The richest person in the world and the second richest person in the world seem to have put their long-standing animosity into orbit with dueling rocket ship launches.
On Thursday, Jeff Bezos‘s Blue Origin launched its massive seven-engine, 320-foot New Glenn rocket into orbit, marking its first test flight. And later that day, Elon Musk‘s SpaceX launched its Starship rocket, which exploded in flight, but its Super Heavy rocket booster was caught by the “chopsticks” on the landing platform successfully.
Following the flights, the billionaire rocketeers exchanged compliments over social media, rather than the taunts we’re more accustomed to seeing.
“Well done, @Jeff Bezos, and the Blue Origin team!” Musk wrote on X following the New Glenn launch.
Well done, @JeffBezos, and the Blue Origin team! https://t.co/wbezf3UP11
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2025
“Kudos to you and the whole SpaceX team on the flawless booster catch! Very impressive,” Bezos wrote on X, replying to Musk giving an update on the Starship explosion.
Kudos to you and the whole SpaceX team on the flawless booster catch! Very impressive.?
— Jeff Bezos (@JeffBezos) January 17, 2025
This online congeniality marks a turn into the billionaires’ public-facing relationship. They’ve been at odds over SpaceX and Blue Origin’s plans and ambitions — publicly deriding each program’s accomplishments and Musk accusing Bezos of trying to poach his scientists. They have also jockeyed for the title of the world’s richest person over the years. (If you’re keeping tabs, Musk is far out in front in that race, with an estimated net worth of $439 billion versus Bezos’s $240 billion.)
Related: SpaceX Launches Its Riskiest Mission Yet with a Billionaire on Board
This new niceness comes just before President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, which both men and legions of tech leaders are expected to attend.
Recognizing the oddness of their online high-fives, and perhaps the silliness of their feud, Musk wrote on X, posted a gif on X from the movie “Step Brothers,” with the classic exchange between Will Ferrell and John C. Reilly: “Did we just become best friends? Yep!”
He then replied to a Tweet showing the two billionaires at lunch 21 years ago, where they presumably had an epic food fight.
Wow, a lot has happened in 21 years! https://t.co/QNoOWuIfLP
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 16, 2025
