The Orbital Reef space station partnership between Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and Sierra Space is on rocky footing, CNBC has learned. The companies announced Orbital Reef as a co-led project in 2021, but updates about the project dried up in the past year. It's becoming increasingly likely that Blue Origin and Sierra Space will go their separate ways, leaving behind joint efforts to develop Orbital Reef, according to those sources. Shortly after unveiling the Orbital Reef project, Blue Origin won a $130 million contract from NASA for design work on the private space station. "Our team is currently testing window frames and materials in a relevant space environment," Blue Origin said, without mentioning Orbital Reef by name.

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Persons: Jeff Bezos, It's, Rebecca Wickes, Wickes, Sierra Organizations: CNBC, Space, Origin, NASA, Sierra