Blue Origin to exit Orbital Reef space station
October 6, 2023
Orbital Reef is – or was designed to be – a privately-funded space station. Blue Origin, the Jeff Bezos-backed rocket business and Sierra Nevada Space are likely to end the corporate partnership they formed to help fund the space station.
The concept was for an orbiting ‘business park in space’ and operating in low Earth orbit. The scheme was expected to win approval from governments and private companies and be a destination for tourism.
Blue Origin had won a $130 million contract from NASA for certain design elements. However, NASA spokesperson Rebecca Wickes told CNBC that the agency has so far only paid Blue Origin $24 million of the total contract amount for completing specified milestones. As of yet, “there are no current plans to transfer the agreement,” Wickes added.
People close to the project have also suggested that seemingly Blue Origin and Sierra Space no longer see the Orbital Reef as a top priority.
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