Orbital Reef: development of a commercial LEO station by Blue Origin and partners (2019–2026)

1. NASA pivots toward commercial LEO destinations

   Mar 23, 2021Labels: NASA, ISS

   • NASA NextSTEP

2. Sierra Space and Redwire sign manufacturing MOU

   May 19, 2021Labels: Sierra Space, Redwire

   • Redwire Filing

3. Blue Origin unveils Orbital Reef station concept

   Oct 25, 2021Labels: Blue Origin, Orbital Reef

   • CNBC
   • GeekWire

4. Orbital Reef partner team is detailed publicly

   Oct 27, 2021Labels: Blue Origin, Sierra Space

   • NASASpaceFlight

5. NASA selects Orbital Reef for CLD funding

   Dec 2, 2021Labels: NASA, Orbital Reef

   • NASA Release
   • CNBC

6. Sierra Space completes first sub-scale LIFE burst test

   Sep 13, 2022Labels: Sierra Space, LIFE habitat

   • Sierra Space
   • LIFE Overview

7. Second sub-scale LIFE test exceeds NASA needs

   Dec 13, 2022Labels: Sierra Space, LIFE habitat

   • Sierra Space
   • LIFE Overview

8. Partnership uncertainty emerges around Orbital Reef

   Sep 28, 2023Labels: Blue Origin, Sierra Space

   • CNBC

9. NASA adds $42 million and new Orbital Reef milestones

   Jan 5, 2024Labels: NASA, Orbital Reef

   • NASA Update

10. Sierra Space announces full-scale LIFE habitat burst test

    Jan 22, 2024Labels: Sierra Space, LIFE habitat

    • Ars Technica
    • LIFE Overview

11. NASA highlights Orbital Reef human-in-the-loop milestone

    Apr 16, 2025Labels: NASA, Orbital Reef

    • NASA Progress

12. NASA’s Phase 2 station contracting shifts to “on hold”

    Jan 28, 2026Labels: NASA, CLDC

    • NASA CLDC