Sierra Space Makes Key Executive Hire as First Dream Chaser® Spaceplane Enters Final Production Phase
Sierra Space, a leading pureplay commercial space company building the first end-to-end business and technology platform in space, announced today that a seasoned aerospace executive has joined the company’s leadership ranks as the first Dream Chaser spaceplane nears completion.
Steve Berroth will serve as Senior Vice President and General Manager for the company’s Space Transportation sector. The veteran aerospace leader has built a storied career at premier aerospace companies prior to Sierra Space, leading the development, manufacture and first flights of some of the most sophisticated crewed and autonomous aircraft in the world.
Berroth’s career covers nearly four decades and includes experience in advanced aircraft production and program management at Northrop Grumman, Triumph Group and Aerion, where he led the programs for first flights of various aircraft. At Northrop, Berroth was program director for the highly complex Fire Scout MQ-8C, an uncrewed autonomous aircraft designed to provide reconnaissance, situational awareness, aerial fire support and precision targeting support for the U.S. Armed Forces.
“I am delighted to welcome Steve to Sierra Space’s senior leadership team,” said Tom Vice, Sierra Space CEO. “Steve’s vast leadership and program management experience in launching new and complex aerospace programs in high-growth environments will be a great asset to our team as we accelerate the Dream Chaser program towards first flight this year.”
At Sierra Space, Berroth’s portfolio includes Dream Chaser, a multi-mission space utility vehicle designed to transport crew and cargo to low-Earth orbit (LEO) destinations such as the International Space Station (ISS). The first Dream Chaser, Tenacity, is nearing completion and will subsequently ship to NASA’s Neil A. Armstrong Test Facility in Cleveland, Ohio, for final space environmental testing ahead of its first mission to the ISS later this year.
“It is a privilege to join Sierra Space at such a pivotal moment in the company’s upward trajectory,” said Berroth. “I am deeply looking forward to working with this incredibly talented team and helping ready the first Dream Chaser for launch. Reaching this key milestone unlocks so much rich potential as we develop the roadmap for a fleet of spaceplanes, two of which are already on the factory floor, and begin working on crewed variants that will take astronauts to Orbital Reef, the world’s first commercial space station.”
Berroth will be based out of Sierra Space’s facilities in Louisville, Colorado, and report to CEO Tom Vice.