Blue Origin is searching for a location to build an international launch facility and is seeking fresh partnerships in Europe and elsewhere, the rocket company’s chief executive officer told the Financial Times on Monday.
In an interview with the paper, CEO Bob Smith said the firm, which is owned by Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) founder Jeff Bezos, is aiming to use this expansion to boost its services, including its launch and engine businesses, to meet customer demand.
Smith added that the hunt for a new launch facility is still in an early stage. The site would be an addition to the ones already in place in Florida and Texas.
Analysts quoted by the FT said that these acquisitions and partnerships would help Blue Origin compete with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. Delays around the development of its launchers have left Blue Origin with the task of catching up to SpaceX, which has already sent several missions to the International Space Station.
