Jeff Bezos’ private space company Blue Origin is bracing for layoffs, just one month after launching a new rocket, according to a report.
The space tech firm, founded by the world’s third richest person, could cut “hundreds” of jobs as the company is looking to concentrate its resources on ramping up rocket launches after investing into research and development for years, Bloomberg reported.
In the quarter-decade since its founding, the company has grown to 14,000 employees, according to the outlet.
Dave Limp, CEO of Blue Origin, is expected to discuss the workforce changes at a Thursday all-hands meeting, the outlet reported.
The personnel cuts come weeks after Blue Origin launched its New Glenn rocket after a series of delays. Its initial launch was
At a conference in Washington, D.C. this week, Limp called the launch a “good first step,” noting that more work is on the horizon.
“We have a lot of work to do ahead of us, and we have to get to a cadence where we’re flying very often, got to get the manufacturing to a higher cadence,” he said. “But it’s such a good first step to see it happen.”
Blue Origin has been hoping to increase the number of New Glenn flights, the outlet reported.
NASA plans to use the New Glenn launch vehicle in two upcoming trips. “Future New Glenn missions will carry the Blue Moon Mark 1 cargo lander and the Mark 2 crewed lander to the Moon as part of NASA’s Artemis program,” Blue Orbit said last month after its launch.
It’s ambitious space portfolio includes plans for space tourism, a moon lander, space station and supplying rocket engines.
Blue Origin has been trying to make gains in the industry dominated by its rival SpaceX, which just landed a $40 million NASA contract as its CEO and founder Elon Musk, the head of President Donald Trump’s Department of Government Efficiency, calls for significant funding cuts to parts of the government.
