NASA \ Commercial Crew Program
Dream Chaser
Dream Chaser
Electrical Interconnect Lead
Human Rating Certification Engineer
Reusable Harness Arcitecture Engineer
Cross-Disciplinary Systems Integrator
NASA Interface & Verification Contributor
Project Overview / MIssion Objectives
The Dream Chaser spaceplane, developed by Sierra Nevada Corporation (now Sierra Space), was initially designed to carry astronauts to the International Space Station under NASA’s Commercial Crew Program (CCP)—competing directly with Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner and SpaceX’s Crew Dragon.
With its lifting-body architecture and runway-landing capability, Dream Chaser promised a unique blend of reusability, gentle return profiles, and high-contingency crew safety. Although the crewed version was not ultimately selected for flight under CCP, the program pivoted successfully to uncrewed cargo missions under NASA’s Commercial Resupply Services (CRS-2) contract.
When I joined the team, the focus was on human-rated spaceflight. That meant every connector, every route, every signal had to meet the highest bar—because lives would depend on it.
Roles and Responsibilities
I served as the Electrical Interconnect Lead for Dream Chaser, responsible for designing and implementing the complete vehicle harnessing system. My role spanned from initial architecture through interface control, build documentation, and verification planning.
Key responsibilities included:
Defining power and signal routing strategies across crew module, avionics, propulsion, and thermal systems
Selecting connectors and materials to meet launch, space, and reentry environmental requirements
Developing build-to-print harness drawings, interface control documents (ICDs), and verification protocols
Coordinating with mechanical and systems engineering teams to resolve integration conflicts and maintain physical compatibility
Supporting EMI/EMC mitigation through grounding plans, shielding techniques, and interface filtering
I also participated in cross-team design reviews, ensuring that every electrical path was traceable, testable, and ready for the demanding launch-to-landing lifecycle.
Legacy
Dream Chaser is one of the few spaceplanes designed for repeatable orbital flight—and its electrical interconnect system is foundational to that ambition. My work laid the path for how power and data move through the vehicle, how diagnostics are accessed, and how reliability is engineered at every junction.
It also reinforced a core truth: that in complex vehicles, system reliability starts with interconnect clarity. Every successful flight begins with invisible confidence in the wiring.
Highlight: Reusable Harnessing & Part Certification for Human Spaceflight
Designing the Dream Chaser harnessing system meant working under the most rigorous standards NASA applies: human rating. Every electrical connection had to survive launch, orbit, reentry—and meet traceability requirements that could stand up to both review boards and flight risk assessments.
I led the creation of a modular harness architecture built for reuse, inspection, and reliability, while also taking on a critical role in the certification of commercial parts for crewed use.
Key contributions included:
Certifying hundreds of commercial electrical components—connectors, wires, shielding, and fasteners—for use in human-rated spaceflight systems
Designing modular harness segments for rapid integration and disassembly during vehicle refurbishment cycles
Selecting materials and routing paths to withstand thermal extremes, shock, and vibration from liftoff through runway landing
Coordinating with systems, thermal, and mechanical teams to ensure harness layouts respected both safety and access constraints
Developing documentation and traceability protocols in alignment with NASA crewed flight requirements
This was engineering at the interface of human safety, reusability, and flight readiness—where even the smallest detail could be mission-critical.