Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos are at it again. The latest spat between the billionaires emerged when Bezos’s Blue Origin recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration limit the number of launches for SpaceX’s giant Starship rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center. Musk’s response was terse but telling: “Sue Origin.”
Both SpaceX and Blue Origin have significant operations in Florida and beyond. However, while SpaceX’s Falcon 9 is set for 150 launches this year and its massive Starship recently completed a successful fourth test flight, Blue Origin has yet to launch an orbital-class rocket.
The crux of Blue Origin’s complaint focuses on SpaceX’s Starship. As SpaceX expands its launch infrastructure at Kennedy Space Center, it has had to undergo an environmental impact survey. Blue Origin claims that Starship could cause significant environmental harm and disrupt other operations at the site. Their objections also call for enhanced infrastructure to mitigate impacts on other companies during Starship launches.
Some of Blue Origin’s points, such as the call for better infrastructure, seem reasonable. However, Musk sees the complaint as an attempt to hinder SpaceX’s progress through legal means, or “lawfare.” This is not the first time Blue Origin has taken this route; past lawsuits have included objections to NASA’s decision to select SpaceX’s Starship for the Artemis lunar lander program. Although Blue Origin eventually secured a secondary role in Artemis, its legal challenges slowed down progress.
Musk highlights the irony of Blue Origin’s position. The company is building its own facilities at a busy launch site and will launch its New Glenn rocket from Cape Canaveral, adjacent to where Starship operates. New Glenn, yet to fly, aims to lift 45 tons to orbit, whereas Starship targets over 100 tons and has already completed multiple test flights.
Ultimately, Blue Origin’s legal maneuvers may be within their rights, but they serve as a cautionary tale. Instead of diverting resources to litigation, companies might do better by focusing on direct competition and innovation. Musk’s succinct summary encapsulates this lesson: “Those who can, do … and those who can’t, sue.”
