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SpaceX plans to launch its new Starship mega-rocket to orbit on Thursday, after a frozen valve stopped the first attempt. If Starship succeeds, it'll be the tallest, most powerful, and only fully reusable rocket to ever fly. SpaceX plans to attempt the launch and see what happens on Thursday, during a launch window from 8:28 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Central Time. SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk, who estimates a 50-50 chance of success on Starship's first orbital launch. SpaceX/Handout via Reuters"A pressurant valve appears to be frozen, so unless it starts operating soon, no launch today," Musk tweeted.

BOCA CHICA, Texas, April 17 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's SpaceX called off the highly anticipated debut launch of its newly-combined Starship cruise vessel and Super Heavy rocket in the final minutes of countdown due to a frozen valve, delaying the uncrewed test flight for at least two days. But the California-based space company announced in a live webcast that it was scrubbing the planned 90-minute flight into space for a minimum of 48 hours, citing a frozen pressurization valve in the lower-stage rocket booster. A successful debut flight would also instantly rank the Starship system as the most powerful launch vehicle on Earth. But neither stage would be recovered for the expendable first test flight to space. After separating from the Starship, the Super Heavy booster is expected to execute the beginnings of a controlled return flight before plunging into the Gulf of Mexico.

REUTERS/Gene BlevinsBOCA CHICA, Texas, April 17 (Reuters) - Elon Musk's SpaceX made final preparations early on Monday to launch its powerful new Starship rocket system to space for the first time, on a brief but highly anticipated uncrewed test flight from the Gulf Coast of Texas. But neither stage will be recovered for the expendable first test flight to space, expected to last no more than 90 minutes. The Federal Aviation Administration just last Friday granted a license for what would be the first test flight of the fully stacked rocket system, clearing a final regulatory hurdle for the long-awaited launch. As designed, the Starship rocket is nearly two times more powerful than NASA's own Space Launch System (SLS), which made its debut uncrewed flight to orbit in November, sending a NASA cruise vessel called Orion on a 10-day voyage around the moon and back. Reporting by Joe Skipper in Boca Chica, Texas, and Joey Roulette in Denver; Writing and additional reporting by Steve Gorman in Los Angeles; Editing by Clarence FernandezOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ SpaceX gets US regulatory green light for debut Starship flight to space
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Joey Roulette | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

WASHINGTON, April 14 (Reuters) - The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration on Friday granted a long-awaited license allowing Elon Musk's SpaceX to launch its Starship rocket to orbit for the first time, clearing the way for a test flight crucial to the company's goals in space. "After a comprehensive license evaluation process, the FAA determined SpaceX met all safety, environmental, policy, payload, airspace integration and financial responsibility requirements," the FAA said in a statement on Friday, adding that the license is valid for five years. The launch, from SpaceX's Starbase rocket facilities in Boca Chica, Texas, is slated for Monday April 17, the company affirmed on Twitter. Regulatory notices filed earlier on Friday indicate liftoff could occur anytime from 5:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Central time. Reporting by Joey Roulette; Editing by Leslie AdlerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Watch SpaceX launch Starship, the tallest and most powerful rocket ever built, on its first orbital flight as soon as Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Marianne Guenot | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

SpaceX plans to launch Starship, its flagship mega-rocket, to orbit for the first time as soon as Monday. If Starship succeeds, it'll be the tallest, most powerful, and only fully reusable rocket ever flown. Watch the launch attempt live in the broadcast below. Starship is the rocket on which SpaceX founder and CEO Elon Musk is hinging his biggest aspirations — including building and populating a human settlement on Mars. Shortly after the FAA granted its license, SpaceX announced it would attempt a launch as soon as Monday, with a launch window from 7 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. Central Time.

☆ Elon Musk's mom says she has slept on 'mattresses or blankets on the floor' when she visits her billionaire son
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-11 | by ( Sarah Jackson | Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Maye Musk said she has slept on blankets on the floor when visiting her son, Elon Musk. In the past, she has said she's slept in the garage at his house near SpaceX's launch site. Musk has said he lives in a $45,000 converted two-bedroom house in Texas, and also couch hops. On Tuesday, she said on Twitter that she has "many memories of sleeping on mattresses or blankets on the floor, on couches, or a bed in the garage" when she visits her son. Elon's mother made the comment in response to a tweet in which the billionaire said he'd "slept on a friend's couch last weekend."

