Layoffs at Blue Origin.

Summary

T-Minus Space Daily: Layoffs at Blue Origin

Release Date: February 13, 2025
Host: Maria Varmazis
Guest: Paul Cremen, Commercial Spaceflight Regulation and Policy Lead at the UK's Department for Transport

---

Introduction

In this episode of T-Minus Space Daily, host Maria Varmazis delves into significant developments within the global space industry. The primary focus centers on the recent layoffs at Blue Origin, coupled with updates from India’s ambitious Gaganyaan human spaceflight program, Blacksky’s advancements in Earth observation, the U.S. Space Development Agency’s Iron Dome study, and Apex Technology’s substantial contract with the U.S. Air Force’s Space Systems Command. The episode also features an insightful interview with Paul Cremen, offering perspectives on the UK's evolving spaceport and launch licensing landscape.

---

Major Headlines

1. Blue Origin Announces Workforce Layoffs
2. India Expands Gaganyaan Program and Advances Earth Observation
3. U.S. Space Development Agency’s Iron Dome Initiative
4. Apex Technology Secures $45.9 Million Contract

---

1. Blue Origin Announces Workforce Layoffs

Blue Origin, the prominent private aerospace manufacturer founded by Jeff Bezos, recently initiated a significant reduction in its workforce. An all-hands meeting held earlier in the day revealed that approximately 10% of the company's nearly 14,000 employees—around 1,400 individuals—are being let go. The majority of affected employees are based in Florida, Texas, and Washington.

Notable Quote:

Dave Limp, CEO of Blue Origin

“There’s no question that we’ve had a lot of successes over the last few months. But when you look at the foundation of the company and what we need to get to over the next three to five years, we just came to the painful conclusion that we aren’t set up for the kind of success that we really wanted to have.”
[Timestamp: 02:10]

The layoffs are part of Blue Origin’s strategy to cut costs and enhance the scalability of its New Glenn rocket manufacturing, aiming to increase the frequency of launches. The decision underscores the company’s commitment to optimizing its operations to meet long-term strategic goals.

---

2. India Expands Gaganyaan Program and Advances Earth Observation

India is making significant strides in its space endeavors, particularly with the Gaganyaan human spaceflight program. The program’s budget has been increased to ₹201.93 billion (approximately $2.32 billion USD), expanding from the initial ₹140 billion ($1.1 billion USD). This expansion includes plans to construct and operate a national space station, with objectives to execute two crewed and six uncrewed missions by 2028.

Notable Quote:

Deputy Minister Jitendra Singh

“The expansion of the Gaganyaan program demonstrates India’s unwavering commitment to becoming a leading international spacefaring nation, joining the ranks of the US, Russia, and China.”
[Timestamp: 03:05]

Additionally, Blacksky has secured multi-year contracts to bolster India’s commercial Earth observation capabilities. These contracts encompass the provision of high-resolution satellite imagery, AI-enabled analytics services, launch support operations, and on-orbit maintenance.

---

3. U.S. Space Development Agency’s Iron Dome Initiative

The U.S. Space Development Agency (SDA) is preparing for a 60-day study in response to the Trump administration’s executive order proposing the Iron Dome for America. This initiative aims to deploy space-based assets to counter advanced missile threats, including hypersonic weapons, cruise missiles, and drones.

Notable Quote:

SDA Representative

“We are seeking industry perspectives to effectively integrate our proliferated satellite constellation with the proposed Iron Dome architecture, ensuring robust missile defense capabilities.”
[Timestamp: 05:25]

The SDA is particularly interested in how its current contributions to global kill chains and missile defense can support this new architecture, emphasizing collaboration with industry stakeholders.

---

4. Apex Technology Secures $45.9 Million Contract

Apex Technology has been awarded a $45.9 million contract by the U.S. Air Force’s Space Systems Command. This contract is designated for the development of multiple space vehicles capable of operating across various orbital regimes. Apex is tasked with completing the spacecraft by 2032, with $22 million in fiscal year 2024 research and development funds obligated at the time of award.

