Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin accuses Elon Musk’s SpaceX of safety and environmental risks

Blue Origin, led by Jeff Bezos, urges restrictions on SpaceX launches from NASA's Kennedy Space Center over safety and environmental issues.

Business Jun 27, 2024 0 13 Add to Reading List

Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin accuses Elon Musk’s SpaceX of safety and environmental risks

Blue Origin, the space company owned by Jeff Bezos and a rival to Elon Musk’s SpaceX, has lodged a complaint with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) about the environmental impact of SpaceX's Starship rocket launches. Blue Origin is urging the FAA to limit the number of launches SpaceX can conduct from NASA's Kennedy Space Center.

In the complaint, Blue Origin outlined several concerns, noting that the launches could emit dangerous chemicals into the air, create loud noises, disrupt nearby towns due to road closures, and pose potential risks to people and property from explosions or debris, according to Interesting Engineering.

Blue Origin also raised concerns about Starship's impact on the Kennedy Space Center, where it occupies a significant manufacturing site.

This issue emerges as the FAA prepares an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the approval of SpaceX's Starship, the largest rocket in the world. According to Mashable, Starship has conducted four flights since April 2023, achieving space orbit twice.

Jeff Bezos vs. Elon Musk: A Timeline

Founded in 2000, just two years prior to SpaceX, Blue Origin has primarily conducted brief space trips lasting only a few minutes. In contrast, SpaceX regularly transports astronauts to the International Space Station, recycles rocket boosters after each launch, and has successfully landed boosters on sea platforms, as reported.

Blue Origin has consistently opposed the development of Starship, citing concerns over its size and fuel consumption. According to Futurism, Jeff Bezos filed a lawsuit against NASA in August 2021 challenging its SpaceX contract, which was later dismissed by a federal claims court. Nevertheless, NASA awarded Blue Origin a separate contract for lunar lander development last year.

Similarly, in 2021, Amazon's satellite broadband venture, Kuiper Systems, attempted to impede SpaceX's Starlink expansion.

In response, Elon Musk accused Bezos of "retiring to focus full-time on suing SpaceX," underscoring the ongoing competition and friction between the two prominent figures in the tech industry.

Starship had previously completed a comprehensive environmental assessment by the FAA for its operations in South Texas. Recently, the regulator announced that SpaceX was granted its fourth test flight license earlier this month.