WASHINGTON: Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by billionaire Jeff Bezos, expects to break up a corporate partnership formed years ago to build a commercial space station, reassigning staff and changing leadership as it adapts to more urgent priorities, according to several people familiar with the changes.

Earlier this year, the company reassigned a majority of its employees working on Orbital Reef, a commercial space station it had planned to build with Sierra Space, according to three sources familiar with the moves.

The staff went to other programmes such as Blue Origin’s new moon lander contract with the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) and a closely held in-space mobility project.

The shake-up of the Orbital Reef team shows the rocky state of industry plans to build a private replacement to the two decade-old International Space Station, the work of multiple government space agencies that has cost more than US$100bil.

In addition, the head of Blue Origin’s Advanced Development Programmes that oversees Orbtial Reef, Brent Sherwood, plans to leave the company by the end of the year, two sources said.

The sources spoke on the condition they not be identified as the changes have not been disclosed publicly. CNBC had reported that the partnership was in question, but had no details on the staff reassignments or Sherwood’s departure.

A Blue Origin spokesperson said Sierra will remain a partner on Orbital Reef but declined to say in what capacity.

Amazon.com founder Bezos, who started Blue Origin in 2000, has been looking to inject a sense of urgency into the company as some important programmes face steep hurdles.

Last week, Bezos told Blue Origin employees that longtime Amazon executive Dave Limp would replace Blue Origin’s current chief executive officer by the end of the year.

 - Reuters