{"id":236779,"date":"2021-04-27T15:16:38","date_gmt":"2021-04-27T12:16:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/space-rivalry-between-jeff-bezos-and-elon-musk-heats-up-over-lunar-lander-contract\/"},"modified":"2021-04-27T15:16:38","modified_gmt":"2021-04-27T12:16:38","slug":"space-rivalry-between-jeff-bezos-and-elon-musk-heats-up-over-lunar-lander-contract","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/space-rivalry-between-jeff-bezos-and-elon-musk-heats-up-over-lunar-lander-contract\/","title":{"rendered":"#Space rivalry between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk heats up over lunar lander contract"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Space rivalry between Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk heats up over lunar lander contract<\/strong>”
\n<\/p>\n

The long-simmering space rivalry between Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos is heating up.<\/p>\n

Bezos\u2019s aerospace firm, Blue Origin, turned up the temperature on Monday, by filing a protest against NASA\u2019s choice of Musk\u2019s SpaceX for a mission to the Moon.<\/p>\n

Earlier this month, NASA awarded SpaceX a $2.9 billion contract<\/a> to build a lunar lander. Blue Origin and defense contractor Duentics had also submitted proposals for the project.<\/p>\n

NASA had been expected to choose two of the three firms, to ensure they had a backup and a healthy dose of competition. But the space agency said it plumped for a sole awardee due to budgetary constraints.<\/p>\n

[Read:\u00a03 new technologies ecommerce brands can use to connect better with customers]<\/em><\/p>\n

The explanation hasn\u2019t satisfied Blue Origin. The company has now\u00a0filed a 50-page protest with the federal Government Accountability Office (GAO) over the decision.<\/p>\n

The firm argues that it wasn\u2019t given a chance to revise its bid after the funding requirements changed, the New York Times reports<\/a>. The protest further claims that NASA had misjudged aspects of Blue Origin\u2019s proposals, while downplaying the risks in SpaceX\u2018s design.<\/p>\n

In a statement, Blue Origin said NASA had\u00a0\u201cmoved the goalposts at the last minute.\u201d<\/p>\n

In NASA\u2019s own words, it has made a \u2018high risk\u2019 selection. Their decision eliminates opportunities for competition, significantly narrows the supply base, and not only delays, but also endangers America\u2019s return to the Moon.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Inevitably, Elon Musk responded to the complaint by tweeting a penis joke.<\/p>\n

\n

Can\u2019t get it up (to orbit) lol<\/p>\n

\u2014 Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 26, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The two richest people in the world have\u00a0been battling over the cosmos since a 2004 dinner meeting. At the time, the duo were only getting warmed up for their space race.<\/p>\n

Bezos had founded Blue Origin in 2000, while Musk had launched his rocket company two years later. But the later starter was unimpressed by the Amazon founder\u2019s app<\/a>roach.<\/p>\n

\n

1\/ In 2004, Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos met for a meal to discuss space. <\/p>\n

It was one of their few in-person interactions. <\/p>\n

The conversation they had perfectly captures the different approaches they’ve taken to space exploration. <\/p>\n

Here’s the story \ud83e\uddf5 pic.twitter.com\/g8hAsEj3d4<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Trung Phan \ud83c\udde8\ud83c\udde6 (@TrungTPhan) March 1, 2021<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

Musk recounted their meeting to\u00a0author Christian Davenport<\/a> for his book, \u201cThe Space Barons.\u201d He recalled warning Bezos that SpaceX had already tested some of the Blue Origin\u2019s ideas:<\/p>\n

\n

Dude, we tried that and that turned out to be really dumb, so I\u2019m telling you don\u2019t do the dumb thing we did. I actually did my best to give good advice, which he largely ignored.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The two tycoons have been trading barbs and competing for contracts ever since.<\/p>\n

\n

Congrats @SpaceX<\/a> on landing Falcon’s suborbital booster stage. Welcome to the club!<\/p>\n

\u2014 Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) December 22, 2015<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

With no rapprochement in sight, it might be time to settle their 15-year feud the old-fashioned way: with a fight. In zero-gravity. May the best astronaut win.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n