How Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Is Taking on SpaceX in the Race to the Moon - WSJ What’s News

WSJ What’s News: How Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Is Taking on SpaceX in the Race to the Moon

Date: December 2, 2025
Host: Sabrina Siddiqui (filling in for Alex Osola)
Guest: Micah Madenberg, WSJ reporter covering the business of space

Episode Overview

This episode focuses on the growing competition between Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin and Elon Musk’s SpaceX as both companies vie for dominance in America’s revived lunar ambitions. The discussion highlights NASA contracts, Blue Origin's recent technological milestones, plans for lunar missions, competition with SpaceX, and how both companies are shaping the new wave of human space exploration.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Blue Origin’s Momentum & Changing Reputation

Blue Origin, historically perceived as slow and methodical, is now actively trying to accelerate its operations to compete with the faster-paced SpaceX.
Company previously embraced its “slow and steady” approach, symbolized by the use of a tortoise on their logo.
Major management change: Jeff Bezos appointed Dave Limp, a long-time Amazon executive, as CEO to increase the company’s speed and efficiency.
- Quote: “Jeff Bezos brought on a new CEO … Dave Limp. Limp has really tried and seen it as his mandate to get the company to move faster.” – Micah Madenberg (04:32)

2. Recent Achievements & Technological Milestones

Blue Origin successfully launched and landed its New Glenn booster for the first time, an important technological milestone.
The successful booster landing is seen as foundational for higher launch rates, cost savings, and future lunar flights.
Company is working on a more powerful version of New Glenn for upcoming missions.

3. Blue Origin’s Plans for the Moon

NASA has contracted Blue Origin to develop a lunar lander to be used in the Artemis program, which aims to return humans to the moon.
Blue Origin’s vision extends beyond transportation—exploring sustainable space living.
- Focus on converting lunar dust (“regolith”) into usable resources for astronauts or robotic missions.
- “Living off the land” to reduce costly transportation of materials from Earth to the moon.
- Quote: “…Blue Origin is invested in some really interesting technologies to try to turn, for example, Moondust … into usable resources…” – Micah Madenberg (05:20)
Projected timeline: Blue Origin is targeting a crewed lunar mission toward the end of 2028.

4. SpaceX’s Perspective & Competitive Approach

SpaceX is developing a human landing system based on its Starship spacecraft.
SpaceX asserts that its Starship lander remains the quickest path to returning Americans to the lunar surface, aiming for speed and frequency.
Both companies hold active NASA contracts to land astronauts on the Moon and are pushing for faster mission timetables.
- Quote: “SpaceX says its Starship lander is still the fastest way to get Americans back on the lunar surface.” – Micah Madenberg (06:05)

Memorable Moments & Notable Quotes

Blue Origin’s Shift in Culture:
- “Blue Origin did have this reputation. They once used a tortoise on their logo. You know, slow and steady wins the race, that kind of thing.”
  — Micah Madenberg (04:27)
Jeff Bezos' Leadership Moves:
- “Jeff Bezos brought on a new CEO to run the company. Somebody he worked with for many years at Amazon named Dave Limp.”
  — Micah Madenberg (04:31)
Lunar Resource Utilization:
- “…Blue Origin is invested in … turning Moondust, the stuff called regolith on the lunar surface, into usable resources that astronauts or … robotic missions could tap into. The idea there is, you live off the land. You don't have to transport stuff out to the moon because you can make it on the surface.”
  — Micah Madenberg (05:18)
Competitive Timeline:
- “Blue Origin and SpaceX both have contracts right now to deliver NASA astronauts to the lunar surface, and they're both trying to figure out faster ways to do it.”
  — Micah Madenberg (06:15)

Timestamps for Important Segments

[03:30] – Introduction of Blue Origin’s challenge to SpaceX and context on recent achievements
[04:26] – Blue Origin’s historical reputation and efforts to accelerate operations
[05:07] – Blue Origin’s plans for lunar exploration and the Artemis program
[05:59] – SpaceX’s response and NASA contracts for lunar landers
[06:26] – Conclusion of main segment

Tone and Style

The discussion is professional yet accessible, with an emphasis on clear explanations of technical and business concepts in the context of the space industry’s future.

