Technology Partnership for Orbital Reef Formed Between Sierra Space, MHI

Sierra Space and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MIH) have formed a technology partnership for the development of the Orbital Reef private space station.

"At Sierra Space we are building a platform in space to benefit life on Earth. We are proud to formalize a long-standing relationship with MHI and look forward to leveraging its considerable technological expertise, as we continue building Orbital Reef and the next generation of space transportation.”

Tom Vice, Sierra Space CEO.

The MOU agreement outlines plans for the two companies to work together on a wide range of technologies regarding the development of Orbital Reef, a commercially developed, owned and operated space station to be built in low Earth orbit (LEO) by investors Sierra Space and Blue Origin.

Sierra Space and MHI have commenced work on incorporating MHI expertise in the development of Orbital Reef, bringing in technologies and expertise from MHI’s years of experience with the International Space Station (ISS) program under the technology partnership.

"At Sierra Space we are building a platform in space to benefit life on Earth,” said Tom Vice, Sierra Space CEO. “We are proud to formalize a long-standing relationship with MHI and look forward to leveraging its considerable technological expertise, as we continue building Orbital Reef and the next generation of space transportation.”

“MHI is very excited to collaborate with Sierra Space and use MHI’s technologies and experience earned over years to contribute to the development of Orbital Reef, the program led by Sierra Space, Blue Origin and their international partners,” said Tomoe Nishigaya, Vice President and Senior General Manager of Space Systems at MHI. “We look forward to further collaboration with Sierra Space as to how MHI’s technologies, products and services may provide better experience for users and customers of the space station. Additionally, MHI plans to cooperate with JAXA and other aerospace companies in Japan, leveraging strong relationships built through participation in the ISS program.”

Orbital Reef will occupy a mid-inclination, 500-kilometer (≈310-mile) orbit. According to the Orbital Reef website, the baseline configuration has separate science and habitation zones, and supports 10 in an area nearly as large as the ISS.

(Source: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries news release. Image from file)