Bezos space firm makes history with reusable rocket breakthrough
Technology
Bezos space firm makes history with reusable rocket breakthrough
The private space firm founded by Internet entrepreneur Jeff Bezos claimed a breakthrough for its space travel efforts Tuesday with the launch of a reusable rocket. The unmanned New Shepard rocket blasted off from its west Texas launch site and then returned and landed safely, representing a coup for space flight. Being able to refly a rocket will slash launch costs, a game-changer for the space industry, Bezos said.
Our long-term vision is millions of people living and working in space and continuing to explore the solar system, and reusability is a total game-changer for that.
Jeff Bezos
The successful launch and landing puts Blue Origin ahead of rival SpaceX — founded by another Internet entrepreneur, Elon Musk — which has so far failed to accomplish the same feat. About two more years of test flights are planned before the space transportation company will offer rides to passengers.
It’s kind of a flying robot that can fly into space, bring itself back and land so we don’t have to put pilots at risk during the test program. Once we are completely confident in the vehicle we will start taking people up into space.
Jeff Bezos
