Sierra Space

Orbital Reef

In Development

Commercial mixed-use station in LEO co-led with Blue Origin, with Boeing, Redwire, and others as partners. Sierra provides LIFE habitats, node modules, and Dream Chaser transport; Blue Origin provides core infrastructure, power/thermal mast, and New Glenn launch. NASA posted CLDC solicitation 80JSC027R0004 on Oct. 9, 2026. As of Oct. 28, 2026, neither Sierra Space nor Blue Origin has said Orbital Reef will be proposed. A stated plan to compete would not be an award.

Latest update Oct 28, 2026

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Current status

Final RFP posted Oct. 9, 2026. Pre-proposal charts posted Oct. 15, 2026. Full proposals are due Dec. 8, 2026 at 1:00 p.m. Central. NASA still plans a spring 2027 award and has left the actual award date blank. No LIFE pathfinder launch date was found on Sierra's newsroom or Blue Origin's news index.

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Specifications1

NASA CLD Phase 1 award (Blue Origin prime)
$130 million base, up to $172 million

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Upcoming milestones2

Announced next steps from Sierra Space that mention Orbital Reef.

  1. Dec 8, 2026

    See whether Blue Origin and Sierra submit Orbital Reef under CLDC 80JSC027R0004

  2. Spring 2027

    NASA CLD Phase 2 award (Orbital Reef bid)

    Orbital Reef is Sierra/Blue Origin's bid for NASA's Commercial LEO Destinations Phase 2 ISS-successor contract. NASA posted a CLDC presolicitation on September 4, 2026 saying the final RFP is expected at the end of September, with proposals due 60 days later and selection still targeted for spring 2027.

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More from Sierra Space4

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