Hey everybody, welcome back to the Elon Musk Podcast.
This is a show where we discuss the critical crossroads.
That shape. SpaceX Tesla X The Boring
Company. And Neuralink.
I'm your host, Will Walden. Blue Origin has called upon the
Federal Aviation Administration to impose restrictions on the
number of Spacex's Starship launches from Kennedy Space
Center. This recent move is part of the
ongoing rivalry between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk.
Blue Origins complaint aims to limit Spacex's Starship
operations at Launch Complex 39 A currently the site for Falcon
9 and Falcon Heavy rockets. SpaceX plans to use this complex
for its Starship launches, proposing up to 44 launches
annually. The FAA in May released Spacex's
proposal for these high frequency Starship operations at
Kennedy, including the necessary infrastructure to support such a
launch schedule. The public comment from Blue
Origin is the latest chapter in a long standing feud between
Bezos and Musk. The two have frequently engaged
in public and legal disputes over Space Flight supremacy,
with both aiming to pioneer space tourism.
Musk, known for his sharp retorts, responded to Blue
Origins filing on social media platform X, which he owns, with
the comment Sioux Origin. He further accused Blue Origin
of using legal maneuvers to slow down Spacex's progress.
Although Blue Origins comment holds no legal power, it will be
considered by the FAA as they decide on the restrictions for
Starship's operations at Kennedy.
SpaceX is in the process of obtaining a Commercial Launch
Vehicle Operator license for Starship at Launch Complex 39 A.
This process includes preparing an Environmental Impact
Statement EIS under FAA supervision to assess potential
environmental impacts. The maiden voyage of Starship
ended in an explosion, causing significant damage and prompting
an FAA investigation. The blast from the launchpad in
Boca Chica, Texas, damaged property up to six miles away,
leading to legal action from environmental groups against the
FAA. SpaceX has since improved the
launchpad at Boca Chica to better contain debris and
mitigate environmental impact. Despite these improvements, Blue
Origin is leveraging the incident in its plea to the FAA.
Blue Origins public comment cites the environmental scrutiny
Starship operations have faced, including the lawsuit against
the FAA, as a reason for the FAA to limit Starship launches at
Kennedy. Blue Origin also has operations
at Kennedy Leasing Space Launch Complex 36 and other facilities
at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
The company employs over 2700 people in Florida with
significant investments in infrastructure at the site.
The filing expresses concern about the safety of Blue Origins
property and personnel in case of a Starship launch anomaly,
such as explosions or debris. It also mentions potential
interference with shared infrastructure and limited
resources. Blue Origin pointed out the
massive fuel capacity of Starship Super Heavy Booster,
highlighting the potential for significant environmental impact
and safety hazards that could affect other operations at
Kennedy. The company urged the FAA to cap
the number of Starship launches, limit launch times, and invest
in infrastructure to make Kennedy safer for other launch
providers. Blue Origin also called for
compensation for commercial activities impacted by Starship
and penalties for SpaceX if it violates its EIS or license.
Blue Origin is developing its own heavy lift rocket, New Glen,
which has faced delays and has not yet flown.
The rocket has secured several contracts, including one with
NASA for a Mars mission, but the rivalry with SpaceX remains
fierce. The rivalry has been especially
public, with legal battles and public taunts.
After losing a court case against NASA in 2021 over the
Artemis Human Landing System contract, Blue Origin later
secured a separate contract as a second provider in the military
sector. Blue Origin recently won a
significant contract with the US Space Force for 30 launches
worth up to $5.6 billion, following previous losses to
SpaceX and United Launch Alliance.
Musk's public responses continue to reflect his contentious
relationship with Bezos with accusations of legal obstruction
rather than direct competition. Blue Origins latest filing
underscores the intense competition and ongoing disputes
between the two space companies. The FA as decision on the
requested restrictions for Spacex's Starship launches will
be an important move for the company as it will need hundreds
of launches from Kennedy Space Center for the lead up to launch
astronauts to the moon for the Artemis missions.
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