Investment fervor in the space sector continues to intensify following SpaceX's record-breaking IPO last month. Now, Jeff Bezos's Blue Origin has taken a pivotal step, opening its doors to external investors for the first time.

According to public reports, Blue Origin is aiming to raise $10 billion, with a pre-money valuation for this round reaching $130 billion. This valuation level positions it among the world's most valuable pure-play aerospace companies, approximately 2.5 times the current market capitalization of Rocket Lab at around $50 billion, and even surpassing the roughly $1.23 trillion market cap of Lockheed Martin.

This funding round is set to be led by asset management firm Coatue Management, which has committed approximately $4 billion. Bezos himself will contribute an additional $2 billion, with the remaining $4 billion expected to come from several major institutional investors. Bezos indicated this intention in May, stating that the company could now clearly forecast its future development and profitability prospects, making it an opportune time to bring in outside investors.

Founded in 2000, about 18 months before SpaceX, Blue Origin has long relied entirely on funds from Bezos, generated by selling Amazon.com shares, to sustain its operations, with cumulative investments reaching around $28 billion. The company currently holds several significant contracts, including NASA's Artemis lunar program and U.S. Space Force national security launches. However, it still lags noticeably behind SpaceX in terms of launch frequency and commercial revenue.

It is noteworthy that Blue Origin recently faced a setback. In May, its New Glenn heavy-lift rocket exploded during a static fire test at the Florida launch pad, destroying the rocket and causing significant damage to the pad. Nonetheless, CEO Dave Limp still plans to resume flights before year-end. Investors are currently more focused on the company's long-term strategy, including projects like the high-capacity satellite communications network TeraWave.

Compared to SpaceX's nearly $2 trillion valuation, Blue Origin's valuation is only about one-tenth of that figure. However, this funding round signifies that Bezos is accelerating his efforts to catch up with Elon Musk, indicating the space race is entering a brand-new phase.