Jeff Bezos' rocket company is slashing 10% of its workforce a month after debut orbital launch

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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — Jeff Bezos’ rocket company Blue Origin is cutting 10% of its workforce.

This week's move comes a month after the debut of Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket, which reached orbit on its first try. CEO Dave Limp relayed the layoff news to employees Thursday, with notifications going out Friday.

In an email to staff obtained by The Associated Press, Limp said it was a “tough decision” but that the company grew too fast over the past few years. "With that growth came more bureaucracy and less focus than we needed, he said in the note.

Limp said the cuts are needed in order to speed up manufacturing as well as the launch rate. Based in Kent, Washington, Blue Origin launches its New Glenn rockets from Florida and its smaller New Shepard rockets from Texas.

Like Elon Musk's SpaceX — its chief competitor — Blue Origin holds contracts from NASA to land astronauts on the moon in the coming years.

It was not immediately clear how many employees would be affected by the layoffs. The privately-held Blue Origin does not disclose employment figures.

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