<h2>SpaceX Layoffs</h2>
<p>SpaceX CEO Elon Musk blamed the company&#8217;s decision to <a href="https://futurism.com/spacex-lay-off-10-percent-workforce">lay off 10 percent of its workforce</a> on its Starship and Starlink projects this week, calling them &#8220;absolutely insane.&#8221;</p>
<p>&#8220;SpaceX has two absolutely insane projects that would not only bankrupt the company,&#8221; he said, as <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/31/elon-musk-spacex-layoffs-due-to-starship-and-starlink-projects.html">reported by <em>CNBC</em></a>. &#8220;There&#8217;s Starship and Starlink.&#8221;</p>
<h2>&#8220;Absolutely Insane&#8221;</h2>
<p>The comments came during an investor call for Tesla, the electric car manufacturer where Musk is also CEO. Though his language was colorful, the two projects he blamed for the SpaceX&#8217;s tight purse strings are indeed complex.</p>
<p>Starship is the company&#8217;s <a href="https://futurism.com/elon-musk-bfrs-name-fourth-time-starship">oft-renamed rocket</a> that it plans to use to transport crews of up to 100 humans <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/11/20/18104389/big-falcon-rocket-bfr-starship-spacex-elon-musk">to Mars</a> and <a href="https://futurism.com/elon-musk-reach-moon-starship-raptor">the Moon</a>. Starlink will remain closer to home, but is still ambitious: it&#8217;s a <a href="https://futurism.com/spacex-satellites-approval-fcc">network of satellites</a> that the company plans to use to offer global broadband internet.</p>
<h2>Star Power</h2>
<p>Starship and Starlink are putting such a strain on SpaceX&#8217;s finances, Musk said during the investor call, that the company is going to need to remain fiscally cautious until they&#8217;re completed.</p>
<p>&#8220;SpaceX has to be incredibly spartan with expenditures until those programs reach fruition,&#8221; he said.</p>
<p><strong>READ MORE: </strong><a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2019/01/31/elon-musk-spacex-layoffs-due-to-starship-and-starlink-projects.html">Elon Musk blames SpaceX layoffs on &#8216;absolutely insane&#8217; Mars rocket and satellite internet projects</a> [<i>CNBC</i>]</p>
<p><em><strong>More on SpaceX: </strong><a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/starship-spacex-damaged-hurricane-winds">Hurricane-Force Gusts Knocked Over SpaceX&#8217;s Starship Last Night</a></em></p>


Elon Musk blames two SpaceX projects for the company's layoffs.

Elon Musk blames SpaceX layoffs on "absolutely insane projects"

Space Chase

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk blamed the company's decision to lay off 10 percent of its workforce on its Starship and Starlink projects this week.

Elon Musk Blames SpaceX Layoffs On “Absolutely Insane Projects”

"SpaceX has two absolutely insane projects that would not only bankrupt the company."

