Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos have been locked in a bitter rivalry for supremacy in space exploration. Donald Trump’s return to the White House could boost Musk’s ascent.
As it stands, Musk’s SpaceX is the competition’s undisputed leader: It regularly sends astronauts into orbit, while Bezos’ Blue Origin has yet to launch anyone beyond the outer edge of space.
But Bezos’ company, even if far behind SpaceX, is seen as its closest American competitor, and the two companies have clashed in court over billions of dollars in government funding.
More recently, their battle has become increasingly bitter, as the billionaires themselves traded barbs on Musk-owned X.
“People are concerned what’s in place to stop it,” said one space industry lobbyist granted anonymity to discuss private conversations about Musk’s influence.