[imagesource: Blue Origin]

The commercial space race is revving up big time and Jeff Bezos may just be in the lead.

For now, at least.

One might have thought that flying to the edge of space in his own Blue Origin rockets and breaking the record for sending the oldest person ever into space, twice, would be enough for him.

But alas, it seems Bezos needs to go above and beyond to shake off the stigma of being teased by his rival Elon Musk, as well as being rejected by NASA with its lucrative $2,9 billion moon lander contract.

That went to Musk’s SpaceX, in case you’re not caught up.

Anyway, Bezos’ Blue Origin just announced plans to put the first commercial space station into orbit.

It is claimed that the station, dubbed “Orbital Reef”, will basically be a kind of sub-WeWork, but in space. Sorry, I mean a “mixed-use business park” in space.

The craft is set to combine research and tourism facilities, as well as provide an office address in space for businesses, per the BBC:

Blue Origin said the 32 000 sq ft station would provide customers with an ideal location for “film-making in microgravity” or “conducting cutting-edge research” and said it would also include a “space hotel”.

The aim is to have the “commercially developed, owned, and operated space station” built in low Earth orbit (LEO), and up and running by the end of the decade when it will be able to host up to 10 people at once.

Blue Origin is partnering with Sierra Space, Boeing, and Arizona State University to make this all happen.

Orbital Reef is calling on its customers already, who will include “seasoned space agencies, high-tech consortia, sovereign nations without space programs, media and travel companies, funded entrepreneurs and sponsored inventors, and future-minded investors”.

The obligatory futuristic promo video of course:

From the press release, here’s Brent Sherwood, the Senior Vice President of Advanced Development Programs for Blue Origin:

“For over sixty years, NASA and other space agencies have developed orbital space flight and space habitation, setting us up for commercial business to take off in this decade,” said Sherwood.

“We will expand access, lower the cost, and provide all the services and amenities needed to normalize space flight. A vibrant business ecosystem will grow in low Earth orbit, generating new discoveries, new products, new entertainments, and global awareness.”

Interestingly, this was all announced at the same time that NASA put out a search for proposals to replace the 20-year-old International Space Station (ISS):

While funding for the station has been guaranteed until at least 2030, the outpost is in desperate need of repairs.

Russian officials have previously warned that its cosmonauts could leave the station by 2025 over fears outdated equipment could trigger a major incident.

In response, NASA announced plans earlier this year to award $400 [million] in private contracts to space companies to help the agency replace the ageing outpost.

While NASA can’t make money from the commercialisation of space as it is a government agency, notes VICE, others are interested in making an extra buck in orbit.

This includes the likes of Nanoracks, Voyager Space, and Lockheed Martin, all working in partnership to launch a space station into low orbit by 2027.

You better get going then, Bezos.

[sources:bbc&vice]