<h2>To the Moon</h2>
<p>Elon Musk really wants to get to the Moon – and &#8220;as fast as possible,&#8221; he wrote in a <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1091154222173712384">tweet last night</a>.</p>
<p>The Twitter thread also included <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1091156245132673024">new details</a> about SpaceX&#8217;s Raptor engine, which could boost the spacetech company&#8217;s <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/stainless-steel-starship-spacex">enormous stainless steel Starship</a> into space.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Preparing to fire the Starship Raptor engine at <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@SpaceX</a> Texas <a href="https://t.co/8JCOi1BG6z">pic.twitter.com/8JCOi1BG6z</a></p>
<p>&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1091154222173712384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 1, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<h2>Streamlined Design</h2>
<p>Conventionally, rockets have used multiple stages, each specialized for flight through Earth&#8217;s atmosphere or the vacuum of space respectively.</p>
<p>SpaceX appears to be streamlining the process with one engine design, according to <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/02/spacex-simplifying-mars-rocket-design-aiming-toward-lunar-tests-first/"><em>Ars Technica&#8217;s </em>analysis</a> of Musk&#8217;s tweet. The approach will have some key advantages, according to <em>Ars</em>: it could take significantly less time and money to develop and test the rockets.</p>
<h2>What About Mars?</h2>
<p>So what about Mars? SpaceX touted Starship as the <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/elon-musk-first-starship-test-four-weeks">ultimate passenger vehicle</a> that could ferry people all the way to the Red Planet. So why all the talk about going to the Moon?</p>
<p>There&#8217;s a good chance it has to do with limited budgets. Earlier this year, SpaceX laid off <a href="https://futurism.com/spacex-lay-off-10-percent-workforce">10 percent of its staff</a> as part of a &#8220;strategic realignment.&#8221; After all, launching <a href="https://futurism.com/spacex-satellites-approval-fcc">thousands of satellites</a> and developing giant spaceships is expensive.</p>
<p>Besides, SpaceX already <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-moon-bfr-passenger">promised a Japanese billionaire</a> a trip around the Moon on board the Starship.</p>
<p>But Mars isn&#8217;t  out of the question yet. Given enough time and money — and eventually completed trips to the Moon — SpaceX could still make it to Mars.</p>
<p><strong>READ MORE:</strong> <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/02/spacex-simplifying-mars-rocket-design-aiming-toward-lunar-tests-first/">In new Starship details, Musk reveals a more practical approach</a> [<em>Ars Technica</em>]</p>
<p><em><strong>More on Starship: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/starship-spacex-damaged-hurricane-winds">Hurricane-Force Gusts Knocked Over SpaceX&#8217;s Starship</a></strong></em></p>


The same Raptor engine could take Starship through air and the vacuum of space.

Elon Musk's new goal: "reach the Moon as fast as possible"

What About Mars?

Elon Musk announced a streamlined version of SpaceX's Raptor engine design that will take Starship to space and beyond as well.

Elon Musk’s New Goal: “Reach the Moon as Fast as Possible”

Destination: Moon.

