Amazon founder Jeff Bezos visits JFK Library to talk future of space travel

BOSTON — Nearly 50 years after the moon landing, a celebration of science and exploration was held at the John F. Kennedy Library in Dorchester.

He's known for creating Amazon, owning the Washington Post, and being incredibly rich, but Jeff Bezos is also fascinated with leaving the planet.

"We need to go to space. It's not optional," said Bezos.

He talked about the future during a space summit Wednesday at the JFK Library. Two decades ago, Bezos founded "Blue Origin", one of the leading privately funded aerospace developers. Bezos predicts a future where most industries operate in outer space.

"This isn't going to happen in our lifetimes, but we will move all heavy industry off Earth, all polluting industry will be moved off Earth, and Earth will end up zoned residential," he said.

Wednesday's event commemorated 50 years since the moon landing. Apollo 11 pilot Michael Collins talked about his historic trip and President Kennedy's influence on the space program.

"As we went on we quoted Kennedy in context, out of context, but I just felt like he was riding along with us when we finally left to go to the moon at the end of his decade," said Collins.

Vice President Mike Pence said recently he'd like to see humans return to the moon by 2024.

President Donald Trump has gone back and forth, at times supporting the idea of returning to the moon, other times saying we should be focused on Mars instead.

Cox Media Group