Author Topic: Jeff Bezos’ Rocket Company Accused of Toxic Culture and Safety Issues  (Read 356 times)

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Offline Elderberry

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New York Times by Kenneth Chang 9/30/2021

Blue Origin launched the Amazon founder to the edge of space in July and has another flight planned in October, but the company has experienced other setbacks this year.

Former and current employees at Blue Origin, the rocket company started by Jeff Bezos, the founder of Amazon and one of the richest people in the world, say the company is rife with sexism, intolerant of employees who dare to contradict their bosses and lax on safety.

The claims, including charges of sexual harassment by company executives, were put forward in an essay written by 21 employees and former employees and published Thursday on the website Lioness. Only one former employee identified herself. The essay also suggested that there were safety concerns about New Shepard, the vehicle that flew Mr. Bezos and three other passengers to the edge of space in July.

“In the opinion of an engineer who has signed on to this essay, ‘Blue Origin has been lucky that nothing has happened so far,’” the essay writers said. “Many of this essay’s authors say they would not fly on a Blue Origin vehicle.”

The next New Shepard flight is scheduled for Oct. 12, and one of its four paying passengers said his plans had not changed.

More: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/09/30/science/jeff-bezos-blue-origin-safety.html

Offline Elderberry

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Re: Jeff Bezos’ Rocket Company Accused of Toxic Culture and Safety Issues
« Reply #1 on: October 01, 2021, 02:41:54 am »
FAA to Review Letter That Criticizes Blue Origin on Safety

Wall Street Journal by Micah Maidenberg 9/30/2021

https://www.wsj.com/articles/faa-to-review-letter-that-criticizes-blue-origin-on-safety-11633053508

Quote
U.S. aviation regulators said they are reviewing a letter signed by a former employee at Jeff Bezos ’ space company that claims the company prioritized speed over safety on some of its rockets.

The letter, published Thursday online, raised safety-related concerns and alleged instances of sexual harassment at Blue Origin LLC. One former employee at the company, Alexandra Abrams, is listed as a public signer of the letter and confirmed she signed it. The letter said 20 other current and former employees also signed but didn’t name them.

In a statement, the Federal Aviation Administration said it was looking into safety allegations made in the letter and that it takes all such claims seriously. The aviation-safety agency regulates space launches and re-entries of space vehicles, as well as the operation of commercial launch sites.