Summary for Non-Listeners

This episode offers an in-depth look at the "new space race" between Blue Origin and SpaceX, focusing on their urgent efforts to secure NASA’s favor and win the race to put humans back on the moon. It covers Blue Origin’s cultural shift under new leadership, its technical advancements (especially the evolution of the New Glenn rocket), and ambitious plans to support sustainable lunar missions through new resource technologies. SpaceX, meanwhile, maintains its confident push with the Starship project, framing itself as the quickest route back to the moon. The segment is rich with industry insights and provides a concise but thorough picture of the current state of commercial lunar exploration.

Transcript

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Sabrina Siddiqui (0:18)

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth says he didn't see the second strike on a suspected drug boat that killed survivors, but defends the operation. Plus, Michael and Susan Dell are donating more than $6 billion to grow the Trump administration's plans for children's savings accounts and how Jeff Bezos, Blue Origin is building momentum in the new US space.

Micah Madenberg (0:41)

Race Blue Origin and SpaceX both have contracts right now to deliver NASA astronauts to the lunar surface, and they're both trying to figure out faster ways to do it.

Sabrina Siddiqui (0:51)

It's Tuesday, December 2nd. I'm Sabrina Siddiqi for the Wall Street Journal, filling in for Alex Osola. This is the PM Ed. What's news, the top headlines and business stories that move the world today. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth today defended the September strikes on a suspected drug trafficking boat that has drawn criticism. Lawmakers and many law of war experts have argued that targeting helpless individuals in a shipwreck amounts to a war crime. Speaking at a Cabinet meeting, Hegseth said He watched the September 2nd operation live, but then left the room ahead of a second strike which killed two survivors of a first strike. He says he learned of the second attack an hour or two later. He praised the top military commander, Admiral Frank Mitch Bradley, for making the, quote, correct decision to destroy the boat.

AWS Advertiser (1:45)

He sunk the boat, sunk the boat and eliminated the threat. And he was the right call. We we have his back and the.

Sabrina Siddiqui (1:53)

American people are safer. Speaking before Hegseth, President Trump said he had not been briefed on the second strike, but that he relies on Hegseth to update him on such situations and that the defense secretary was doing a good job. And President Vladimir Putin says Russia is ready to go to war with Europe if attacked, and accused European leaders of trying to sabotage peace efforts through proposed changes to a US Peace plan for Ukraine. The Russian leader is trying to deepen divides in the transatlantic alliance. A senior NATO official says the alliance is united and dismissed Putin's comments. Putin spoke at an investment forum today in Moscow before meeting with Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner over the newest U.S. peace proposal. European and Ukrainian officials had objected to an earlier 28 point plan, saying it was too favorable to Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky says he's waiting to hear what comes out of the Moscow talks and that robust security guarantees and questions about control of Ukrainian territory remain central issues. And in the US, Michael and Susan Dell are donating $6.25 billion to expand a government program that will provide savings accounts for children. The government's program gives children $1,000 for what are called Trump accounts. The Dells say they want to fill the gap for millions of children who weren't eligible for the investment accounts and provide $250 per child. Their gift is the latest example of a corporate leader donating to one of the president's projects. Others have given money for a White House ballroom, Trump's inaugural events or a presidential library. Blue Origin, the space venture founded by Jeff Bezos, is taking on Elon Musk's Space SpaceX. Pushing to get humans to the moon first. The company is planning more orbital missions, including an early 2026 cargo flight to the moon, as it challenges SpaceX dominance in rockets, satellites and flying crews into space. Blue Origin is making those moves after completing a flight last month with its rocket New Glenn. It was able to land the New Glenn booster for the first time during that mission, which should help the company operate more flights. A bigger, more powerful version of New Glenn is also in the works. Micah Madenberg, a Wall Street Journal reporter covering the business of space, joins us now with more Micah. Blue Origin itself acknowledges having a reputation of moving slower. What's changing as it competes with SpaceX in the new race to the moon?