Longtime Amazon Executive to Take Over Jeff Bezos’ Rocket Company

Blue Origin, the space tourism and rocket company founded by Jeff Bezos, is undergoing a leadership change as Dave Limp, a senior executive at Amazon, prepares to take the reins as the new CEO. The current CEO, Bob Smith, who has been at the helm since 2017, will step down from his role, according to a statement released by Blue Origin.

The announcement highlights Limp’s extensive experience in the high-tech industry and his customer-centric approach. Notably, he has played a pivotal role in Amazon’s Project Kuiper, the satellite business initiative. Blue Origin emphasized Limp’s proven track record in managing complex organizations.

Under Bob Smith’s leadership, Blue Origin transformed from an R&D-focused company into a multifaceted space business, amassing nearly $10 billion in customer orders and employing over 10,000 individuals. Smith will continue to be part of the transition process, with his departure scheduled for January 2.

Dave Limp will officially assume his role as CEO of Blue Origin on December 4. His appointment comes at a crucial time for the company, which has been working for over a decade on its suborbital rocket and spacecraft, New Shepard. This vehicle is designed to carry paying customers and scientific experiments to the edge of space. In 2021, New Shepard conducted its first successful crewed spaceflight, with Jeff Bezos among the passengers. However, it has not returned to flight since an uncrewed mission in September 2022 faced technical difficulties.

In addition to New Shepard, Blue Origin is actively involved in various other high-profile projects. The company is developing the New Glenn heavy-lift rocket, aiming to compete with SpaceX for satellite launch contracts. The rocket’s engines, known as BE-4, will also power the Vulcan rocket developed by United Launch Alliance (ULA), a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Boeing. After months of delays, ULA anticipates launching its BE-4-powered Vulcan Centaur rocket this year for a NASA-backed lunar mission.

Furthermore, Blue Origin secured a significant contract in May for NASA’s Artemis moon exploration program, receiving $3.5 billion to create a spacecraft capable of transporting astronauts to the lunar surface. This leadership transition is expected to have a significant impact on the company’s continued growth and development in the space industry.