Space News Pod

SpaceX, the innovative aerospace company led by CEO Elon Musk, is preparing to transition to the second version of the Starship upper stage, following two explosive tests of the current version. In a recent update, Musk revealed the last four Version 1 Starships at the company's Boca Chica, Texas facility, signaling the end of this developmental phase and the beginning of an upgraded version. The announcement comes in the wake of two test launches of the megarocket - one in April and the other earlier this month - both of which ended in the destruction of the rocket. Despite these setbacks, SpaceX continues to demonstrate resilience and progress. The second test, known as the IFT-2 mission, showed notable improvements, including a smoother launch, more effective performance from the booster’s Raptor engines, and the successful implementation of a new stage separation technique called hot staging.