NASA and Blue Abyss ink 10-year partnership
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Blue Abyss, the U.K.-based company that wants to train commercial astronauts at a proposed facility in Brook Park, has entered into a new partnership with NASA.
Why it matters: It positions Blue Abyss as a major player in the commercial space industry and cements Brook Park — already home to NASA Glenn and the Ohio Aerospace Institute — as an international hub for outer space R&D.
Between the lines: It also legitimizes Blue Abyss' foray into North America as it continues to seek financing for its $235 million Ohio project.
Zoom in: The language of the 10-year "Space Act Agreement" is broad, but focuses on research and development for extreme environments. NASA and Blue Abyss will work collaboratively to:
- Develop commercial capabilities for astronaut selection and training;
- Research human and machine performance in "extreme gravity conditions";
- Map out future infrastructure needs for advanced simulation facilities.
Catch up quick: Blue Abyss plans to break ground in Brook Park, its first facility outside the U.K., later this year.
- It will house a pool designed to train astronauts and deep-sea divers and allow for third-party military and industrial research.
What's next: The first phase of the Space Act Agreement is a 10-year market study, which will determine what sorts of infrastructure Blue Abyss may require to conduct its research.
- Blue Abyss expects to complete that by June.