While Jeff Bezos has spent $14 billion to achieve his first space launch, his billionaire rival has built a thriving business, mostly with other people’s money.
The US has grounded SpaceX's giant Starship rocket while an investigation is carried out into why it exploded during its latest test flight. The rocket's upper stage dramatically broke up and disintegrated over the Caribbean after launching from Texas on Thursday, forcing airline flights to alter course to avoid falling debris.
Hours after Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin nailed its first-ever orbital mission, SpaceX seized back the spotlight on Thursday as its latest test of Starship, its gargantuan next-generation megarocket, ended with the upper stage dramatically disintegrating over the Atlantic.
SpaceX's seventh Starship test flight will now launch no earlier than Thursday, Jan. 16, at 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT).
The world’s biggest rocket just got a bit bigger, and its upcoming launch is meant to support its next-generation Starlink satellites.
Despite the failure, Elon Musk appeared to see the bright side, posting: "Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!"
Blue Origin scored a major win with its New Glenn rocket launch, but SpaceX still leads the space industry with a Falcon fleet and upcoming Starship.
Despite the spectacular failure, Elon Musk appeared to see the bright side, posting: "Success is uncertain, but entertainment is guaranteed!"
On Friday (Jan. 10), SpaceX successfully stacked its Starship spacecraft atop a giant Super Heavy booster to prepare for the next launch of the world's largest rocket next week. Liftoff is set for 5 p.m. EST (2200 GMT) on Monday (Jan. 13) from SpaceX's Starbase test site near Boca Chica Beach in South Texas.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk took to X on Thursday night to explain what his company believes may have caused part of the Starship rocket to experience a "rapid unscheduled disassembly."
Bezos' New Glenn and Musk's Starship both are heading for launch, and both could lift off in close timing to each other. Here's what we know.