Jeff Bezos' Rocket Company Slashes 10% of Workforce After Successful Orbital Launch

Just a month after the successful debut of its New Glenn rocket, Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, has announced layoffs affecting about 10% of its workforce. This strategic move comes as the company aims to align its structure with its long-term goals and better compete with industry rivals like SpaceX.

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket had a successful maiden voyage on January 16, reaching orbit and carrying a test version of the company's new Blue Ring spacecraft platform. However, the first-stage booster failed to stick its landing on a ship at sea, although this was expected and a successful touchdown on the debut flight would have been a pleasant surprise. Blue Origin has since identified the likely cause of the booster issue and plans to try again soon.

The layoffs, announced by Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp, are part of the company's efforts to streamline its operations and create a more agile and customer-focused culture. Limp stated that the company grew too fast in recent years, leading to increased bureaucracy and a lack of focus. To address these issues and achieve its objectives, Blue Origin is eliminating some positions in engineering, R&D, and program/project management, as well as thinning out its layers of management.