Yesterday we reported on ‘Starlab’, the new space station that will come to house astronauts in low Earth orbit that is in the hands of the three US companies called Nanoracks, Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin. As if that were not enough, Blue Origin (Jeff Bezos’ space company) also wants to build its own station with the same purpose as the previous one.
The first tests were carried out in October 2020.
The name it will receive will be ‘Orbital Reef’ and it is expected to begin operating between 2025 and 2030. As reported by Blue Origin, said space station will be “a mixed-use business park” and “a first-class commercial destination in low Earth orbit ” .
This infrastructure will be based on an open architecture system, offering different uses depending on the type of client that uses it, although it can mainly be used for scientific purposes to open up new types of markets in space . In this way, Blue Origin could also offer a more extreme space tourism, leaving its ‘New Shepard’ rocket behind.
Orbital Reef will have a maximum capacity of ten people even though it is smaller than the International Space Station , however it will have separate areas for habitat, scientific and research purposes.
Orbital Reef seen from within.Orbital Reef seen from within.Blue origin
When it will go into orbit and the cost of the project
Blue Origin has stressed that it wants to create competition.
Blue Origin wants to send the space station modules aboard the ‘New Glenn’ rocket that is still in the development and testing phase , in addition, they are working with the Sierra Space company because they are responsible for carrying out the housing system that It will have Orbital Reef integrated. The facility is expected to have built-in three stories high, a kitchen and a spatial garden.
If you are wondering when you will be able to see said space station, I have to tell you that in ten years Orbital Reef will be placed in orbit . At the moment, the cost of the construction has not been disclosed either , although it seems that the project has a great deal of funding from Jeff Bezos .