☆ Musk says SpaceX Starship rocket launch slipping to later in April
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( David Shepardson | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

WASHINGTON, April 10 (Reuters) - A key SpaceX Starship Super Heavy rocket launch test now is likely to take place later this month rather than sometime this week, the space company's CEO Elon Musk said on Monday. The rocket is scheduled to lift off from SpaceX's Starbase facilities at Boca Chica in South Texas in the first launch of the company's fully stacked 394-foot (120-meter) tall Starship rocket system. "Starship launch trending towards near the end of third week of April," Musk wrote on Twitter a day after stating that it was ready for launch and "awaiting regulatory approval." Musk said last week Starship would be ready to launch this week. The Starship rocket system consists of a Starship rocket sitting atop a "Super Heavy" first stage booster with 33 rocket engines.

☆ Tesla has only installed 3,000 Solar Roof systems in the U.S., far below forecast, study finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Tesla vehicles parked outside a home with a Tesla Solar Roof on Weems Street in Boca Chica Village, Texas, U.S., on Monday, June 21, 2021. Tesla has only installed 3,000 of its Solar Roof systems in the U.S. since touting the technology seven years ago, according to new research from Wood Mackenzie. That installation rate falls well shy of Tesla's guidance and ambitions for what it previously called its "solar glass" roof tiles. Average weekly Tesla Solar Roof installations reached just 21 in 2022, Wood Mackenzie said. A group of Tesla shareholders eventually sued Tesla and Musk over the deal.

☆ Texans sound off against Elon Musk's 'horrifying' plans for dumping The Boring Company wastewater into Colorado River
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-23 | by ( Grace Kay | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The Boring Company is facing criticism from Texans over its plans to dump treated wastewater. One resident said about 400 people showed up at the public meeting on The Boring Company's plans. "The thought of this happening is horrifying," Erin, who runs an organic farm near the Boring Company facility, told Fox News. The Boring Company. A spokesperson for The Boring Company did not respond to a request for comment from Insider.

☆ 4 small business owners say a low-cost advertising strategy called 'comarketing' has helped them save time and money, and build more authentic campaigns
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-21 | by ( Erica Sweeney | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

This might include cobranded content marketing campaigns, collaborative social media posts, event or content sponsorships, or affiliate marketing. Comarketing offers many benefits to small businessesComarketing can help small businesses save money, stretch their marketing budgets, build a stronger brand identity, and grow customer awareness. Connect with like-minded small businessesAlignment is crucial when choosing other small businesses to partner with, Smith said. When working with other businesses on social media marketing, Boone said everyone agrees on a timeframe. She and Merrell do this by sharing similar topics across their brands' social media channels, but slightly tweaking the messaging to appeal to each audience.

☆ Why SpaceX's Starship mega-rocket looks unlike anything the company has ever built before
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Rupendra Brahambhatt | Jessica Orwig | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Not only is Starship the world's largest, most powerful rocket, it also looks unlike anything SpaceX has ever built. Veronica G. Cardenas/ReutersThis silver-black color scheme is a vast change from SpaceX's white Falcon 9 rockets or NASA's orange and white Space Launch System. SpaceX's silver rocket made of steelSpaceX's Starship rocket is made of stainless steel. SpaceX's black-studded Starship spacecraftStarship is covered on one side with black tiles to help protect it upon atmospheric re-entry. SPACEXSpaceX wouldn't comment on whether, or not, that's the reasoning for their silver Starship rocket.

☆ Elon Musk hints Starship rocket may explode on first orbital launch, predicting 50% chance of success and 'guaranteeing excitement'
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-13 | by ( Marianne Guenot | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

SpaceX is prepping for the first orbital launch of Starship, the cornerstone rocket for Elon Musk's Mars ambitions. Musk estimated 50% odds of success and hinted the rocket could blow up on the first orbital attempt. Other Starships are waiting in the wings and one of them will likely reach orbit this year, he said. Gene Blevins/Reuters; SPadre.comIf successful, the launch will prove the world's first fully reusable orbital rocket, setting the stage for SpaceX to revolutionize the orbital economy. That's a major money-saving measure, since SpaceX would not have to build a new upper stage for every rocket launch.

