The space projects have been dominated by government bodies until we saw the ambitious companies such as SpaceX and Blue Origin diving into this diverse area. These two are the most prominent names in the private space community and are often put on a face-off due to the similarity of its founders in other areas as well.
Owned by two of the most powerful businessmen of all time Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos, they have been on the competition radar for their interest in the area of autonomous vehicles. Similarly, in the space segment, while the two companies might look quite similar in its attempts to explore space, the ideology and the approach of these companies vary quite significantly. But one thing cannot be denied that they both are developing large, reusable vehicles capable of carrying people and satellites across space.
While we have often heard about SpaceXs missions and launches over the past few years, Blue Origin does not come out to be so ambitious in gaining traction. In the last two years alone SpaceX has performed 21 launches, representing about 20% of roughly 100 worldwide launches.
Recently it also became the first private company to successfully launch its SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket into space. It is the first time ever that commercially-developed space vehicles owned and operated by a private entity rather than NASA have transported humans into orbit. Musks obsession with exploring Mars and other space is not unknown. Back in 2001, he came up with the idea for Mars Oasis and even pledged a few million dollars for the project.
Blue Origin, on the other hand, has yet to launch anything into orbit. But its ambitions are not too different from SpaceX. Its rocket called the New Glenn is often the talk of the town, and the company is aiming to launch it in 2021. This rocket will be powered by an engine developed by the company itself, called the BE-4. It was secretly found in 2000 by Bezoz but has gained attention only after 2015. It is also working on New Shepard, a vertical takeoff and vertical landing rocket that the company wants to use for human tourism.
In 2018, SpaceX sent an AI-based robot called CIMON, short for Crew Interactive Mobile Companion to the international space station. It was designed to help astronauts perform their work such as scientific experiments. It became the first AI technology to be launched to the space station.
Not just that, the recently launched Falcon 9 rocket also made use of artificial intelligence. It has a sophisticated AI autopilot that steers the cone-shaped Crew Dragon. Once it reaches within 60 feet of the space station, the astronauts then manoeuvre it.
Talking about Blue Origin, Bezos parent company Amazons cloud unit, AWS recently unveiled a new space business segment called Aerospace and Satellite Solutions business segment. With an aim to bring AWS services to space enterprises and satellite industry, it aims to help them with spaceflight operations. It aims to reimagine space system architectures, launch services that process space data on Earth, provide secure, flexible, scalable, and cost-efficient cloud solutions to space missions. It might hardly come as a surprise if Blue Origin tries to benefit from it in the coming future.
Home SpaceX Vs Blue Origin: Who Wins The Space Race
SpaceX has many firsts in its name, for instance, building and sending liquid-fueled rockets in Earths orbit, developing a small launcher, successfully launching, orbiting and recovering spacecraft, developing the cheapest rocket, first private company to send humans into space and more.
Blue Origin, on the other hand, likes to take smaller steps at a time. It has so far developed a suborbital capsule system, acquired the technology of reusable rockets with vertical takeoff and landing, made a two-stage orbital launch vehicle with New Glenn and soon aims to send astronauts to the moon again.
While SpaceX has sent many rocket designs to orbit and recently sent astronauts to space, Blue Origin is working towards it. It has till now flown suborbital rocket flights and is in the early stages of assembling its first rocket capable of reaching orbit. Though there is a visible lag, experts believe that Blue Origin is well set for giving major competition to SpaceX. Especially with Amazons Kuiper project and AWS space unit, it can soon be expected to make a competitive move against SpaceX.
comments
Srishti currently works as Associate Editor at Analytics India Magazine. When not covering the analytics news, editing and writing articles, she could be found reading or capturing thoughts into pictures. Contact: srishti.deoras@analyticsindiamag.com.
