How Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin Is Taking on SpaceX in the Race to the Moon

SPEAKER_1 (0:02)

Last year, Instagram launched Teen Accounts, which default all teens into automatic protections for who can contact them and the content they can see. And we'll continue adding new safeguards for teens to help give parents peace of mind. Explore Teen Accounts' automatic protections and all of our ongoing work at instagram.com/teenaccounts.

Sabrina Siddiqui (0:33)

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 race.

Micah Maidenberg (0:57)

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 (1:06)

It's Tuesday, December 2nd. I'm Sabrina Siddiqui for The Wall Street Journal, filling in for Alex Osala. This is the PM edition of 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.

Pete Hegseth (2:00)

He sunk the boat, sunk the boat, and eliminated the threat. And he was the right call. We have his back and the American people are safer.

Sabrina Siddiqui (2:10)

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 Whitkoff and Jared Kushner over the newest US 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 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 rocket 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 Maidenberg, 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?

Micah Maidenberg (4:41)

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. So, a couple of years ago, Jeff Bezos brought on a new CEO to run the company, somebody he worked with for many years at Amazon named Dave Limp, and you know, Limp has really tried and seen it as his mandate to get the company to move faster. And New Glenn is a huge part of the company's plans for space, including getting folks back to the moon towards the end of 2028