<h2>Two Sides</h2>
<p>To hear Elon Musk tell it, 2018 was a terrible year. &#8220;It was excruciating,&#8221; <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/08/16/business/elon-musk-interview-tesla.html">he lamented</a> to <em>The New York Times</em> in August.</p>
<p>But a <em>Washington Post</em> <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/elon-musks-highflying-2018-what-150000-miles-in-a-private-jet-reveal-about-his-excruciating-year/2019/01/29/83b5604e-20ee-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">story</a> published Tuesday paints a different picture.</p>
<p>The newspaper tracked every trip Musk took on Tesla&#8217;s corporate jet in 2018 and found that while his company was burning through $100 million per week and <a href="https://electrek.co/2018/10/15/tesla-45000-employees-elon-musk/">laying off</a> thousands of employees, the billionaire was jet-setting across the globe — mostly on the company dime and definitely not always for business purposes.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/I-HCMbTDWVo?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<h2>Musk on the Move</h2>
<p>According to <em>WaPo</em>, the jet flew in excess of 150,000 miles over the course of more than 250 flights in 2018 — and Musk wasn&#8217;t even always on board. Sometimes, the jet was simply flown from one part of L.A. to another so Musk could meet it at the closest airport.</p>
<p>When Musk was on the jet, many of his trip <em>were</em> business-related, taking him to and from the airports nearest SpaceX&#8217;s headquarters, Tesla&#8217;s headquarters, and Tesla&#8217;s Gigafactory.</p>
<p>But based on the <em>WaPo</em> report, Musk also took a vacation in Chile, spent spring break in Jordan and Israel, and visited the sets of two HBO dramas: &#8220;Westworld&#8221; in Texas and &#8220;Game of Thrones&#8221; in Northern Ireland.</p>
<p>The Ireland trip took place just three weeks after Tesla laid off about 3,500 employees, a move <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/12/tesla-to-cut-about-9-percent-of-jobs-across-company-report.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Musk called</a> &#8220;difficult, but necessary.&#8221;</p>
<h2>CEO to CEO</h2>
<p>Tesla spokesman Dave Arnold characterized this frequent air travel as par for the course for someone in Musk&#8217;s position. &#8220;Until we can teleport,&#8221; Arnold told <em>WaPo</em>, &#8220;there’s unfortunately no alternative that would allow him to do his job as effectively.&#8221;</p>
<p>But other CEOs seem to manage just fine.</p>
<p>Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos took <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/where-bezoss-jet-flies-most--and-what-it-might-say-about-amazons-hq2/2018/11/02/792be19a-de16-11e8-b3f0-62607289efee_story.html?utm_term=.dac0830f30f1" target="_blank" rel="noopener">100 fewer flights</a> than Musk in 2018, according to <em>WaPo</em>. Apple, meanwhile, spent <a href="https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/320193/000119312517380130/d400278ddef14a.htm#toc400278_23" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$93,000</a> on flights for CEO Tim Cook in 2017 — Tesla reportedly shelled out $700,000 for Musk&#8217;s travels that same year.</p>
<p>And Bezos and Cook head up companies that actually could afford to bankroll a flight itinerary comparable to Musk&#8217;s.</p>
<h2>Company Dime</h2>
<p>The <em>WaPo</em> article asserts that Musk&#8217;s 2018 travel was &#8220;largely paid for by Tesla.&#8221; However, a Tesla spokesperson told the publication that the company &#8220;does not cover the costs for Musk’s personal trips and that Musk, SpaceX, and Tesla review the flights and agree on who pays for each trip.&#8221;</p>
<p>Still, even if that&#8217;s true, $700,000 is a lot of money to spend on business-related travel in one year, and based on <em>WaPo</em>&#8216;s report, Musk flew just as much — if not more — in 2018 than he did the year prior.</p>
<p>When Musk laid off <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-layoffs-staff-elon-musk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">7 percent of Tesla&#8217;s staff</a> earlier this month, he said it was because the company needed to cut costs. The next time it feels an urge to streamline finances, it might want to take a hard look at how often its CEO goes wheels up on the company dime before handing out pink slips.</p>
<p><strong>READ MORE: </strong><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/elon-musks-highflying-2018-what-150000-miles-in-a-private-jet-reveal-about-his-excruciating-year/2019/01/29/83b5604e-20ee-11e9-8b59-0a28f2191131_story.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elon Musk’s Highflying 2018: What 150,000 Miles in a Private Jet Reveal About His ‘Excruciating’ Year</a> [<em>The Washington Post</em>]</p>
<p><em><strong>More on Tesla: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/tesla-layoffs-staff-elon-musk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Elon Musk: Tesla Is Laying off 7 Percent of Its Staff</a></strong></em></p>


He criss-crossed the globe while his company bled money.

Tesla paid for Elon Musk's private jet while laying off thousands

Frequent Flyer

Elon Musk flew more than 150,000 miles on Tesla's corporate jet in 2018, according to the Washington Post, and not all of his trips were business-related.

Tesla Paid for Elon Musk’s Private Jet While Laying off Thousands

See how the CEO managed to rack up 150,000 miles in one year.

