NASA announced an updated plan to maintain a continuous U.S. presence in low Earth orbit by transitioning from the International Space Station (ISS) to commercially owned and operated platforms. This shift set the policy and funding context that later enabled multiple private space-station concepts, including Orbital Reef, to compete for NASA partnership support.
Sierra Space announced a memorandum of understanding with Redwire to explore in-space manufacturing and services. Agreements like this helped build an industrial base and business case for future commercial stations, where companies would need steady research and manufacturing customers.
Blue Origin publicly introduced Orbital Reef, a proposed commercial space station described as a “mixed-use business park” in orbit. The concept was presented as a place for research, manufacturing, and tourism, and it was positioned to support NASA’s planned transition beyond the ISS.
Reporting following the announcement outlined a multi-organization team around Orbital Reef, including Blue Origin and Sierra Space with other major partners. This clarified how the station was expected to be built and operated, with different companies responsible for habitats, operations support, research, and other systems.
NASA selected Blue Origin for a funded Space Act Agreement under its Commercial LEO Destinations (CLD) effort. The award supported early design and risk-reduction work aimed at creating commercial stations that NASA could later use as a customer.
Sierra Space completed a sub-scale “ultimate burst pressure” test of its inflatable LIFE habitat design, a key building block planned for Orbital Reef. Burst testing is a controlled way to prove the strength margins of a pressure shell before committing to crew-rated designs.
Sierra Space reported a second successful sub-scale LIFE test that exceeded NASA certification requirements. Repeated testing matters because it helps show the design is consistent and can meet safety margins, not just succeed once.
Reports indicated Blue Origin and Sierra Space were considering ending or restructuring their Orbital Reef partnership, as both companies prioritized other major programs. The uncertainty highlighted a key challenge for commercial stations: keeping a complex, multi-company program aligned over multiple years.
NASA modified its agreement with Blue Origin to add new technical milestones and provide additional funding for Orbital Reef, raising the total award to $172 million. NASA said the added work included subsystem design reviews and life-support-related testing such as water filtration and atmospheric monitoring.
Sierra Space announced a successful full-scale burst pressure test of a LIFE habitat pressure shell, reporting it exceeded required safety margins. This type of test provides data needed to move from concept designs toward hardware that could eventually support crewed operations.
NASA reported that Orbital Reef completed a “human-in-the-loop” testing milestone using life-sized mockups for day-in-the-life scenarios. These walkthroughs help designers refine layouts, movement paths, and work areas to reduce risks to crew health and safety before building flight hardware.
NASA’s Johnson Space Center procurement page stated that the planned Commercial LEO Destination Contract (CLDC) acquisition was on hold as NASA aligned timelines with national space policy and operational objectives. The notice also said NASA would continue supporting industry through funded Space Act Agreements for the next phase, signaling an ongoing but adjusted path toward certifying and buying commercial station services.
Orbital Reef: development of a commercial LEO station by Blue Origin and partners (2019–2026)