In the race to truly commercialize orbital space launch, the guidance problem has largely been solved. Light and heavy lift orbit is relatively routine, but the cost of lifting every ounce to even low earth orbit is still an inhibiting factor in widespread exploitation of near-Earth space. Several companies are working to reduce these costs, notably Elon Musk's SpaceX. But there are competitors, including Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin.  

A critical factor in reducing launch costs is the development of a new generation of high-performance rocket engines. Blue Origin's new BE-4 closed cycle engine has been delivered for use on United Launch Alliance's Vulcan rocket. Blue Origin intends to use the engines on their own launch systems as well. With two major heavy lift launch companies operating in the American market, competitive pressures to launch reliably at ever-lower costs are mounting. 

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