<h2>Crew Dragon Test Fire</h2>
<p>SpaceX just completed a test fire of the Falcon 9 rocket that will hopefully launch the space company&#8217;s <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-crew-dragon-vertical-first-test-launch">futuristic Crew Dragon</a> spacecraft into space.</p>
<p>If all goes well — SpaceX still has a number of tests planned — it could be the first time astronauts launch into space from American soil since the Space Shuttle&#8217;s last trip back in 2011.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
<p lang="en" dir="ltr">Static fire test complete—targeting February launch from historic Launch Complex 39A for Crew Dragon’s first demonstration flight! <a href="https://t.co/sJF24U3UOM">pic.twitter.com/sJF24U3UOM</a></p>
<p>&mdash; SpaceX (@SpaceX) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpaceX/status/1088633393149968384?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 25, 2019</a></p></blockquote>
<p><script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p>
<p>The rocket in question stood proud at Launch Pad 39A at NASA&#8217;s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral yesterday. All nine first-stage engines were briefly ignited.</p>
<h2>Dragon Breath</h2>
<p>In a <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1088671896332165120">joyous and emoji-laden tweet</a>, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk promised that the first astronauts could be going to the International Space Station as soon as this summer — that is, if February&#8217;s test flight goes according to plan.</p>
<p>It&#8217;s an important first step, and if the <a href="https://www.theverge.com/2018/12/21/18151626/spacex-falcon-9-gps-iii-launch-air-force-watch-live">21 successful Falcon 9 launches</a> in 2018 alone are anything to go by, chances are pretty good that SpaceX can pull this off.</p>
<h2>Higher Stakes</h2>
<p>Rather than only carrying cargo and scientific experiments aboard an otherwise empty Dragon spacecraft, human lives are at stake this time around.</p>
<p>SpaceX plans to run an <a href="http://www.parabolicarc.com/2018/11/28/how-spacex-conduct-inflight-abort-test-crew-dragon/">in-flight abort test</a> before it allows any astronauts inside the Crew Dragon.</p>
<p><strong>READ MORE: </strong><a href="https://www.space.com/43122-spacex-test-fires-crew-dragon-falcon9-rocket.html?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social">SpaceX Test Fires Rocket for 1st Crew Dragon Launch in February</a> [<em>Space.com</em>]<strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p class="LC20lb"><em><strong>More on Crew Dragon: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-crew-dragon-vertical-first-test-launch">SpaceX&#8217;s Crew Dragon Goes Vertical for First Test Launch</a></strong></em></p>


But it's only the first of a series of tests before astronauts are allowed to climb on board.

SpaceX just test fired the rocket that'll launch its Crew Dragon

Crew Dragon Test

SpaceX completed the first test fire of the Falcon 9 rocket that will hopefully carry the groundbreaking Crew Dragon spacecraft into space.

SpaceX Just Test Fired the Rocket That’ll Launch Its Crew Dragon

SpaceX plans to launch the first astronauts from American soil since 2011.

<h2>Heavy Load</h2>
<p>In a new animation, Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos&#8217; space agency Blue Origin showed off a new design for its heavy load &#8220;New Glenn&#8221; rocket. The animation shows the two stage rocket take off from a launch pad before separating a bullet-shaped payload fairing in space as the booster re-enters the atmosphere and lands on a ship.</p>
<p><iframe width="500" height="281" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/532ay25-kmU?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen></iframe></p>
<p>Yes, that last part is similar to how SpaceX reuses its Falcon 9 boosters, down to the way legs (the Falcon 9 has four while the New Glenn will have six) splay out of the bottom of the booster to stabilize it during touchdown. While it&#8217;s not exactly a new idea — even for Blue Origin — a previous New Glenn <a href="https://youtu.be/BTEhohh6eYk">animation from 2017</a> showed a slightly different leg design that folded out of the sides of the booster, rather than swinging out.</p>
<h2>Glengarry Glen Ross</h2>
<p>In terms of specs, Blue Origin is promising that the New Glenn will be capable of delivering about 50 metric tons to low Earth orbit, while SpaceX&#8217;s Heavy Falcon will eventually be capable of delivering just over 70 tons. The New Glenn will stand 83 feet taller than the Heavy Falcon at a massive 313 feet (95 m) tall.</p>
<p>Blue Origin&#8217;s smaller suborbital rocket, the &#8220;New Shepard,&#8221; has also made progress over the last few years. Its <a href="https://www.space.com/43061-blue-origin-new-shepard-flight-ns10-launch-date.html">next test flight</a> is slated for Jan. 23.  Rather than sending a massive payload into orbit, New Shepard&#8217;s capsule will carry scientists and their equipment for experiments into suborbital space.</p>
<h2>Catching Up</h2>
<p>We have yet to hear from Blue Origin about an exact launch date of its New Glenn orbital rocket, let alone crewed test flights. The company has said it&#8217;s aiming for a <a href="https://www.autoevolution.com/news/blue-origin-to-launch-new-glenn-in-2021-as-most-capable-rocket-available-131687.html">2021 test flight</a> from the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.</p>
<p>Blue Origin has some catching up to do. SpaceX&#8217;s Heavy Falcon completed its first test flight <a href="https://futurism.com/falcon-heavy-launch-whats-next-spacex">last February</a>, becoming the most powerful rocket in operation.</p>
<p><strong>READ MORE: </strong><a href="https://www.space.com/43065-blue-origin-new-glenn-rocket-design-video.html?utm_source=twitter&amp;utm_medium=social">Blue Origin Video Shows Off Updated Design of Huge New Glenn Rocket</a> [<em>Space.com</em>]<strong><br />
</strong></p>
<p><em><strong>More on Blue Origin: <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/new-shepard-rocket-blue-origin">Blue Origin’s New Shepard Rocket Aces Important Test</a></strong></em></p>


