It’s possible that smaller pieces of the station could fly on other commercial rockets. The plan is to also launch most of Orbital Reef’s modules on Blue Origin’s future New Glenn rocket - another rocket that hasn’t flown yet. Dream Chaser has yet to fly, and Starliner has not flown people to orbit yet. The companies said they envision that Boeing’s new Starliner spacecraft and Sierra Space’s Dream Chaser would provide human and cargo transport to Orbital Reef. “The question you’re asking is part of our business case and not going to give you a specific number,” Brent Sherwood, senior vice president of advanced development programs for Blue Origin, said when asked about the total cost of Orbital Reef. “As the premier commercial destination in low Earth orbit, Orbital Reef will provide the essential infrastructure needed to scale economic activity and open new markets in space,” Blue Origin writes in a press release.ĭuring a press conference, Blue Origin and its teammates refused to detail how much the space station would cost, nor would they say how much investment each of the partners would provide for the project. Blue Origin also claims that it will provide “end-to-end” services for anyone wishing to use the station, from transportation, leasing space, technological assistance with hardware, and robotic services. A list of possible users included space agencies, media and travel companies, entrepreneurs and investors, tech companies, and more, according to Blue Origin. Blue Origin boasts that the space station will have an “open system architecture” that will allow a variety of people and customers to use the facility.
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The company claims that Orbital Reef will be a “mixed-use business park” in space that will have multiple ports and berths for visiting spacecraft and modules, along with various utilities and amenities. With an internal volume nearly as large as the International Space Station’s, Orbital Reef will be able to house up to 10 people, with separate areas for living and conducting science, according to Blue Origin.
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Orbital Reef will be able to house up to 10 people