Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin lost out in the results announced by the U.S. Air Force late last week, and CEO Bob Smith later admitted it was “disappointed” in the decision, claiming that Blue Origin had made a “compelling offer” for the contract. A partner at a venture capital fund focused on space exploration told Forbes that the “Musk vs. Bezos battles” could well “rage” for many years to come. Formally called the National Security Space Launch Phase 2 Launch Service Procurement, the contract gives United Launch Alliance (ULA) and SpaceX a 60-40 split on approximately 30 missions for the Department of Defense and the National Reconnaissance Office. Awarding the contract to two new players, Bruegger says, might well have seemed “too risky.”Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos AFP via Getty ImagesSpaceX is also, for now, “more established” than Blue Origin, according to Bruegger, having fulfilled government missions for years. SpaceX put forward its Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy rockets for the contract.

Source: Forbes August 10, 2020 15:33 UTC