Blue Origin is planning to test launch the rocket in 2021.

New animation shows off Blue Origin's redesigned heavy load rocket

New New Glenn

Blue Origin showed off a new animation of its New Gleen orbital rocket system, including a booster landing that's reminiscent of SpaceX's Falcon 9.

New Animation Shows Off Blue Origin’s Redesigned Heavy Load Rocket

Who's winning the space race — SpaceX or Blue Origin?

<h2>Fire Booster</h2>
<p>Spacetech venture SpaceX said Friday that it plans to lay off 10 percent of its workforce — an eyebrow-raising move for a company emerging from a <a href="https://futurism.com/spacex-smashed-record-commercial-space-launches">record-shattering year</a>.</p>
<p>&#8220;To continue delivering for our customers and to succeed in developing interplanetary spacecraft and a global space-based Internet, SpaceX must become a leaner company,&#8221; a company spokesperson <a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/01/spacex-cutting-10-percent-of-its-staff-to-become-a-leaner-company/">said in a statement</a> that called the layoffs a &#8220;strategic realignment.&#8221;</p>
<h2>Inflection Point</h2>
<p><em>Space News </em><a href="https://spacenews.com/spacex-laying-off-10-percent-of-its-workforce/">reports that</a> the layoffs are the first major workforce reduction since the company was founded in 2002, though it did fire a number of workers in 2014. This time, SpaceX is blaming the layoffs on an ambitious slate of projects.</p>
<p>&#8220;To continue delivering for our customers and to succeed in developing interplanetary spacecraft and a global space-based Internet, SpaceX must become a leaner company,&#8221; the company said, in reference to its Starship, Super Heavy, and Starlink constellation projects. “Either of these developments, even when attempted separately, have bankrupted other organizations.&#8221;</p>
<h2>Brighter Tomorrow</h2>
<p>The move comes just a day after CEO Elon Musk <a href="https://futurism.com/the-byte/starship-image-elon-musk-spacex">showed off</a> the company&#8217;s recently-assembled Starship space vehicle, and <a href="https://futurism.com/elon-musk-first-commercial-crew-test-especially-dangerous">a month before</a> the company plans to test its  commercial crew launch vehicle in preparation for launching humans to the International Space Station.</p>
<p>But so far, the enigmatic CEO has yet to tweet about the layoffs.</p>
<p><strong>READ MORE: </strong><a href="https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/01/spacex-cutting-10-percent-of-its-staff-to-become-a-leaner-company/">SpaceX cutting 10 percent of its staff to become a leaner company</a> [<em>Ars Technica</em>]</p>
<p><em><strong>More on Elon Musk: </strong><a href="https://futurism.com/elon-musk-wanders-tesla-factory-firing-workers">Elon Musk Wanders Tesla Factory, Firing Workers in Wild Mood Swings</a></em></p>


Surprise announcement: SpaceX to lay off 10 percent of workforce

Off World

SpaceX said Friday that it plans to lay off 10 percent of its workforce — an eyebrow-raising move for a company emerging from a record-shattering year.

Space Chase

Elon Musk Blames SpaceX Layoffs On “Absolutely Insane Projects”

"SpaceX has two absolutely insane projects that would not only bankrupt the company."

News

/ Off World

/ Elon Musk

/ Spacex

/ Starship

SpaceX Layoffs

“Absolutely Insane”

Star Power

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