Bezos and Musk envision a future where space travel is frequent and colonization possible. Their companies are trying to reduce the cost of space travel by making rockets reusable and they are conducting test launches more frequently. SpaceX rockets are bigger and can be used to deliver people, supplies and equipment to space. Blue Origin rockets are smaller and would be used to bring tourists to the edge of space for a few minutes of weightlessness.
Rocket companies can get business from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration to take people, equipment and supplies into space. Satellite companies also need rockets to get communications equipment into orbit. SpaceX plans to fly 18 missions into space this year, triple the number of 2015.
While some have played up the rivalry between SpaceX and Blue Origin, Bezos said he didn’t see the companies’ efforts in the space business as a competition with winners and losers.
“There can be many winners,” Bezos said. “The more the merrier.”
Blue Origin hit a milestone last year by launching and landing its New Shepard rocket, which it repeated earlier this month. Musk had his own achievement last Friday when a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket landed upright on a drone ship floating in the Atlantic, something that had been attempted previously without success. The rocket and Dragon spacecraft delivered supplies to the International Space Station. Musk said SpaceX plans to relaunch the rocket in June.