Blue Origin, the aerospace company founded by Jeff Bezos, is raising approximately $10 billion in its inaugural external funding round, according to sources reported by CNBC.
The round values the rocket manufacturer at $130 billion.
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This capital influx positions Blue Origin to compete more aggressively in the heavy-lift rocket and lunar lander markets.
The funding comes shortly after rival SpaceX's record-breaking $86 billion initial public offering last month.
Bezos will personally inject $2 billion into the round, while hedge fund Coatue Management is expected to contribute roughly $4 billion.
The remaining $4 billion has attracted interest from several prominent investors who are expected to finalize their participation soon.
Prior to this round, Bezos financed Blue Origin independently, primarily through selling Amazon stock. He had previously expressed confidence in the company's long-term scale.
Strategic Shift Toward Outside Investors
Bezos discussed the funding plans during an interview months before the raise.
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"It's a good time, actually, to start thinking about the future and bring on some other outside investors," he said.
The new capital arrives as Blue Origin navigates technical recovery efforts in Florida.
In late May, a New Glenn vehicle suffered an anomaly and exploded during a static hot-fire test.
Engineers are rebuilding affected launch facilities and investigating the engine failure. Management aims to restore the primary launch platform before year-end.
"We will be flying again before the end of this year," Bezos stated.
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CEO Dave Limp joins Bezos in targeting an aggressive operational recovery for the New Glenn system, which is critical for contracts with NASA, Amazon, and AST SpaceMobile.