---

Guest Interview: Paul Cremen on UK’s Spaceport and Launch Licensing

The episode features an in-depth conversation with Paul Cremen, the Commercial Spaceflight Regulation and Policy Lead at the UK's Department for Transport. Paul provides valuable insights into the UK’s regulatory framework for commercial spaceflight and the recent licensing of spaceports.

Key Discussion Points:

• Development of UK’s Regulatory Framework: Paul explains the collaborative efforts between the UK Space Agency and the Civil Aviation Authority to establish a legal and regulatory environment conducive to commercial space launches.

• Spaceports in the UK: The UK now boasts two licensed spaceports:

  • Spaceport Cornwall: A horizontal launch facility, it was the first in the UK to receive a spaceport license.
  • Saxaboard Spaceport: Located in the north, this vertical launch facility complements Cornwall’s horizontal operations.

Notable Quotes:

Paul Cremen

“We chose the Civil Aviation Authority as our regulator because of their respected standing and their ability to integrate expertise from the UK Space Agency.”
[Timestamp: 12:12]

Paul Cremen

“Spaceport licenses not only facilitate launches but also enable the development of sustainable space clusters by attracting diverse businesses and fostering innovation.”
[Timestamp: 15:30]

Industry Collaboration and Challenges: Paul discusses the balance between fostering innovation and maintaining regulatory standards, highlighting the challenges new startups face in navigating the legal landscape. He emphasizes the importance of clear guidance and industry education to ensure compliance and sustainable growth.

Future Outlook: With multiple spaceports operational and more in the pipeline, the UK is positioning itself as a competitive player in the global space industry. Paul encourages businesses to engage with the UK’s vibrant space ecosystem, leveraging its strategic location and access to key markets.

---

Additional News Briefs

• Firefly Aerospace’s Blue Ghost Mission: Firefly Aerospace has successfully executed the Blue Ghost mission, downlinking over 15 GB of data, including NASA science data. The mission has provided valuable insights into magnetic field measurements and GNSS signal behavior.

• iSpace’s Hakuto R Mission 2: The Hakuto R Mission 2, involving Taiwan’s National Central University’s Deep Space Radiation Probe, is actively collecting radiation data en route to the Moon. While telemetry confirms progress, no new images have been released yet.

• Supplementary Stories:

  • US Space Force’s Gears 3 GPS Sustainment Support Solicitation
  • Iridium’s 2024 Financial Report
  • York Space Systems’ New Offering Announcement

---

Conclusion

This episode of T-Minus Space Daily provides a comprehensive overview of pivotal events shaping the space industry. From Blue Origin’s strategic layoffs aimed at scaling rocket launches, to India’s expanded ambitions in human spaceflight and Earth observation, the landscape is rapidly evolving. The interview with Paul Cremen offers a nuanced understanding of the UK’s proactive measures to foster a thriving commercial space sector. As the industry navigates challenges and embraces new opportunities, stakeholders worldwide remain closely attuned to these dynamic developments.

For more detailed insights and resources, listeners are encouraged to visit space.n2k.com.

---

Disclaimer: This summary excludes advertisements, introductory segments, and concluding remarks to focus on delivering the core content and discussions from the episode.

Transcript

[Maria Varmazis]

You're listening to the N2K space network.

[Dave Limp]

Hey everybody, Dave here. Have you ever wondered where your personal information is lurking online? Like many of you, I was concerned about my data being sold by data brokers, so I decided to try delete me. I have to say, delete me is a game changer. Within days of signing up, they started removing my personal information from hundreds of data brokers. I finally have peace of mind knowing my data Privacy is protected. DeleteMe's team does all the work for you with detailed reports so you know exactly what's been done. Take control of your data and keep your private life private by signing up for Deleteme now at a special discount for our listeners today. Get 20% off your DeleteMe plan when you go to JoinDeleteMe.com n2k and use promo code n2k at checkout. The only way to get 20% off is to go to JoinDeleteMe.com N2K and enter code n2K at checkout.