☆ Elon Musk is reportedly planning to build a town for Texas staff, complete with a swimming pool, private compound, and school
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-09 | by ( Grace Kay | Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Elon Musk is planning to build his own town for SpaceX and The Boring Company staff. While Musk has overseen all purchases, Kanye West and the billionaire's ex-girlfriend, Grimes, also discussed the idea last year, the Journal reported. The town will be outfitted with a pool, an outdoor sports area, and a gym in addition to the prefabricated homes, the Journal reported. Spokespeople for SpaceX and The Boring Company did not respond to a request for comment from Insider. Do you work for The Boring Company, SpaceX, or have insight to share?

☆ Elon Musk's Starlink satellites are ruining images from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope, threatening future science
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

NASA's Hubble Space Telescope is getting more satellites ruining its images, a new study found. Hubble images streaked with white lines show the impact of just one satellite flying through the telescope's field of view. The proportion of Hubble images that look like this is increasing as more satellites fill Earth's orbit, the study found. Hubble peers through a growing 'wall' between us and the universeThe Hubble Space Telescope in Earth's orbit. So far SpaceX has launched more than 3,000 Starlink satellites and plans to eventually maintain up to 42,000 satellites in orbit.

WASHINGTON, Feb 17 (Reuters) - The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Friday proposed a $175,000 civil penalty against SpaceX for failing to submit some safety data to the agency prior to an August 2022 launch of Starlink satellites. The FAA said SpaceX was required to submit the information, known as launch collision analysis trajectory data, directly to the agency at least seven days prior to an attempted launch. The data is used to assess the probability of the launch vehicle colliding with one of the thousands of tracked objects orbiting the Earth. SpaceX has 30 days to respond to the FAA after receiving the penalty notice. In 2021, the FAA revised SpaceX commercial launch requirements to mandate that an FAA safety inspector be present for every flight at its Boca Chica launch facility after the FAA said the company violated license requirements for a Starship launch.

☆ Elon Musk says SpaceX is planning to attempt a launch of its Starship spacecraft in March
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Jyoti Mann | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk said Starship could launch next month "if remaining tests go well." The SpaceX CEO's comment came in response to a Twitter user asking if Starship was almost ready for launch. Two crewed missions to the moon, Artemis 3 and 4, are expected to launch in 2025 and 2027. The Starship test flight will launch from the Starbase spaceport site in Boca Chica, Texas, federal filings show. SpaceX is yet to officially announce a date for its Starship launch and did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment.

☆ A Mexico soccer icon entered politics. Prosecutors say narcos followed
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Cuernavaca | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +27 min

Regional politicians, officials and military officers gathered in the Morelos state capital of Cuernavaca for breakfast in February 2022 to mark Mexico’s annual Army day. Mexican drug lords have a long tradition of buying off politicians in exchange for government protection of their illicit trade. Attempts to reach two of the alleged drug traffickers in the photo – Figueroa and Irving Solano Vera – were unsuccessful. Prosecutors in April asked the Morelos state congress to impeach Blanco so that he could be stripped of that shield. “He likes me very much because I’m not a politician,” Blanco told Reuters, in reference to the president.

☆ A space news website was locked out of Twitter while covering a SpaceX launch, its editor says
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Spaceflight Now was locked out of Twitter while covering a SpaceX rocket launch, its editor says. It's unclear which Twitter rules Spaceflight Now may have violated, or why its tweet was taken down. The website's editor, Stephen Clark, said in a tweet that the account had been locked "for violating unspecified rules while covering a SpaceX launch." As of Tuesday afternoon, the Spaceflight Now Twitter account did not appear to be suspended, but was marked with a banner saying that its most recent tweet had violated Twitter rules. In December, Twitter suddenly suspended the accounts of several prominent journalists who had been covering Musk and his takeover of the company.

☆ SpaceX raising $750 million at a $137 billion valuation, investors include Andreessen-Horowitz
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-02 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk's re-usable rocket maker and satellite internet company, SpaceX, is raising $750 million in a new round of funding that values the company at $137 billion, according to correspondence obtained by CNBC. Last month, the Wall Street Journal reported that SpaceX was allowing insiders to sell at $77 per share, which would have put the company's valuation near $140 billion. The company raised more than $2 billion in 2022, including a $250 million round in July, and was valued at $127 billion during an equity round in May, CNBC previously reported. According to an e-mail sent to prospective SpaceX investors, Andreessen Horowitz (also known as a16z) will likely lead the new funding round. A16z also participated in Elon Musk's leveraged buyout of Twitter, a $44 billion deal that closed in late October 2022.