Read the rest here:
SpaceX Vs Blue Origin: Who Wins The Space Race - Analytics India Magazine
- NASA's Guardian Angels: Pararescuemen and the SpaceX launch - SOFREP - July 10th, 2020 [July 10th, 2020]
- SpaceX delays launch of latest batch of Starlink satellites, with two hitchhiking spacecraft - The Verge - July 10th, 2020 [July 10th, 2020]
- SpaceX's next batch of Starlink satellites back on the launch pad - Spaceflight Now - July 14th, 2020 [July 14th, 2020]
- SpaceX launch postponed due to bad weather - Gruntstuff - July 16th, 2020 [July 16th, 2020]
- Astronauts to tackle another spacewalk on extended SpaceX mission - UPI News - July 16th, 2020 [July 16th, 2020]
- Edinburgh scientists to blast asteroid-eating bacteria into orbit on a SpaceX rocket - Edinburgh Live - July 17th, 2020 [July 17th, 2020]
- Need to Get Away? Heres Every Space Tourism Vacation You Can Book Right Now - Observer - July 18th, 2020 [July 18th, 2020]
- SpaceX stacks Starship nose section for the first time in months - Teslarati - July 21st, 2020 [July 21st, 2020]
- Science News Roundup: SpaceX capsule carrying NASA astronauts slated for August 2 return; Mexican cave artifacts show earlier arrival of humans in... - July 24th, 2020 [July 24th, 2020]
- Tesla is like a SpaceX rocket to stock investors, but the car makers bond holders are down to earth - MarketWatch - July 24th, 2020 [July 24th, 2020]
- WATCH: SpaceX Falcon 9 Booster Drone Ship 'Just Read the Instructions' Returns to Port Canaveral - SpaceCoastDaily.com - July 26th, 2020 [July 26th, 2020]
- SpaceX Astronauts Preparing To Leave ISS To Return To Earth - International Business Times - July 27th, 2020 [July 27th, 2020]
- Elon Musk says SpaceX will try launching a full-size Starship prototype 'later this week,' and the rocket may fly 150 meters high - MSN Money - July 27th, 2020 [July 27th, 2020]
- Watch The SpaceX Crew Dragon's Return To Earth LIVE This Sunday On 'Space Launch Live: Splashdown' - Science Fiction - July 27th, 2020 [July 27th, 2020]
- How Much Is SpaceX Worth and How Does It Make Money? - Barron's - July 27th, 2020 [July 27th, 2020]
- Elon Musk's SpaceX is raising up to $1 billion at $44 billion valuation - CNBC - July 27th, 2020 [July 27th, 2020]
- How SpaceX, social media and the 'worm' helped NASA become cool again - CNBC - July 27th, 2020 [July 27th, 2020]
- SpaceX Starship factory and rocket prototypes weather Texas hurricane - Teslarati - July 29th, 2020 [July 29th, 2020]
- SpaceX, NASA watch weather for historic astronaut splashdown on Sunday - Space.com - July 30th, 2020 [July 30th, 2020]
- Taking on SpaceX, Amazon to invest $10 billion in satellite broadband plan - Economic Times - July 31st, 2020 [July 31st, 2020]
- SpaceX Crew Dragon Departs, Carrying NASA Astronauts Toward Home - The New York Times - August 2nd, 2020 [August 2nd, 2020]
- r/SpaceX, the premier SpaceX discussion community - August 3rd, 2020 [August 3rd, 2020]
- Whats on TV Sunday: Connected and the SpaceX Landing - The New York Times - August 3rd, 2020 [August 3rd, 2020]
- SpaceX crew returned to Earth and other space news you missed - Winston-Salem Journal - August 3rd, 2020 [August 3rd, 2020]
- 'I prayed for this one - Space.com - August 3rd, 2020 [August 3rd, 2020]
- You Can't Buy SpaceX Stock Right Now, but Here's How You ... - August 3rd, 2020 [August 3rd, 2020]
- SpaceX Launch Schedule - August 3rd, 2020 [August 3rd, 2020]
- SpaceX's toasted Crew Dragon returns home after historic NASA astronaut splashdown - Space.com - August 9th, 2020 [August 9th, 2020]
- Explained: What is SpaceXs SN5 Starship prototype that completed its first test flight? - The Indian Express - August 10th, 2020 [August 10th, 2020]
- SpaceX launches and lands prototype of its Mars rocket Starship in key short flight test - CNBC - August 10th, 2020 [August 10th, 2020]
- Virgin Galactic Updates: Whats Happening With SpaceX Rival - Forbes - August 14th, 2020 [August 14th, 2020]
- SpaceX Increases Latest Funding Round to $2 Billion - Bloomberg - August 14th, 2020 [August 14th, 2020]
- SpaceX ramping up Starship prototype tests in Texas (and looking for a resort manager) - Space.com - August 14th, 2020 [August 14th, 2020]
- SpaceX hopes to 'hop' another Starship prototype this weekend - CNET - September 2nd, 2020 [September 2nd, 2020]
- Three launches this weekend? SpaceX to try back-to-back launches this Sunday - Florida Today - September 2nd, 2020 [September 2nd, 2020]
- SpaceX & NASA To Explore Gold-Filled Asteroid: Where Do Investors Flee If The Main Safe Haven Becomes Worthless? - The Punch - September 2nd, 2020 [September 2nd, 2020]
- Elon Musks SpaceX vs Jeff Bezoss Blue Origin: Which Space Project Will Dominate the Cosmos? - Robb Report - September 2nd, 2020 [September 2nd, 2020]
- SpaceX Just Launched Its 100th Rocket In A Major Milestone For The Company - Forbes - September 2nd, 2020 [September 2nd, 2020]
- What's Up in the Sky: Here's what to expect in 2021 - Akron Beacon Journal - December 28th, 2020 [December 28th, 2020]
- SpaceX among Perry broadband project awards - pennlive.com - December 28th, 2020 [December 28th, 2020]
- Lockheed Martin buys Aerojet Rocketdyne to better compete with Musk's SpaceX, Bezos' Blue Origin - CNBC - December 28th, 2020 [December 28th, 2020]