[Maria Varmazis]

That's JoinDeleteMe.com n2K code n2K today is February 13th, 2025. I'm Maria Varmazis and this is T -T/22nd Apex Technology has been awarded a $45.9 million contract by the US Air Force's Space Systems Command for multiple space vehicles. The U.S. space Development Agency studies the new administration's Iron Dome executive order. Black sky is contracted to develop India's commercial Earth observation capabilities. India expands its Gaganyaan human spaceflight program and raises its budget to $2.32 billion. Blue Origin announces layoffs affecting roughly 10% of its workforce, or around 1,400 employees. Zero.

[Paul Cremen]

Lift foreign.

[Maria Varmazis]

And today's guest is Paul Cremen, the commercial spaceflight regulation and Policy lead at the UK's Department for Transport. And I spoke to Paul about the recent spaceport and launch licensing announcements in the UK and what we can expect for launch in the coming year. So stick around for more on that later in the show. We're kicking off this Thursday's intel briefing with developments from Blue Origin. The launch company called an all hands meeting earlier today where it announced that 10% of its workforce were being let go. Instantly, our LinkedIn news feeds lit up with announcements by those affected. Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp shared the news of the layoffs, which the company says are aimed at cutting costs and ramping up rocket launches. The layoffs affect roughly 1,400 of the company's nearly 14,000 employees, mostly concentrated in Florida, Texas and Washington CEO Dave Limp told employees, there's no question that we've had a lot of successes over the last few months. But that being said, when you look at the foundation of the company and what we need to get to over the next three to five years, we just came to the painful conclusion that we aren't set up for the kind of success that we really wanted to have. He told employees that the decision would help Blue Origin scale New Glenn manufacturing and increase the rocket's launch cadence. We wish those affected the best of luck as they find new roles and we're heading over to India now with updates with both its human spaceflight program and Earth observation capabilities. Starting with Gaganyaan, or India's Human Spaceflight program, it is expanding its scope. The Gaganyaan program will now include building and operating a national space station, planning two crewed and six uncrewed missions by 2028, Deputy Minister Jitendra Singh told Parliament that the mission's budget had also risen to 201.93 billion rupees, which amounts to about 2.32 billion US dollars. Gaganyaan had earlier received budget approval of about 1.1 billion dollars and was originally planned as a project with one crewed and two uncrewed missions. The plan for a national space station is less of new news, but RE emphasizes India's ambition to join the us, Russia and China as an international space leader. India is aiming to have an operational Bataria antarich station by 2035 and is planning on sending an Indian crewed mission to the moon by 2040. And our next item is staying in India and Blacksky has been awarded multi year contracts to accelerate the development of India's commercial Earth observation capabilities and the contracts include assured access to subscription based imagery and AI enabled analytics services. The deals also include the delivery of one high resolution Earth observation satellite and launch support operations and on orbit maintenance services. Blacksky says these contracts have a combined eight figure value but did not share the exact amount. Heading over to the US now and the US Space Development Agency is seeking executive summaries to prepare for 60 day studies on the Trump administration's executive order for a proposed Iron Dome for America. The SDA study will look at how its proliferated satellite constellation could support the proposed Iron Dome architecture and capability and the order for the Defense Department to establish an Iron Dome for America was signed in late January. The proposed system would be designed to use space based assets to counter a range of advanced miss threats including hypersonic weapons, cruise missiles and drones. The SDA shared that the agency is interested in industry's perspective on implementing the Iron Dome for America architecture and is particularly interested in building and integrating proliferated warfighter space architecture or PWSA's current contributions to global kill chains and missile defense. More details on that can be found by following the link in our show notes. And finally, Apex Technology has been awarded a $45.9 million contract by the U.S. air Force's Space Systems Command for multiple space vehicles. The contract provides the Space Force funds to advance the deployment of space vehicles that are capable of operating across various orbital regimes. Apex is expected to complete the spacecraft by 2032 and according to the contract announcement, fiscal year 2024 research and development funds in the amount of $22 million are being obligated at the time of award and that concludes today's Intel Briefing. But the news to Knowledge Content does not stop there, and this is where I bring in our producer, Alice Carouse. Alice, what stories didn't make the top five today that we should be aware of?

