Though we thought there were no further depths of depravity to which US billionaire entrepreneur Jeff Bezos could sink, his company Blue Origin has announced plans for a “mixed-use business park” in space, because apparently there weren’t enough on Earth already.
Orbital Reef, to be built in low Earth orbit, will be commercially owned, operated, and developed, and is slated to begin operating in the second half of this decade.
Blue Origin has attracted a number of high-profile space industry partners for the project, including Boeing, Redwire Space, Genesis Engineering Solutions, and Arizona State University, all of whom seem to have decided that commuting to work isn’t inconvenient enough as it is.
According to Brent Sherwood, Senior Vice President of Advanced Development Programs for Blue Origin, Orbital Reef will allow commercial business to “take off” in space.
“We will expand access, lower the cost, and provide all the services and amenities needed to normalise space flight. A vibrant business ecosystem will grow in low Earth orbit, generating new discoveries, new products, new entertainments, and global awareness,” he said.
The Donaldson Sisters understands that, at this stage, the Orbital Reef mixed-use business park will contain an Officeworks, a Fitness First gym, five commercial law firms, two ad agencies, and a café selling lukewarm coffee and Balfours doughnuts at extortionate prices.
