Details: Blue Origin has announced a partnership with Sierra Space to create “Orbital Reef,” a commercial space station in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). This mixed-use space station, which is expected to be finished by the end of this decade, will help with business, research, tourism, and the commercialization of low-Earth orbit. What happened: After standing down as Amazon’s CEO, Jeff Bezos has made it his personal mission to transform the business he created in 2000 into a commercial space superpower. The station is effectively a “business park,” where common infrastructure meets the demands of many different users, in keeping up with the purpose of increasing access to space. “Building a road to space so our children may construct the future,” Bezos spoke of his aim. What is Low-Earth-Orbit (LEO) : A low Earth orbit (LEO) is an orbit that is quite close to the Earth’s surface, as the name implies. It is generally less than 1000 kilometres above Earth’s surface, although it might be as low as 160 kilometres – a low altitude relative to other orbits, but still a long way above the surface. Purpose of orbital reef: The ultimate goal of the Orbital Reef is to provide the infrastructure needed to grow economic activity and develop new markets, in space. The station will reduce the cost and complexity for existing and emerging of space firms, such as commercial space companies, government research institutions, and private institutes, by combining reusable space transportation, smart design, enhanced automation, and logistics.