Jeff Bezos’ Rocket Company is Slashing Workforce after Debut Orbital Launch

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Jan. 16, 2025, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. - AP Photo
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Jan. 16, 2025, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. - AP Photo
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Jeff Bezos’ Rocket Company is Slashing Workforce after Debut Orbital Launch

Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Jan. 16, 2025, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. - AP Photo
Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket lifts off from Launch Complex 36 at the Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Jan. 16, 2025, in Cape Canaveral, Fla. - AP Photo

Jeff Bezos’ rocket company Blue Origin is cutting 10% of its workforce, The AP reported.

This week’s move comes a month after the debut of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, which reached orbit on its first try. CEO Dave Limp relayed the layoff news to employees Thursday, with notifications going out Friday.

In an email to staff obtained by The AP, Limp said it was a “tough decision” but that the company grew too fast over the past few years.

“With that growth came more bureaucracy and less focus than we needed," he said in the note.

Limp said the cuts are needed in order to speed up manufacturing as well as the launch rate. Based in Kent, Washington, Blue Origin launches its New Glenn rockets from Florida and its smaller New Shepard rockets from Texas.

Like Elon Musk’s SpaceX — its chief competitor — Blue Origin holds contracts from NASA to land astronauts on the moon in the coming years.

It was not immediately clear how many employees would be affected by the layoffs. The privately-held Blue Origin does not disclose employment figures.



Kate, Princess of Wales, to Present Women's Singles Trophy at Wimbledon

Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales awaits the arrival of France’s President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron in Windsor, England, Tuesday July 8, 2025, on the first day of a three-day state visit to Britain. (Chris Jackson/Pool via AP)
Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales awaits the arrival of France’s President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron in Windsor, England, Tuesday July 8, 2025, on the first day of a three-day state visit to Britain. (Chris Jackson/Pool via AP)
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Kate, Princess of Wales, to Present Women's Singles Trophy at Wimbledon

Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales awaits the arrival of France’s President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron in Windsor, England, Tuesday July 8, 2025, on the first day of a three-day state visit to Britain. (Chris Jackson/Pool via AP)
Britain’s Kate, Princess of Wales awaits the arrival of France’s President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte Macron in Windsor, England, Tuesday July 8, 2025, on the first day of a three-day state visit to Britain. (Chris Jackson/Pool via AP)

Kate, the Princess of Wales, is set to present the trophy to the winner of the women's singles final at Wimbledon on Saturday after opting not to attend the match last year while she was recovering from cancer.

The All England Club said Kate, the wife of Prince William, will be back in the Royal Box on Center Court for the match between eighth-seeded Iga Swiatek and No. 13 Amanda Anisimova. She will then take part in the on-court trophy presentation, The AP news reported.

Kate has been the patron of the All England Club since 2016 and has regularly attended the men's and women's finals. However, she was not there when Barbora Krejcikova defeated Jasmine Paolini for the women's title last year.

She did hand the trophy to Carlos Alcaraz after his victory over Novak Djokovic in the men's final, when she made only her second public appearance since announcing she was diagnosed with cancer.

She has been gradually returning to public duties since since announcing last fall that she had completed chemotherapy, and took part in welcoming French President Emmanuel Macron during his state visit to Britain this week.