set to be an independent orbital mission: the vehicle will not dock with the ISS. If the demonstration proves successful, NASA may later order individual missions to deliver cargo to the space station. Thus, the FAA license covers the regulatory aspect of the landing itself but does not replace a launch authorization, which will require separate approval.

### First Flight: Timeline and Payload

In September 2026, Sierra Space entered into agreements with customers from the national security and commercial sectors, who will also send payloads on the inaugural flight alongside NASA cargo. The company has not disclosed the organizations' names or cargo composition: the mission manifest is still being formed. Sierra Space had previously targeted a launch for late 2026, but there is no current confirmation that this schedule remains intact. Timelines depend, among other things, on the availability of the Vulcan Centaur rocket, which is in the final stages of testing. The date of the first flight has not been announced as of the time of publication.

### Significance for the Industry

Issuing the landing license for the Dream Chaser on airfield infrastructure sets a precedent for a whole class of orbital gliders capable of returning cargo in a “door-to-door” mode without the need for water-based rescue operations. For NASA, this potentially lowers the cost of delivering sensitive experiments to orbit, and for commercial customers, it expands the range of tasks performed in microgravity conditions. The next expected step is the publication of the FAA permit for the launch itself from the Florida spaceport.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Космоплан Dream Chaser получил разрешение садиться на Землю как обычный самолёт](https://www.ixbt.com/news/2026/11/14/kosmoplan-dream-chaser-polucil-razresenie-saditsia-na-zemliu-kak-obycnyi-samolet.html) - Primary source: Full text detailing the FAA license, Tenacity characteristics, site change, and history of the NASA contract.
- [Dream Chaser приблизился к первому полету: космоплану разрешили садиться на аэродром](https://naked-science.ru/community/1227191) - Confirms the issuance date (Nov 9), five-year term, up to 4 returns per year, and the change of site from Kennedy to Vandenberg.

## FAQ

### What exactly did the FAA authorize for Dream Chaser?

The FAA issued a license for the vehicle's return from space and landing on the runway at Vandenberg Base in California. The license is valid for five years and allows up to four orbital returns per year, provided the design remains unchanged.

### Why was the landing site changed?

In 2024, Sierra Space proposed using the Kennedy Space Center, with Vandenberg as a backup. The final license specifies the California base, likely due to launch logistics and the readiness of Vandenberg's infrastructure.

### When will the first Dream Chaser flight occur?

The date has not been announced. Sierra Space previously targeted late 2026, but this is unconfirmed. It depends on Vulcan Centaur rocket readiness and mission manifest completion.

### Will Dream Chaser dock with the ISS on the first flight?

No. Following the 2025 contract revision, the first flight is planned as an independent mission without docking. If successful, NASA may order separate supply missions later.