NASA Picks Orbital Reef to Develop New Space Station

The goal is to create a commercial space station to replace the International Space Station by 2030.

Jeremy Kariuki

Thursday, December 02, 2021 at 06:31 PM ET

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The goal of Orbital Reef is to create a “mixed-use business park” in space. Credit: Blue Origin

Key Takeaways:

NASA has selected Orbital Reef, primarily led by Blue Origin and Sierra Space, as the commercially owned and operated successor to the International Space Station (ISS) in low-Earth orbit, aiming for operations after the ISS's expected 2030 retirement.
Orbital Reef is envisioned as a "mixed-use business park" designed to expand access to space for diverse customers, including smaller countries, companies, and organizations, facilitating research, exploration, and various commercial ventures.
A broad consortium of partners, including Boeing, Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Arizona State University, will collaborate on the station's design, development, operations, and research capabilities, with each entity contributing specialized roles.

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NASA has selected Orbital Reef as the successor to the International Space Station (ISS).

Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin, alongside Sierra Space, were picked by NASA to design a commercially owned and operated space station in low-Earth orbit (LEO). The move, announced Thursday, comes as NASA hopes to stimulate research and exploration before the retirement of the ISS, expected in 2030.