[Alice Carruth]

Thanks, Maria. We've included a draft solicitation from the US Space Force for Gears 3, GPS sustainment support, Iridium's 2024 financial report, and an announcement on York Space Systems on a new offering.

[Maria Varmazis]

And where can we find those stories?

[Alice Carruth]

Links to all the stories mentioned throughout the show can always be found in the Show Notes and at our website, space.n2k.com simply click on this episode title.

[Maria Varmazis]

Hey T minus Crew. If your business is looking to grow your voice in the industry, expand the reach of your thought leadership, or recruit talent, T minus can help. We'd love to hear from you. Just send us an [e-mail] or send us a note through our website so we can connect about building a program to meet your goals.

[Dave Limp]

Cyber threats are evolving every second, and staying ahead is more than just a challenge, it's a necessity. That's why we're thrilled to partner with ThreatLocker, the cybersecurity solution trusted by businesses worldwide. ThreatLocker is a full suite of solutions designed to give you total control, stopping unauthorized applications, securing sensitive data, and ensuring your organization runs smoothly and securely. Visit threatlocker.com today to see how a default deny approach can keep your company safe and compliant.

[Maria Varmazis]

Today's guest is Paul Cremen, the Commercial Spaceflight Regulation and Policy lead at the UK's Department for Transport and I started by asking Paul about his role and how he got involved in launch site and vendor licensing.

[Paul Cremen]

In 2014. UK Space Agency came to me and Said, you know, we want to do launch in the uk.

[Maria Varmazis]

Yeah.

[Paul Cremen]

How do we do that? And of course you go through the process of trying to understand what other countries are doing. So, you know, the obvious place to go was the US to see what the US were doing at the time. And of course your own industry here is phenomenal and going on in leaps and bounds. But the problem with the US system compared with what we wanted in the UK was that we wanted to take a wholly commercial approach. And US regulations and environment, of course, are grown out of a state sponsored launch program. We wanted to take the best of what you did that go much further.

[Maria Varmazis]

So wholly commercial, that's an interesting approach. Why? Why commercial first or wholly commercial? Yeah.

[Paul Cremen]

Partly because the UK government doesn't spend the same sort of money on space as. As the US does.

[Maria Varmazis]

Right.

[Paul Cremen]

Can't compete. So. So obviously we're looking for people that would like the opportunity to invest, grow and thrive.

[Maria Varmazis]

Absolutely.

[Paul Cremen]

Building on from that.

[Maria Varmazis]

Yes.

[Paul Cremen]

We had to develop a legal and regulatory framework. So in fact, my team were responsible with that, working with the UK Space Agency and Civil Aviation Authority at the time to work out how we would do that in the uk. And then of course, not only did we have to create a legal and regulatory framework, but we had to create a new regulator for space. And, you know, there were multiple options to consider, but ultimately we chose the Civil Aviation Authority because of their, you know, they're a world respected regulator, they took across a number of people from the UK Space Agency, so they brought some skills in and since then they've been developing those skills. And of course they're now issuing orbital licenses.

[Maria Varmazis]

Yes, yep.

[Paul Cremen]

Spaceport licenses and launch operated licenses. And of course in the UK we now have two spaceports with licenses.

[Maria Varmazis]

Yeah.

[Paul Cremen]

We have Spaceport Cornwall, who was the first in the UK to get a spaceport license. And more recently last year, Saxe aboard Spaceport. And the difference is Nuki, or Spaceport Cornwall is a horizontal launch spaceport.

[Maria Varmazis]

Indeed. Yeah, yep.

[Paul Cremen]

And Sax aboard Spaceport, which is right in the north, the furthest north you can get in UK is a vertical launch spaceport.

[Maria Varmazis]

Yeah.

[Paul Cremen]

And so we're very excited to see operations start soon.

[Maria Varmazis]

Yeah. And having sovereign launch access is paramount for domestic launch and rocket makers and all these different industries that crop up around that. And there's been a lot of funding news about that recently. Actually, I think we just reported on some of that just recently. Orbex, a big funding infusion there, and then RFA as well with launch licensing. So, I mean, that's Fantastic developments.