☆ Elon Musk responded to a Twitter user claiming not to own a home when asked if he'd be subjected to FBI raids
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-17 | by ( Sam Tabahriti | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Elon Musk told a Twitter user asking when the FBI would raid his home that he doesn't own one. The Tesla CEO sold his seven homes between June 2020 and November 2021 for a total of $128 million. Musk sold all of his seven California homes between June 2020 and November 2021 for $128 million after vowing to "own no house" in 2020, Insider previously reported. This summer Musk told The Full Send podcast he now lives in a "very small" house in Boca Chica, Texas, that only cost $45,000. "My friends come and stay and they can't believe I'm staying in this house," Musk said on the podcast in August.

☆ In pictures: SpaceX's Starship rocket explodes after launch
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-26 | by ( Dave Lucas | ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

SpaceX's next-generation Starship spacecraft, atop its powerful Super Heavy rocket, explodes after its launch from the company's Boca Chica launchpad on a brief uncrewed test flight near Brownsville, Texas, April 20, 2023. Less than four minutes into...moreSpaceX's next-generation Starship spacecraft, atop its powerful Super Heavy rocket, explodes after its launch from the company's Boca Chica launchpad on a brief uncrewed test flight near Brownsville, Texas, April 20, 2023. Less than four minutes into the flight, the upper-stage Starship failed to separate as designed from the lower-stage Super Heavy, and the combined vehicle was seen flipping end over end before exploding. The spacecraft reached a peak altitude of nearly 20 miles (32 km) before its fiery disintegration. REUTERS/Joe SkipperClose

☆ Spain's steely roller derby skaters championing inclusivity in sport
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-17 | by ( Horaci Garcia | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/5] A view of tattoos on the leg of a skater of Barcelona’s Steel Groin roller derby team as the skaters stand during a training session in Barcelona, Spain November 16, 2022. REUTERS/Nacho Doce 1 2 3 4 5There are about 25 roller derby teams in Spain and over 1,200 leagues worldwide, mostly in the United States. Roller derby was developed in the United States in the 1930s. The Barcelona team began playing on the streets of the coastal city in 2010 and registered as a club in April 2011. "I'm able to be myself in roller derby".

☆ SpaceX just bought a big ad campaign on Twitter for Starlink
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-14 | by ( Lora Kolodny | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

SpaceX founder Elon Musk during a T-Mobile and SpaceX joint event on August 25, 2022 in Boca Chica Beach, Texas. The ad campaign SpaceX is buying to promote Starlink is called a Twitter "takeover." Users should see Starlink brand messaging for the first three times that they open the Twitter app on the day or days of the planned takeover campaign in Australia and in Spain. Pressure on Twitter ad salesMusk is also the CEO of electric vehicle maker Tesla , in addition to his responsibilities at SpaceX and Twitter. Instead, Tesla garners headlines from fan blogs, news sites, and creates buzz through motor clubs, fan or shareholder events and social media engagement.

☆ The House member who received Elon Musk's first vote for a Republican lost her seat after only 5 months
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-09 | by ( Mia Jankowicz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The GOP candidate whom Elon Musk says got his first Republican vote lost her race. Musk said he voted for Mayra Flores in the June special election she won in Texas. Texas GOP Rep. Mayra Flores lost her seat in the state's 34th Congressional District to Democratic Rep. Vicente Gonzalez by a wide margin. "I voted for Mayra Flores – first time I ever voted Republican," he said in June, adding: "Massive red wave in 2022." It's unclear who Musk voted for in this election, though on Monday he tweeted to advocate voting Republican in Congressional races.

☆ See how NASA's new lunar mega-rocket sizes up to past and future astronaut launch systems
▼ + stars: | 2022-09-24 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

The Space Launch System (SLS) is 17 years and an estimated $50 billion in the making. The Space Launch System (SLS) at Kennedy Space Center in Florida on March 17, 2022. This first mission, called Artemis I, is a test flight that will carry no astronauts. The current iteration of SLS, called Block 1, stands taller than the Statue of Liberty at 322 feet, about 30 stories. NASA/Cory HustonIf Artemis I goes well, the next SLS mission will send an Orion spaceship around the moon with astronauts on board.

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