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NASA Supports Blue Origin for Commercial Space Station

With this collaborative model, NASA believes it can save more costs and focus on basic research and exploration.

JAKARTA – NASA finally selected three companies that were eligible for funding to develop the Commercial Space Station. One of them is Blue Origin.

Blue Origin, along with Nanoracks LLC and Northrop Grumman, were selected after defeating 8 other companies that also submitted their design proposals in the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development (CLD) program initiated by NASA in July 2021.

As noted above, this program aims to support the development of commercial space stations, the larger plan of which is to provide a replacement for the current International Space Station (ISS).

Through this development, the Space Station will be fully managed by the private sector. Meanwhile, the United States Space Agency will only become customers who use the services of these private parties.

With this collaborative model, NASA believes it can save more costs and focus on basic research and exploration. Instead of spending big money on the management of stations and flights.

“We are partnering with US companies to develop space destinations, where people can visit, live and work. (Thus) enable NASA to continue to forge a path in outer space for the benefit of mankind, while encouraging commercial activity in outer space.” said NASA Administrator, Bill Nelson, as published on their official website.

As elected, a total of US$ 415.6 million will be obtained by the three companies from the United States in a Space Act agreement. The three will get different funds to develop their respective Space Stations

Like Blue Origin, which will get US$130 million in funding, to develop the concept of a free-flying space station (free-flying space station) which is named the Orbital Reef. Teamed up with spacecraft maker Sierra Space.

There is also Northrop Grumman who received funding of US $ 125.6 million to develop a modular space station concept similar to the Cygnus spacecraft, in collaboration with Dynetics.

The last and the biggest is Nanoracks LLC, with funds reaching US $ 160 million to develop their Space Station under the name Starlab. Collaborating with Voyager Space and Lockheed Martin

Already announced in October 2021, Starlab is a Space Station designed to accommodate up to four astronauts and conduct advanced research in biology, materials science and more.

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