[Paul Cremen]

There it is. And you know, these companies need a boost to get to make sure that they are sustainable and that they can get to where they want to get to. So both the Scottish government and UK government are helping those launch companies with a bit of seed funding to get where they are. So when I talk about wholly commercial funding, you know, it's fair to say we do give a little bit of funding, but it's not on the same scale as what we're seeing in the U.S. but those spaceports need to be sustainable, they need to attract business partners and of course launch operators to make them work.

[Maria Varmazis]

And one could argue with it being a wholly commercial enterprise and you have really viable businesses as opposed to being propped up by government funding.

[Paul Cremen]

Yeah. And it's hard for any, any startup. Yeah. You know, there's a lot of investment that goes in and those investors want to see a quick return on those investments.

[Maria Varmazis]

Yeah.

[Paul Cremen]

And of course, you know, the regulatory process, the licensing process are long lead in times.

[Maria Varmazis]

Yeah.

[Paul Cremen]

And that costs money and so they have to be able to demonstrate that they have those skills. They have the right aptitude to be able to do the things that they want to do.

[Maria Varmazis]

Shifting focus a little bit. Something that I remember we've been looking at in the last year or so were sort of the space clusters that were developed and announced a lot last year. And it sounds like maybe the cluster model is being deprecated slightly. If I understand a bit.

[Paul Cremen]

I'm not sure that's true. I think space ports need multiple businesses to make it sustainable and work. It's fair to say you don't make money purely from launch and you need to diversify activities to draw in revenues. The supply port those launch. So, you know, I'm a big fan of seeing clusters develop around the space business.

[Maria Varmazis]

Yeah. So the, it's, it's been really fascinating here that different clusters have certain areas of expertise. I'm curious if there are any that you're specifically maybe keeping an eye on that you have favorites.

[Paul Cremen]

Well, you know, the UK is very lucky in the sense that it has the second largest manufacturing of cubesats outside of California.

[Maria Varmazis]

Yeah. Yes.

[Paul Cremen]

And I don't think a lot of people know that they do not globally, equally. The UK has, it did maybe until recently the second, maybe the third now largest number of satellites orbiting, you know, outside of. I think China has only just eclipsed the uk. But of course, you know, one way being a UK company means that we have a lot of, of small satellites operating in constellations up in space?

[Maria Varmazis]

Yeah. When you, when you look at the, the growth in the UK space sector in general, what personally is of interest to you right now?

[Paul Cremen]

Well, the area that I work in is launch. So I, you know, I'm very focused, I'm very focused on what we need to deliver, which is one, making sure that UK regulatory and legal framework remains effective, remains competitive internationally with the innovation that's going on around the world. So, you know, we often, we're continually assessing what we need to do to make sure that we're accommodating the industry's needs. And that's a challenge because often industry are way ahead of where regulations often need to be and there is a bit of a catch up that we need to do.

[Maria Varmazis]

But what are you hearing from industry, if you don't mind me asking?

[Paul Cremen]

I think we get a mixed reaction from industry, obviously. Industry. You know, I often think that regulations and the regulator are an easy target sometimes for industry. You know, there are things that we can always do for better, that's for sure. But I do feel that sometimes the criticism leveled at the regulator and regulations is a bit unfair.

[Maria Varmazis]

Sometimes it's a lack of education. Yeah, yeah. Or understanding process. Yeah.

[Paul Cremen]

Particularly for new startups, I think, understanding, you know, and new startups, you know, they often come from an engineering pool or a university.

[Maria Varmazis]

Right.

[Paul Cremen]

And you know, for them, obviously they're very immersed in what they do.

[Maria Varmazis]

Right. The technical solution. Yes.

[Paul Cremen]

Actually to step out and then understand the legal and regulatory framework they are then operating in is sometimes a challenge for them.

[Maria Varmazis]

Sounds like there's definitely some work to be done at least within the industry for better educating and enabling that access.

