Blue Origin, Boeing and others team with Sierra Space to develop commercial space station

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin of Kent and Sierra Space of Colorado revealed plans for Orbital Reef, a commercially developed, owned and operated space station to be built in low Earth orbit, on Monday, October 25. According to a Blue Origin press release, the station will usher in the next chapter of human space exploration and development by supporting the formation of a thriving ecosystem and economic model for the future. Boeing, Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Arizona State University are among the space industry's leaders and partners in Orbital Reef.

Orbital Reef, a commercial Space Station, according to Blue Origin, is designed to open several new marketplaces in space by allowing anyone to establish their own address in orbit. This one-of-a-kind location will provide cost-effective end-to-end services to research, industrial, international, and commercial customers, encompassing space transportation and logistics, space living, equipment accommodation, and operations, including onboard crew. In the second half of this decade, the station will begin operations.

Senior vice president of Advanced Development Programs for Blue Origin, Brent Sherwood, said, "for over sixty years, NASA and other space agencies have developed orbital space flight and space habitation, setting us up for commercial business to take off in this decade. We will expand access, lower the cost, and provide all the services and amenities needed to normalize space flight. A vibrant business ecosystem will grow in low Earth orbit, generating new discoveries, new products, new entertainments, and global awareness.”

Sierra Space president and former three-time NASA astronaut, Janet Kavandi stated that Sierra Space is excited to join with Blue Origin and supply the Dream Chaser spaceplane, the LIFE module, and additional space technologies to open up space for commercial research, manufacturing, and tourism. He added that as a former NASA astronaut, he has been waiting for the day when working and living in space will be accessible to more people around the world, and that day has now arrived for him.

Orbital Reef to function as 'mixed use business park'

Orbital Reef will function as a space-based "mixed use business park." The proprietary demands of various tenants and visitors are efficiently supported by shared infrastructure. According to Blue Origin, it has a human-centred space architecture with world-class services and amenities that is inspiring, practical, and safe. Orbital Reef will provide the necessary infrastructure to grow economic activity and develop new markets in space as the leading business destination in low Earth orbit.

Reusable space transportation and smart design, along with sophisticated automation and logistics, will reduce cost and complexity for both traditional space operators and new entrants, allowing the greatest possible variety of users to accomplish their objectives. The open system architecture enables any client or country to connect and scale to meet demand. As the market expands, so do module berths, vehicle ports, utilities, and amenities.

Image: blueorigin.com