Jeff Bezos hints at Blue Origin Moon plans as Elon Musk responds with cautious praise

Amazon founder Jeff Bezos has reignited discussion around Blue Origin’s moon ambitions after sharing a cryptic image on X. The black-and-white photo features a tortoise; it was posted without a caption, hence it is commonly perceived as a subtle hint about Blue Origin's moon mission on the homophony 'hare' (or lunar) terrain.

The post quickly racked up millions of views, which led SpaceX CEO Elon Musk to respond within a short time. Viewers immediately connected the image to the classic tortoise and the hare tale. People understood the image to mean that Blue Origin, which normally operates at a slower pace than SpaceX, would succeed if given more time to work.

Blue Origin uses the symbol as its official emblem, which appears on both its company crest and its space vehicles. Musk responded with jokes but also engaged seriously with the idea that Blue Origin could land on the Moon before SpaceX.

Elon Musk reacts to Blue Origin's moon ambitions

Musk told a user who posted that Blue Origin would reach the Moon before SpaceX that he would congratulate Bezos if this actually happens.

Musk expressed in a post on X that the primary objective of his space mission goes beyond Moon landings because his team intends to establish a lunar city through their Moon mission work, which will result in transporting millions of tonnes of materials and personnel to construct its infrastructure. He suggested that, in this context, SpaceX may currently be taking the slower but more ambitious path.

The two companies are developing their lunar exploration plans. SpaceX announced its decision to pursue lunar exploration instead of Mars missions because it would provide them with more efficient and easier launch opportunities. Musk said a moon city could be possible within 10 years, while Mars would take far longer.

Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp announced in 2025 that his company would do everything possible to assist NASA with its Moon mission, which aims to return to the Moon before China.