Jeff Bezos beats Elon Musk's SpaceX in the reusable rocket race. Blue Origin, the private space firm owned by Amazon's Jeff Bezos, has just dropped a huge gauntlet in the race to develop a reusable rocket. It just launched its New Shepard space vehicle (video, below), consisting of a BE-3 rocket and crew capsule, to the edge of space at a suborbital altitude of 100.5 kilometers (62 miles). The capsule then separated and touched down beneath a parachute, but more importantly, the BE-3 rocket also started its own descent. After the rockets fired at nearly 5,000 feet, it made a a controlled vertical landing at a gentle 4.4 mph.
So far, SpaceX has managed to get its own reusable booster close to its barge platform, but hasn't nailed the landing yet. Elon Musk's company does have a more daunting task, however -- its much larger Falcon 9 reusable first stage is propelling the rocket to an orbital, not suborbital altitude. While SpaceX's rocket separates at a similar height of around 50 miles, its speed at that point is much faster than that of New Shepard -- around Mach 10 compared to Mach 3.7. As a result, it continues to an apogee height of nearly 90 miles, so it has a lot further to fall. During its last attempt, the rocket unfortunately exploded early in the flight, setting the program back significantly.
bezos apollo rocket bezos blue rocket bezos rocket company jeff bezos rocket crash bezos rocket engine jeff bezos rocket engine bezos finds rocket engines bezos finds rocket engines jeff bezos rocket jeff bezos rocket company jeff bezos rocket engine jeff bezos rocket recovery jeff bezos rocket ship jeff bezos rocket crash bezos rocket launch bezos rocket recovery jeff bezos rocket recovery amazon bezos article amazon bezos apology bezos amazon air jeff bezos amazon and the ebook revolution jeff bezos amazon address amazon prime air bezos jeff bezos amazon air amazon jeff bezos email address amazon bezos book amazon's bezos buys washington post amazon bezos brad stone bezos amazon bio amazon jeff bezos book amazon chief bezos buys washington post amazon's jeff bezos buys washington post bloomberg amazon bezos amazon bezos clock bezos amazon ceo amazon chief bezos buys washington post amazon jeff bezos contact amazon jeff bezos culture amazon jeff bezos clock jeff bezos amazon contact info jeff bezos amazon com inc amazon bezos drones amazon bezos drone delivery amazon jeff bezos documentary amazon jeff bezos drone jeff bezos amazon delivery amazon dzefri bezos amazon bezos email amazon bezos empathy amazon bezos ecuador amazon jeff bezos email jeffrey p bezos amazon email amazon bezos foundation amazon bezos father amazon founder bezos to buy washington post bezos amazon fresh jeff bezos amazon forbes jeff bezos amazon facebook jeff bezos amazon future fortune amazon bezos amazon bezos gay marriage amazon bezos greek amazon investors give bezos room to run amazon com founder jeff bezos grew interested amazon bezos hr amazon bezos history amazon's jeff bezos has his clock jeff bezos amazon holdings jeff bezos amazon headquarters jeff bezos amazon historia amazon bezos interview amazon jeff bezos interview amazon bezos jeff amazon jeff bezos email amazon jeff bezos book amazon jeff bezos looks to the future amazon's jeff bezos the ultimate disrupter amazon jeff bezos quotes amazon jeff bezos biography amazon jeff bezos 60 minutes amazon jeff bezos net worth amazon jeff bezos speech amazon kindle bezos amazon jeff bezos keynote jeff bezos amazon kindle amazon bezos letter amazon bezos letter to shareholders amazon jeff bezos looks to the future amazon jeff bezos letter to shareholders 1997 amazon jeff bezos leadership amazon jeff bezos leadership style jeff bezos amazon linkedin jeffrey bezos amazon linkedin livre amazon bezos amazon mackenzie bezos amazon bezos gay marriage amazon bezos 60 minutes jeff bezos amazon mailing address jeff bezos amazon mission jeff bezos amazon montessori amazon bezos new york times amazon bezos nytimes amazon jeff bezos net worth amazon bezos onion bezos amazon stock ownership bezos of amazon crossword amazon bezos principles amazon bezos powerpoint amazon bezos presentation amazon bezos profit bezos amazon prime air bezos amazon prime amazon bezos washington post amazon jeff bezos princeton amazon's weapon bezos paranoia amazon jeff bezos pdf amazon bezos quotes amazon bezos response amazon bezos rocket amazon bezos review amazon investors give bezos room to run bezos recalls amazon riskiest move amazon bezos space amazon bezos speech amazon bezos story amazon bezos shareholder letter amazon bezos surprise amazon bezos soa amazon steve bezos amazon strategy bezos bezos amazon stock ownership amazon jeff bezos