NASA Notes Key Milestone in Blue Origin's Orbital Reef Development

NASA Notes Key Milestone in Blue Origin's Orbital Reef Development
by Clarence Oxford
Los Angeles CA (SPX) Apr 22, 2025

A significant step forward has been achieved in the development of Blue Origin's Orbital Reef, a NASA-backed commercial space station concept, as the project recently passed an important human-in-the-loop testing phase. This test supports NASA's broader goal of advancing commercially operated destinations in low Earth orbit.

The human-in-the-loop tests involved individuals or small teams conducting simulated daily activities within life-size replicas of Orbital Reef modules. These scenarios included microgravity-based tasks such as handling cargo, managing waste, assessing stowage options, and evaluating worksites. Participants provided usability feedback throughout the simulations.

"Human-in-the-loop and iterative testing are essential to inform key decisions and mitigate risks to crew health and safety," said Angela Hart, program manager for NASA's Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at Johnson Space Center. "NASA's insight into our partner's testing milestones enables the agency to gain insight into partner progress and share expertise, ultimately improving industry and NASA's mission success."

The milestone stems from a 2021 Space Act Agreement between NASA and Blue Origin. It centers on the architectural layout of the station's modules, which includes floor plans, worksite configurations, and crew navigation paths. These elements are crucial to ensuring Orbital Reef can sustain human life and enable advanced research in microgravity.

During the evaluation, focus areas included private sleeping quarters, a communal dining space, sanitation facilities, scientific workspaces, and docking interfaces. To support this, Blue Origin constructed modular mockups of each deck within the planned habitation module. These mockups are designed for iterative updates as components and subsystems mature.

Findings from the test will guide refinements in module volume, interior arrangement, user interaction with onboard systems, ergonomic support features, and the overall usability of equipment and interfaces.

NASA's broader effort includes backing several commercial space station concepts, both through direct funding and collaborative agreements. As the design phase progresses, the agency plans to transition to service contracts with selected providers. Under this future model, NASA envisions becoming one of several clients utilizing low Earth orbit platforms.

With more than two decades of continuous human activity aboard the International Space Station, NASA is preparing for a new era where commercial platforms like Orbital Reef will carry forward the legacy of sustained space habitation and research.