Blue Origin will build a commercial “business park” in orbit
Blue Origin will build a commercial "business park" in orbit
The International Space Station will be decommissioned by 2030. Cracks in the oldest ISS modules hint that the lifespan is determined not so much by policy as by the current state of the structure. So space industry giants Blue Origin and Sierra Space are planning an open-architecture commercial space station in low Earth orbit called Orbital Reef from 2025 to 2030.
Blue Origin will undertake to assemble the carrier modules and the New Glenn heavy-lift launch system that will carry the structure into orbit. Sierra Space will provide the transition modules, nodal bay and Dream Chaser spaceplane to transport crew, supplies and payloads to and from the station. Boeing will develop the science module and will handle the operation and maintenance of the station.
Redwire Space will conduct research, development and production in microgravity, payload operations and deployable structures. Genesis Engineering Solutions will build a single-seat Space Odyssey-style spacecraft for off-station operations and space suit-free tours, and Arizona State University will lead a global consortium of universities to build a community of expertise and outreach.
After commissioning, the Orbital Reef space business park will be open to a wide range of international users. The station will serve research, manufacturing, tourism, education, and other missions. Partners will provide transportation and logistics, space accommodations, equipment, automated operations, and crew.
The open architecture will allow Orbital Reef to provide module space, vehicle ports, engineering networks, and other useful features based on customer needs and market growth.