Jeff Bezos, the founder and executive chairman of Amazon, expressed optimism about the future of his space exploration company, Blue Origin, under the incoming administration of US President-elect Donald Trump.
Speaking to Reuters, Bezos said he is confident that the space industry will flourish in the coming years and appeared unperturbed by Elon Musk’s influence on Trump’s space agenda.
Bezos bullish on space business
Bezos, whose Blue Origin competes with Musk’s SpaceX and Richard Branson’s Virgin Galactic, noted that he had not yet discussed the space business with Trump.
However, he expressed confidence in the industry’s growth potential under the new administration.
“I’m optimistic that the industry will thrive,” Bezos said, adding that he believes both Mars and the Moon should be prioritised, rather than focusing on one over the other.
Bezos trusts Elon Musk’s intentions
The billionaire also commented on Musk’s role in shaping US space policy, stating he trusts Musk to prioritise public interest over personal gain.
“Elon has been very clear that he’s doing this for the public interest and not for his personal gain. And I take him at face value,” Bezos said, emphasizing that competition is essential for the industry’s progress.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn Rocket ready for launch
Bezos’ optimism coincides with the impending launch of New Glenn, Blue Origin’s first orbital rocket, from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida.
Scheduled for January 13, the rocket’s maiden flight marks a significant milestone for the company.
Measuring approximately 320 feet (98 meters), New Glenn generates over twice the power of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket during liftoff.
This mission will carry the Blue Ring Pathfinder, a demonstration technology developed by Blue Origin, marking a critical milestone in the company’s orbital ambitions.
Powered by seven BE-4 engines at the base of its first-stage booster, New Glenn will deliver a strong initial thrust to propel it into space.
After consuming most of its fuel, the first-stage booster will detach from the upper rocket portion, which includes the Blue Ring Pathfinder payload.
While the upper stage continues toward orbit, reaching speeds of about 17,500 miles per hour—nearly 23 times the speed of sound—the payload will remain attached for the entire six-hour mission, as no satellites will be deployed on this flight.
The booster will attempt a reusable landing maneuver, similar to SpaceX’s approach, to enable refurbishment and cost efficiency.
Using fins and strakes for guidance, it will aim for a recovery platform named Jacklyn, after Jeff Bezos’ mother.
Before landing, the booster will reignite some of its engines and deploy six large landing legs to stabilize itself on the platform.
Meanwhile, the upper stage of New Glenn, with two vacuum-optimized engines, will carry the Blue Ring Pathfinder experiment deeper into orbit.
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