[Paul Cremen]

And for us too, we need to make sure that our guidance is clear, that people understand it. I think getting a balance between those companies that want a really prescriptive approach to regulation, and some do, compared with others that want scope to be innovative and grow, is getting a challenge and we kind of have to hit both. And that's not always easy.

[Maria Varmazis]

No, I imagine that is extraordinarily difficult. In fact. Well, it is fascinating to be watching all the incredible developments happening in the UK for our industry partners and people who are listening in, who want to work more closely doing launch in the uk. What would be your advice for them?

[Paul Cremen]

So, first of all, UK is a very exciting place to come at the moment. We've got one spaceport online now that's talking to multiple customers. We're expecting our first vertical launch later this year and potentially the second one not far after. We have other options for spaceports that will be coming online in the next two or three years. I think the UK is a great place to come and work. You know, we have great access to polar orbits. We have great access to the European market, which is on our doorstep, as well as the UK market. I think, you know we have some of the most innovative universities in the world. You know, Oxford, Cambridge to name but a couple. And the government is really invested in that growth. I think there are some challenges. You know, the environment in which we operate is very different to the us. It's much more complex. But we are working with our partners to smooth those out.

[Maria Varmazis]

We'll be right back.

[Dave Limp]

And now a message from our sponsor. Zscaler, the leader in cloud security enterprises have spent billions of dollars on firewalls and VPNs, yet breaches continue to rise by an 18% year over year increase in ransomware attacks and a $75 million record payout in 2024. These traditional security tools expand your attack surface with public facing IPs that are exploited by bad actors more easily than ever with AI tools. It's time to rethink your security Zscaler 0Trust AI stops attackers by hiding your attack surface making apps and IPs invisible, eliminating lateral movement Connecting users only to specific apps, not the entire network Continuously verifying every request based on identity and context Simplifying security management with AI powered automation and detecting threats using AI to analyze over 500 billion daily transactions. Hackers can't attack what they can't see. Protect your organization with Zscaler Zero Trust and AI. Learn more at Zscaler.com Security welcome back dear listeners.

[Maria Varmazis]

Cast your minds back to January 15th of this year. It was the day of the long anticipated launch of not one but two lunar landers and we at T minus are super pumped about the missions and cannot wait for next month's anticipated touchdowns. So we figured it was time to check in with how those missions are doing. So mission number one with Firefly Aerospace. Well they've done a stellar job, pun intended hahaha. Of keeping us updated with the latest on their Blue Ghost mission. And yesterday they shared some glorious images of our blue planet and even one of our Moon. Their blog post titled Goodbye Earth, hello Moon shared the images with information that they captured following Blue Ghost's Trans Lunar injection. And Firefly says that they're now four weeks into the mission and Blue Ghost has downlinked more than 15 gigs of data, including NASA science data from record breaking GNSS signals to magnetic field measurements and Fireflies say that the data is already unlocking insights for the future of space exploration. So go and check out the images by following the link in the show notes. It is seriously giving us all Earthrise vibes. It's amazing imagery and the other mission is ispace's Hakuto R Mission 2 and I Space confirmed on January 22 that the National Central University of Taiwan's payload, the Deep Space Radiation Probe, is receiving telemetry and collecting radiation data as it travels through space. No further updates have been shared on their website since then, and unfortunately there have been no shared images so far. But we continue to wish them well on their mission to the moon. And that's it for T minus for February 13, 2025. Brought to you by N2K CyberWire for additional resources from today's report, check out our show [e-mail] we're privileged that N2K and podcasts like T Minus are part of the daily routine of many of the most influential leaders and operators in the public and private sector, from the Fortune 500 to many of the world's preeminent intelligence and law enforcement agencies. N2K Senior Producer is Alice Carruth. Our producer is Liz Stokes. We're mixed by Elliott Peltzman and Trey Hester with original music by Elliot Peltzman. Our executive producer is Jennifer Ibin. Peter Kilpe is our publisher and I am your host, Maria Varmazes. Thanks for listening. See you tomorrow.

[Paul Cremen]

T minus.