It was revealed last October that Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin spaceflight company plans to launch its own commercial space station in low Earth orbit. Then on Thursday, NASA announced that it had chosen the program to raise funds through the Space Law Agreement to develop the station’s design.
NASA supports private sector growth in the aerospace industry
Brent Sherwood, Senior Vice President of Advanced Development Programs at Blue Origin, said in a statement on the subject:
We are delighted that NASA is supporting the development of Orbital Reef, a revolutionary approach to making Earth orbit more accessible to a variety of customers and industries.
In addition to meeting the needs of ISS partners, the station will offer reduced operating costs for burgeoning low G industries. It will also serve as a multi-use space business park in orbit.
Blue Origin is collaborating with Sierra Space on this project. He first focuses on the architecture and infrastructure of everything from the design and construction of the station to managing elevator logistics using the New Glenn heavy launch system. Secondly, it is tasked with developing the infrastructure of the LIFE (Large Integrated Flexible Environment) station.
In addition, Boing is assisting by designing the operations maintenance science module and leveraging the Starliner crew capsule. Genesis Engineering Solutions is also working on a one-man spacecraft that tourists and employees alike can enter.
The Orbital Reef team would like to see their first modules in orbit by the end of the decade, with further expansion in the 2030s. But Orbital Reef isn’t the only fish in NASA’s commercial LEO net. Northrop Grumman also announced on Thursday that it has signed a $126 million Space Act Agreement to design a “free-flying” space station that will remain in LEO for at least 15 years.
Steve Krein, Vice President of Civil Aviation at Northrop Grumman, made the following statement on the subject:
Our station will provide a smooth transition from International Space Station-based LEO missions to sustainable commercial-based missions for which NASA does not bear all the expenses but serves as one of many customers.
What do you think about this subject? Do you think NASA is justified in using the private sector instead of doing the projects themselves? Don’t forget to share your views with us in the comments!
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