Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos expressed confidence that Elon Musk would not leverage his relationship with U.S. President-elect Donald Trump to gain an unfair advantage for SpaceX. Speaking with Reuters in Cape Canaveral, Florida, Bezos emphasized his belief in Musk’s commitment to the public interest, stating, “Elon has been very clear that he’s doing this for the public interest and not for his personal gain.”
Blue Origin’s New Glenn Launch
Bezos was in Florida to witness the debut launch of New Glenn, a towering 30-story rocket that marks Blue Origin’s long-awaited entry into the satellite launch market. The rocket is positioned to challenge SpaceX’s dominance, signaling a new era of competition in the private space sector.
NASA’s Future: Moon and Mars Missions
Bezos weighed in on NASA’s exploration strategy, advocating for a balanced approach to lunar and Martian missions. “We need to go to the moon and we should go to Mars,” he said. He cautioned against abandoning one program for the other, emphasizing the importance of consistency in NASA’s agenda.
Musk, who has publicly pushed for direct missions to Mars over returning to the moon, has raised concerns of a potential shake-up in NASA’s priorities. Meanwhile, Trump’s incoming administration is expected to focus heavily on Mars exploration while re-evaluating lunar programs.
Trump’s Influence on the Space Industry
Musk’s significant financial contributions to Trump’s campaign—exceeding $250 million—and his influence on space-related policies have drawn attention within the industry. However, Bezos dismissed concerns of bias, highlighting a shared vision for advancing space exploration.
Amazon, founded by Bezos, has also contributed $1 million to Trump’s inauguration fund and plans to stream the event on Prime Video. Despite Bezos’ meeting with Trump, space exploration has not been a major topic of discussion between the two.
Blue Origin’s Lunar Plans
Blue Origin is advancing its lunar ambitions with a $3 billion NASA contract to land humans on the moon later this decade, following SpaceX’s Starship missions. Musk’s Starship, designed for full reusability, is seen as a key vehicle for transporting humans and cargo to both the moon and Mars.
Bezos’ comments underscore a cautiously optimistic view of the evolving dynamics between the private space sector and government space policies under Trump’s administration.