Blue Origin, the space company founded by Jeff Bezos, has achieved a significant milestone in its contract with NASA to develop a new space station, Orbital Reef. The $172 million contract aims to create a space station capable of supporting both astronauts and tourists.

NASA’s investment in potential replacements for the International Space Station has led to the collaboration between Blue Origin and Sierra Space in the development of Orbital Reef. Recently, NASA announced that Blue Origin has successfully passed four key milestones, demonstrating the progress of Orbital Reef’s crucial technology.

One of the notable achievements is the development of a system to recycle urine from future astronauts and tourists. These milestones are essential in ensuring that Orbital Reef can sustain human life in space, as stated by Angela Hart, manager of NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program.

The regenerative system on Orbital Reef will play a vital role in providing clean air and water for inhabitants of the space station. Tests conducted by NASA included evaluating the system’s capability to remove impurities from the air, recover urine for recycling, and maintain a water tank.

Similar to the International Space Station, Orbital Reef’s recycling system will transform urine into drinking water, emphasizing the importance of sustainable resource management in space exploration. Former ISS Commander Chris Hadfield highlighted the purity of the recycled water, reassuring its safety for consumption.

With the successful completion of these milestones, Blue Origin’s Orbital Reef project is making significant strides towards establishing a sustainable and habitable space station, marking a pivotal moment in the future of space exploration.