A digital rendering of Blue Origin’s free-flying commercial space station, Orbital Reef. Photo: Blue Origin

The European Space Agency (ESA), Thales Alenia Space and Blue Origin are teaming up as they look to co-operate in areas such as human spaceflight, science, technology and commercial capabilities. The aim will be to foster and facilitate commercial and industrial advancements in the area of space exploration in Low-Earth Orbit (LEO). Thales Alenia Space announced the MoU on June 18.

The signatories will explore opportunities for European payloads and/or crew members to utilize on a non-exclusive basis the LEO space station Orbital Reef, Blue Origin’s commercial space station that is planned to offer end-to-end services, including transportation of crew and cargo, astronaut accommodations, and payload utilization services.

Through this MoU, ESA intends to develop a closer relationship with Blue Origin and Thales Alenia Space for the development of Orbital Reef, that could provide services meeting Europe’s long-term research and commercial needs in alignment with ESA’s recently announced requirements.

“This alliance is a unique opportunity to not only enable a new era of research and progress in orbit, but to welcome the broadest spectrum of partners in constructing humanity’s future beyond Earth. Together, we are building foundations for industries and missions yet to be imagined,” Pat Remias, vice president, Advanced Concepts and Enterprise Engineering, Blue Origin, said in a statement.

Blue Origin’s other partners for Orbital Reef include Sierra Space, Boeing, Redwire, AWS, Genesis Engineering, and Arizona State University. Orbital Reef is supported by a NASA Space Act Agreement.