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Dave Limp posed a crucial question to Jeff Bezos during his interview last year to become the CEO of Blue Origin: “Is Blue Origin a hobby or a business?” Limp, a former Amazon executive, made it clear that he was only interested in leading Blue Origin if it was intended to be a serious company. Bezos assured him that Blue Origin needed to operate as a business.

After some convincing, Limp took on the role of CEO at Blue Origin, despite not being an aerospace engineer. He acknowledged the need for manufacturing expertise, decisiveness, and energy at the company. With Bezos’s vision of turning Blue Origin into a space sector powerhouse, Limp has been leading the company for nine months now.

Blue Origin, under Bezos’s investment, has been developing various projects in the space industry, including rockets, spacecraft, space stations, and lunar landers. However, the company has yet to make a significant impact in the rocketry market, dominated by SpaceX and other key players.

One of Blue Origin’s upcoming projects is the debut of the New Glenn rocket, designed to lift heavy payloads to low Earth orbit. The rocket is set to launch for the first time in November, aiming to be a partly reusable vehicle like SpaceX’s Falcon 9.

Limp’s main goals as CEO include successfully launching New Glenn and ramping up the production of Blue Origin’s BE-4 engines, which power both the New Glenn rocket and ULA’s Vulcan rocket. The company aims to deliver engines at a faster rate to meet the demand for upcoming launches.

In terms of culture, Limp is working on shifting Blue Origin from an R&D-focused organization to a world-class manufacturer. He emphasizes the importance of customer-centric principles, similar to Amazon’s approach, to drive Blue Origin’s culture forward. With key leadership additions and a focus on the factory floor, Limp is determined to instill a new mindset at Blue Origin.

Looking ahead to 2024, Blue Origin’s priorities include achieving successful New Glenn launches, improving engine production, and potentially developing a crew spacecraft. The company has secured contracts with NASA and entry into the Pentagon’s National Security Space Launch program, showcasing its progress in the space industry.

Limp’s dedication to building Blue Origin into a successful business is evident in his hands-on approach, regularly visiting the company’s facilities and meeting with clients. He emphasizes the need for financial discipline, quick decision-making, and learning from mistakes to propel Blue Origin forward as a serious player in the space sector.

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