During 2022, Jeff Bezos lost 85,000 million dollars according to data from Forbes, but that doesn’t stop him from following his dream of going into space. the aerospace company blue originowned by the founder of Amazonis building Orbital Reef, the first space business center in history. It is expected to be in orbit by 2027 and, in addition to ‘rent’ offices for terrestrial companiesmight replace the International Space Station (ISS).
“Designed to open up multiple new markets in space, Orbital Reef will give anyone the opportunity to set their own direction in orbit. This unique destination will offer research, industrial, international and commercial clients the cost-effective end-to-end services they need, including space transportation and logistics, space habitation, equipment accommodation and operations, including onboard crew. ”, they explain on their official page.
Sounds great, but what exactly is Orbital Reef?
Blue Origin has described Orbital Reef as “a mixed-use business park” outside the Earth, destined for the trade, tourism, research and development.
This would be the world’s first private and commercially operated space station, as the ISS is financed by various governments. For this project, the Bezos company collaborates with Sierra Spacea startup aerospace company based in Colorado, United States, part of Sierra Space Corporation. Other firms involved in the project are Boeing, Redwire Space Y Genesis Engineering Solutionsas well as the Arizona State University.
Jeff Bezos revealed his plans in October 2021, and there has been some progress since then. Just two months later, in December, NASA signed agreements with Blue Origin and two other companies (Nanoracks and Northrop Grumann), with the aim of developing space stations and other destinations “to commercialize activities in space.”
the american agency gave $130 million to Orbital Reef through the Commercial Low-Earth Orbit Development (CLDP) program, which seeks have at least one private space station in operation before decommissioning the ISS, i.e. before 2023.
This will be the offices of Jeff Bezos in space
Orbital Reef is a planned low-Earth orbit space station, which will hover about 400 kilometers (250 miles) from our planet. It is designed to house up to 10 occupants and cover all the vital and professional needs of businessmen in the space.
In addition to the office blocks, it will have rooms to accommodate travelers, as well as recreational and rest areas. There will even be some vegetation in growing stations, so as not to miss the earthly nature so much, and food areas with typical food from space: dehydrated and vacuum-packed things, mostly.
The structure will open its doors to research facilities equipped with machinery and technology to support researchers and developers in their space adventures.
The occupants would arrive there aboard the Dream Chasera recyclable supersonic space plane with seating for up to 12 passengers.
Dream Chaser is expected to carry out its first manned mission sometime in 2026, while Orbital Reef is expected to be completed and installed in orbit the following year. Meanwhile, the supersonic aircraft already has a $3 billion contract with NASA to carry cargo and crew to the International Space Station, notes Trade.
Jeff Bezos wants to take your company ‘out of this world’
Orbital Reef is designed for companies in sectors such as research, industry and trade. Among its potential customers are, in addition to the large corporationsthe governments of some countries Y space tourists.
Those who ‘rent’ a stay in the space station of Jeff Bezos and Sierra Space transportation, housing in space, and access to scientific equipment will be covered. In addition, they will be able to put “Orbital Reef” as official addressAlthough we don’t know if it’s a good idea.
“(Businesses) can register their business address for use, lease or ownership. The invoices issued and the contracts drawn up can easily carry a legal and verifiable address that cannot be found in any country in the world”, they point out from design boom.
At the end of December 2022, Tom Vice assured in an interview that We are at the gates of “the Orbital Age”, a milestone that could be compared to the Industrial Revolution or the arrival of the internet. In that sense, Sierra Space and Blue Origin seek to spearhead the development of real estate in the space.
“This project will service many different opportunities for the new space economy,” Vice added. He also highlighted “the progress our team is making to enable the next chapter in space commercialization.”
First we have to get good at building commercial economies in Low Earth Orbit… Then we will move to the lunar surface, 250,000 miles away, before figuring out how to live on a planet that is 35 million miles away (Mars).
Tom Vice, CEO of Sierra Space.
In July 2022, NASA gave it the go-ahead after successfully passing several functionality and performance evaluations. This allowed them to advance to the design phase. Last December, the test of an inflatable space habitat prototype, where future astronauts will live, was successfully completed.
“It is essential technology to allow humans to start developing new civilizations in space safely and comfortably,” he said. Tom Vice, CEO of Sierra Space.
Mairem Del Rio Addicted to watching series and movies, doing (a little) exercise and changing my hair color. I am also a journalist, with more than 16 years of experience and dedicated 100% to digital media since 2011. I have been from a reporter and community manager, to an editor in various media and agencies. My areas of expertise are as diverse as they are contrasting: entertainment, travel, lifestyle, health, business, and finance. Now I am focused on the entrepreneurial ecosystem, cryptocurrencies, NFTs, metaverses and the promising cannabis industry in Mexico.