- Watch every SpaceX launch from 2020 and say Auld Lang Syne with fire - CNET - December 28th, 2020 [December 28th, 2020]
- Relive SpaceX's Starship SN8 test launch with this epic recap video - Space.com - December 28th, 2020 [December 28th, 2020]
- SpaceX cargo mission to carry water bears, baby squids to space station - UPI News - May 29th, 2021 [May 29th, 2021]
- Squid, cotton and 'water bears' among cargo headed to the International Space Station - WTSP.com - May 29th, 2021 [May 29th, 2021]
- Close Up Photo Shows the SpaceX Resilience Capsule Still Tied to the ISS - autoevolution - May 29th, 2021 [May 29th, 2021]
- Starlink snag forces users to build idiotic contraptions to access Elon Musks space internet - The Independent - May 29th, 2021 [May 29th, 2021]
- SpaceX Rival OneWeb Plans Next-Gen Constellation Thats Better Than Starlink - Observer - May 29th, 2021 [May 29th, 2021]
- What is that?! SpaceX's Starlink satellites explained - EarthSky - May 29th, 2021 [May 29th, 2021]
- Weekly Bytes | SpaceXs floating spaceport, Ransomware attack on Fujifilm, and more - The Hindu - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- SpaceX Dragon delivers solar arrays to the International Space Station - Electrek.co - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- USAF wants to deliver cargo around the world with reusable rockets - Aerospace Manufacturing - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- Is the Space Force about to acquire SpaceX Starships? | TheHill - The Hill - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- It's Launch Day! Here's what you need to know for today's SpaceX launch - Florida Today - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- See the citizen astronauts of Inspiration4 learn how to fly a SpaceX Dragon (photos) - Space.com - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- Everything You Need to Know About the Rise of SpaceX - Analytics Insight - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- The Pentagon wants to use private rockets like SpaceX's Starship to deliver cargo around the world - CNBC - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- SpaceX sends cargo to the space station, with the company on a record launch pace for 2021 - CNBC - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- Marc Benioff reveals investment in SpaceX, but says he'd need 'a couple of Ativans' to leave Earth - CNBC - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- Relativity Space raises $650 million from Fidelity and others to build 3D-printed SpaceX competitor - CNBC - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- SpaceX Converts Oil Rig Into a Launch Pad for Starship in ... - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- SpaceX Tests Experimental Starlink Terminal That Uses 2 ... - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- SpaceX Dragon docks at space station to deliver new solar ... - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- SpaceXs Starlink is in talks with several airlines for in-flight Wi-Fi - The Verge - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- Relativity Space raises $650 million for 3D-printed SpaceX ... - June 10th, 2021 [June 10th, 2021]
- Ex-SpaceX engineers are working on portable nuclear reactors that can power over 1,000 homes - Business Insider India - October 20th, 2021 [October 20th, 2021]
- Cathie Wood Piled Up Another $994K In This Company Linked With Elon Musk's SpaceX On Friday - Benzinga - Benzinga - October 20th, 2021 [October 20th, 2021]
- Supporters and opponents of SpaceX launch site air their concerns - Ars Technica - October 20th, 2021 [October 20th, 2021]
- Its not the heat, its the humidity that grounded Boeings Starliner - Ars Technica - October 20th, 2021 [October 20th, 2021]
- Morgan Stanley says SpaceX's Starship may 'transform investor expectations' about space - CNBC - October 20th, 2021 [October 20th, 2021]
- Updates: Watch as SpaceX launches a South Korean mission to the moon from Florida - Florida Today - August 5th, 2022 [August 5th, 2022]
- SpaceX's Starlink has soared, but a course correction may be on the horizon - Fast Company - August 5th, 2022 [August 5th, 2022]
- Musk Tries a New Way Out of Twitter - Bloomberg - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- Elon Musk reveals hidden meaning behind the swooping 'X' in SpaceX - TweakTown - August 30th, 2022 [August 30th, 2022]
- SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, world's most powerful rocket, launches after three-year hiatus - CNN - November 4th, 2022 [November 4th, 2022]
- Experts Excoriate NASA Report Claiming James Webb Wasn't Homophobic - November 20th, 2022 [November 20th, 2022]
- Elon Musk Locks Twitter Employees Out Office, Then Asks Them to Meet Him on the 10th Floor - November 20th, 2022 [November 20th, 2022]
- So Many People Are Using a Diabetes Drug for Weight Loss That Actual Diabetics Are Having Trouble Getting It - November 20th, 2022 [November 20th, 2022]
- NASA Tells Astronauts That Tweeting Isn't As Important as Staying Alive - November 20th, 2022 [November 20th, 2022]
- Behind the Lawsuit Against Celebs Who Shilled FTX Before Its Spectacular Meltdown - November 20th, 2022 [November 20th, 2022]