Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) is excited to have its Dream Chaser space vehicle featured in another major motion picture, “The Space Between Us.” The Dream Chaser was also in the extended version of “The Martian,” last year’s Oscar-winning film with Matt Damon.
“The Dream Chaser stirs imagination in many ways, and it’s a fun adventure for SNC to share the vehicle in this format,” said Mark Sirangelo, corporate vice president of SNC’s Space Systems business area.
The Space Between Us” chronicles the futuristic story about the first human born on Mars, Gardner Elliot (Asa Butterfield). Sixteen-year-old Elliot flies to Earth and goes on a quest to find himself, his father and discover what life is like on the third planet from the sun.”
The film is also a love story, as Elliot connects with a Colorado girl named Tulsa (Britt Robertson), who helps him on his Earth journey.
(See trailer. In this interplanetary adventure, a space shuttle embarks on the first mission to colonize Mars, only to discover after takeoff that one of the astronauts is pregnant. Courtesy of STX Entertainment and YouTube)
SNC’s space plane plays a key role in the film, shuttling the main character to low-Earth orbit (LEO).
“The movie shows a futuristic version of the Dream Chaser. We hope viewers enjoy the role it has in the film and that it inspires them on what the spacecraft can do in real life,” Sirangelo added.
Given the tie of Tulsa’s character to the Centennial State, portions of the film were set and taped in the Rocky Mountains.
The full-scale Dream Chaser model used in the movie is currently on display at the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Denver, Colorado.
The movie, produced by STX Entertainment, is out in theaters today.
SNC is teaming up with the museum on Friday, February 3 for a special screening of the film as part of its Cine-Talk series.
Former astronaut and vice president of Space Exploration Systems for SNC’s Space Systems business area, Steve Lindsey, will do a talk and Q&A before the movie.
The event begins at 6:15pm at the Regal Continental Movie Theater, 3635 S. Monaco Parkway, Denver Colorado.
In real life, SNC’s Dream Chaser spacecraft is a reusable, multi-mission space utility vehicle (SUV).
It is capable of transportation services to and from LEO, where the International Space Station (ISS) resides, and is the only commercial, lifting-body vehicle capable of a runway landing.
The Dream Chaser Cargo System was selected by NASA to provide cargo delivery and disposal services to the ISS under the Commercial Resupply Services 2 (CRS2) contract.
This is the spacecraft’s second movie role after it was in the director’s version of “The Martian,” in the deleted scenes section of the DVD. Matt Damon’s character Mark Watney can be seen peering out a window at the Dream Chaser as he prepares to return home.
