Blue Origin announced Monday that it is partnering with several aerospace companies to build a private space station.
Orbital Reef, described in a release as a ‘mixed use business park’ in space,’ is expected to ready to be released into low Earth orbit by 2030, right about when NASA is slated to mothball the International Space Station.
The proposed platform is a collaboration of Blue Origin and Sierra Space, which is a subsidiary aerospace contractor Sierra Nevada Corporation. It also includes additional technology from Boeing Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Boeing.
According to the release, “The station would open the next chapter in human space exploration & development by facilitating growth of a vibrant eco-system and business model of the future.”
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Blue Origin has announced Orbital Reef, a private-sector space station its developing with Sierra Space, a subsidiary of aerospace contractor Sierra Nevada Corporation. Redwire Space, Boeing and Genesis Engineering Solutions will contribute additional resources to the platform, which is scheduled to be operational by end of decade.
CNBC reports that Bezos has been interested in building a space station since last year. Blue Origin also posted job listings for a vaguely-named ‘Orbital Destinations team’ earlier this month.
“NASA and other space agencies have been developing orbital space flight and habitation for over sixty years,” said Brent Sherwood Senior Vice President of Blue Origin’s Advanced Development Programs.
Orbital Reef will have almost as much habitable volume as the International Space Station, though it will have room for people — ten, compared to the ISS’s six.
Sherwood said that they would increase access, lower costs, and provide all services and amenities necessary to normalize space flight. “A vibrant business ecosystem will flourish in low Earth orbit, generating new discovery, new products, and global awareness.
Blue Origin will manufacture the station’s core modules and utility systems. The station will also be launched using the reusable New Glenn launch vehicle. Sierra Space will contribute its Large Integrated Flexible Environment modules (LIFE). Its Dream Chaser spacecraft will transport crew and cargo to the Reef.
Blue Origin will manufacture the station’s core modules, utility systems, and reusable New Glenn rocket system. Nevada-based Sierra Space will contribute its Large Integrated Flexible Environment, LIFE modules and Dream Chaser spacecraft.
The vessel can land on runways around the world and will transport crew and cargo to and from Reef.
Janet Kavandi, Sierra Space president, stated in the statement that she was a former NASA astronaut and has been waiting for the moment when living and working in space would be more accessible to people around the world.
Boeing will contribute to station operations, maintenance, engineering, and Boeing will deliver its Starliner spacecraft as a crew vessel. Genesis’ Single Person Spacecraft will serve as a ‘routine operation and tourist excursion’.
Orbital Reef offers space for ten and is designed for industrial, commercial, and academic clients as well as space tourists.
Brand Griffin, Genesis program manager, said that tourists and space workers will both have safe, comfortable, quick access outside Orbital Reef.
Redwire Space will be focusing on manufacturing, developing, payload operations and deployable structures, as well as microgravity operations.
Redwire’s stock rose 40 percent to $16.06 after the announcement. Trading was temporarily halted by New York Stock Exchange (CNBC)
Rewire stock traded at $13.34 per share as of 3:30pm PT.
Redwire stock, which was made public last month, jumped 40 percent to $16.06 after the announcement. Trading was temporarily halted at the New York Stock Exchange.
The first crewed private sector platform in low Earth orbit is being developed by the developers. According to the release it will appeal to ‘diverse visitors and tenants’, which includes industrial and commercial clients and space tourists.
John Mulholland is Boeing’s program manager for International Space Station. He stated that Orbital Reef was not intended to duplicate the ISS. However, it will be used to provide a unique position in low Earth orbit, where it can serve a variety of companies and host non-specialist personnel.
He said, “It requires the same kind of expertise that we used to first design, then build, the International Space Station, and the same skills that we use every day to operate and maintain the ISS.”
Blue Origins CEO Jeff Bezos (above), has been reportedly looking into building a space station over the past year and posted job listings earlier this month for a vaguely named Orbital Destinations’ team.
NASA announced plans in March to continue human presence in low-Earth orbit, after the ISS was retired through the Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Destination (CLD).
Orbital Reef was the second platform announcement by the private sector in as many weeks. On Thursday Lockheed Martin shared plans to build a space station in collaboration avec Voyager Space.
Lockheed Martin and Voyager Space plan to create a space station. Starlab, the continuously crewed platform for commercial operations, is expected to be operational by 2027.
Starlab, the commercial platform with continuously crewed crews, is expected be operational by 2027.
CNBC reported that NASA granted $140 million to Axiom Space, a private spaceflight specialist, in February to build modules to connect to the ISS.
Axiom’s modular systems would be detachable and transformed into a standalone space station once the ISS is retired.
SpaceX has already flown crew and cargo to the International Space Station (ISS), but Elon Musk’s company has not stated any plans to build its own platform.
SpaceX was awarded a $2.9B contract by NASA to construct a lunar lander. This sparked a heated space race between Musk, Bezos, and Blue Origin. Blue Origin accused NASA of not properly vetting bids.