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, developed by Blue Origin and Sierra Space, as the commercial successor to the International Space Station (ISS) in low-Earth orbit.
Orbital Reef is envisioned as a commercially owned and operated "mixed-use business park" in space, aiming to stimulate research and exploration before the ISS's expected retirement in 2030.
The project involves a consortium of companies, including Boeing, Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Arizona State University, each contributing specific expertise to its design, operations, and broad accessibility.

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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.