Boeing, Blue Origin Unveil Plans for Private Space Station

Boeing and Blue Origin announced plans Monday to develop a private space station that would operate as a private “mixed-use business park.

Meg Scarbrough

Monday, October 25, 2021 at 08:39 PM ET

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Blue Origin has announced efforts to launch a private, commercial space station in partnership with Boeing and other companies.Credit: Blue Origin

Key Takeaways:

Blue Origin and Boeing, led by Sierra Space, announced plans to develop "Orbital Reef," a private commercial space station intended as a "mixed-use business park."
Orbital Reef will support commercial research, manufacturing, and tourism, accommodating up to 10 people with a volume similar to the ISS, and is set to begin operations in the second half of this decade.
This project aligns with NASA's strategy to encourage private industry development of space stations as the International Space Station nears retirement.

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Boeing and Blue Origin announced plans Monday to develop a private space station that would operate as a private “mixed-use business park.” If completed, the installation would be the first collaboration of its kind to orbit the planet.

Multi-billionaire Jeff Bezos, who founded Blue Origin, said the outpost—called Orbital Reef—will be a commercially developed, owned, and operated space station floating in low Earth orbit. As a mixed-use business park, the company said it could be used for commercial research, manufacturing, and tourism.