Car Maker Rivian Seems to Be a Part of Blue Origin Space Program

Car manufacturer Rivian helps Jeff Bezos move Blue Origin space program forward. So, even though Musk’s Tesla and SpaceX are in the lead when it comes to electric vehicles and space travel, other companies are starting to catch up. As SpaceX sends a Tesla roadster to orbit (which recently has passed Mars), RJ Scaringe from Rivian and Jeff Bezos from Blue Origin team up for a space-car duo of their own.

Rivian’s Role in Blue Origin space program

Rivian CEO RJ Scaringe has an established partnership with Amazon for delivery services. So, while not a space company owner, Scaringe’s connection to space is still evident through Jeff Bezos, the founder of both Amazon and Blue Origin. On 15th April, they launched a capsule and used two R1Ts from Rivian to retrieve it.

While Blue Origin does not disclose a lot of information on its Space Program and Rivian’s part in it, the company’s latest YouTube video of the NS-15 launch shows two Rivian pickups with numbers on the roof. The numbers may stand for prototype models or could indicate that Blue Origin ordered more of those vehicles for further manned missions. Given that pickups have 750 horsepower and 14 inches of ground clearance, they are quite suitable for that work.

Plus, Amazon ordered 100,000 electric vehicles from Rivian with a base price of $67,500 for a 300-mileage model apiece. The carmaker will soon offer a more advanced and a more simplified version, with 400 and 250-mileage, respectively.

As part of the recent Blue Origin mission, two Rivian pickups, followed by Ford F-150, got to the landing site using desert roads. There have been no other updates on Blue Origin space program, but it looks like Blue will keep working with its long-term partner Rivian.