Blue Origin plans commercial space station
The 'mixed use business park' is expected to be operating by the end of the decade
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Jeff Bezos-owned Blue Origin on Monday announced plans to develop a commercial space station envisioned as a "mixed-use business park" built in low Earth orbit.
The new endeavor, dubbed the Orbital Reef, is expected to be operational by the end of the decade.
Blue Origin, Sierra Space and other partners are involved in developing Orbital Reef, a commercially developed space station. (Orbital Reef)
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Blue Origin is teaming up with a host of other businesses for the project, including main partner Sierra Space, along with Boeing, Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Arizona State University.
"Now anyone can lease access to the space environment – weightlessness and hard vacuum – and experience breathtaking views of our home planet, with 32 vibrant sunrises and sunsets each day," the company said in a press release. "Whether your business is scientific research, exploration system development, invention and manufacture of new and unique products, media and advertising, or exotic hospitality, you’ll find a berth here."
Blue Origin and several partners are teaming up to develop Orbital Reef, a commercial space station. (Orbital Reef)
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"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," Blue Origin's senior vice president of advanced development programs, Brent Sherwood, said in a statement.
"We will expand access, lower the cost, and provide all the services and amenities needed to normalize space flight," Sherwood continued. "A vibrant business ecosystem will grow in low Earth orbit, generating new discoveries, new products, new entertainments, and global awareness."
Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and space tourism company Blue Origin jogs onto the Blue Origin's New Shepard rocket landing pad to pose for photos at the spaceport near Van Horn, Texas, Tuesday, July 20, 2021. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez) (Tony Gutierrez / AP Newsroom)
Blue Origin is providing its New Glenn launch system for the project, while Sierra Space is offering up its runway-landing Dream Chaser spaceplane for transporting cargo and crews.
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Boeing will handle Orbital Reef's space station operations and maintenance, Redwire is providing payload operations and deployable structures, and Genesis is "providing the Single Person Spacecraft for routine external operations and tourist excursions," the announcement reads.
Arizona State University will provide research advisory services.