SpaceX's win of a NASA contract. However, instead of a lengthy document defending its case, the SpaceX founder replied with a usual weapon of choice: a series of Tweets. The pun-filled messages reveal that the entrepreneur does not appear that concerned over Blue Origin's claims, or the Jeff Bezos-owned company in general.
Earlier this month, SpaceX won a contract with NASA to develop a human landing system in an manned mission back to the Moon. Musk's aerospace company had been competing with Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin and the Alabama-based Dynetics for almost a year. Though it was a monumental win for SpaceX, it was hardly a surprise given the two companies' history with each other. Blue Origin wasn't pleased at all, though. Soon after the win, the company filed an official 50-page complaint, detailing what was wrong with NASA's decision. On paper, the complaint seemingly offers enough substance to warrant a reply from both SpaceX and NASA, especially since it was filed with the Government ability Office. However, that's not what Blue Origin received.
In a recent series of Tweets, about Blue Origin's complaint. Musk, despite the seriousness of the report, responded in a usual lackadaisical candor. Both Tweets — one of which includes a Photoshopped image — trolls SpaceX's rival with some risque puns, with one of them reading "Can't get it up (to orbit) lol." While SpaceX has not officially responded to the allegations yet, neither Blue Origin nor Jeff Bezos have responded to Musk either.
Should Elon Musk Be Worried?
The contrast between Elon Musk's brash approach and SpaceX's (or even Tesla's) calmer responses has always been well documented. While Musk's Tweets have previously created some trouble for the companies involved, the entrepreneur always appears to thrive in controversy. Most recently, Musk went through a barrage of memes about his appearance for Saturday Night Live. In this sense, Musk's less-than-professional response to Blue Origin's challenge is very much on-brand.
Whether or not Musk or SpaceX is concerned with the recent Blue Origin challenge, SpaceX has already won the corporate space race to return to the Moon. Though NASA is still holding another competition for recurring flights, Musk's company has already bagged the one that will officially make history. The company will even be able to use the opportunity to test its experimental technology for a future trip to Mars. With the deal already done, Musk can probably afford to enjoy the moment a little. As for Blue Origin, the company still has a lot of ground to cover to cement its position as a competitor in the corporate space race. After the first Moon landing in decades, both companies still have to compete for recurring missions, a base on the Moon, and ultimately, the world's first manned mission to Mars. The latter of which appears to be something SpaceX firmly has its sights set on.
Source: Elon Musk/Twitter