Blue Origin, founded by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos in 2000, is laying off about 1,000 employees, roughly 10% of its workforce. The move comes as the company finalizes its annual operating plan, which aims to ramp up manufacturing and increase launch frequency.
The layoffs primarily affect engineering, research and development, and project management positions, according to an email sent by CEO David Limp. Limp cited the growth of the company in recent years as a contributing factor to the need for change, stating that it led to increased bureaucracy and reduced focus on core priorities.
Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket recently completed its debut flight, successfully launching into orbit but failing to land its first-stage booster after takeoff. The unsuccessful landing attempt was part of an effort to reduce costs.
The company also operates New Shepard, a suborbital vehicle that offers short space flights for paying customers. Despite the layoffs, Blue Origin remains committed to its expansion plans and aims to execute them with a more streamlined organization.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/02/13/science/blue-origin-employee-layoffs/index.html