Bezos and Musk: Space rivals now collaborating out of necessity

For years, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk have been engaged in one of the most notorious rivalries of the technological era. One, founder of Amazon and Blue Origin; the other, leader of SpaceX and Tesla. Both share the same dream: conquering space.

But what few imagined is that, in 2025, these two titans would end up working together. The reason isn't a sudden change of friendship, but a strategic necessity that is redefining the space race.

Just a few days ago, a SpaceX Falcon 9 made its 100th launch of the year, carrying no fewer than 24 Project Kuiper satellites, Amazon's bid to compete with Starlink . Yes, Musk's satellite internet service.

This isn't the first time this has happened. SpaceX has already launched satellites for Amazon in the past, even though Bezos has his own space company, Blue Origin . The reason is simple: SpaceX offers the best price per kilogram thanks to the reusability of the Falcon 9's first stage.

In a sector where every kilogram sent into space counts, Musk has capitalized on his technological advantage. With an approximate cost of €13.7 million per reusable partial launch, SpaceX offers a fast, efficient, and much cheaper option than the competition.

This has led competing companies—such as OneWeb, AST SpaceMobile, and even Northrop Grumman—to hire his services. And, in a context where rockets like Proton and Soyuz are off the market and others like Ariane 6 and New Glenn are experiencing delays, Musk's offer is almost irreplaceable.

Amazon already has 100 Project Kuiper satellites in orbit and another 100 ready for launch. While it's far from the more than 5,000 Starlink satellites , Bezos knows that accelerating deployment is crucial to staying ahead of the global satellite internet race.

That's why the company has contracted three more launches with SpaceX . It's not a friendly alliance, but a mutually beneficial agreement: Bezos gets speed, and Musk gets revenue to reinvest in Starlink and the ambitious Starship .

The current space landscape combines fierce competition with unexpected collaborations. Musk may maintain the lead thanks to his fleet and launch capacity, but Bezos has the financial muscle and infrastructure of Amazon.

What is clear is that, in this new era, even the most bitter rivals can end up sitting at the same table… or in the same rocket.