Elon Musk, the billionaire behind Tesla and SpaceX, has been making some pretty interesting moves lately. So last year he bought Twitter for $44 billion in plans to turn it into an Everything up, now rebranded as X. But what's gotten crypto enthusiasts buzzing is his ongoing involvement with Dogecoin, a meme based cryptocurrency initially created as a joke, Musk has been putting money into his development even as its value has plummeted by
90% from its peak. And before he purchased Twitter or X as it's now known, Musk was toying with the idea of creating a new blockchain based social media platform that would feature a payment system using Dogecoin. According to Walter Isaacson, the author of Musk's new biography, this was a plan that was in the works.
While the exact scale of his investment at Dogecoin remains a disclosed, Musk has previously mentioned that he would like to see Dogecoin outperform Bitcoin and become the currency of Earth. He said the currency of Earth. And in July, Musk subtly added the dogecoin symbol to his Twitter account, sending ripples through the crypto community. Dogecoin, despite its turbulent journey, has managed to hold on to some value with its network now worth around $9 billion.
And Musk's ambitions don't stop there. Reports suggest that he's been discussing plans with Wall Street execs to make X an updated version of PayPal. Elan has been busy obtaining state money transmitting licenses, which is a clear indication of his plans. So how does this intertwine with Tesla? Let's switch gears a little bit. Tesla has been fiddling around
with its pricing recently. Let's just say not everyone is pleased about it, and after the latest round of price reductions, Tesla owners took to X to vent their frustrations. They felt betrayed by the sudden price cuts, with some having purchased of Tesla's just days or weeks prior to these changes. Customers who had purchased a Model S or Model X earlier in this year, for example, were shocked to find the prices
slashed by up to $41,000. And to add fuel to that fire, Tesla also reduced the cost of its full self driving software from 15,000 to $12,000. Tweets and posts directed at Musk expressed sentiments of betrayal and loss of brand loyalty. Now calls for compensation started to flood in with Tesla owners asking for things like free Enhanced Autopilot upgrades to make up for the sudden devaluation of the recently purchased vehicles. And it's not just new customers who are feeling the pinch.
Even those who had planned on selling their used Teslas are in for a rude awakening. The pricing debacle adds another layer of complexity to Musk's existing commitments and engagements. On one hand, he's shaping the future of social media and potentially digital currency, and on the other, he's got a customer base that's increasingly disenchanted due to rapid and unannounced price
changes. So what is particularly intriguing is how all these seemingly disparate ventures interconnect in the larger scheme of Musk's vision. Is the lowering of Tesla's pricing a strategic move to divert capital towards its crypto endeavors, or X development? Or is it merely an adjustment in response to market forces? Is Musk spreading himself too thin? Or is he, as always, three steps
ahead of everyone else? So how does one man juggle running a car company, a space enterprise, neural tech firm, social media platform and also dabble in cryptocurrency? That's the enigma. That's Elon Musk, A complex web of interests and investments. It continues to reshape how we understand innovation and value. Now let's shift our focus from
Earth up into space. The SpaceX Dragon spacecraft with NASA astronaut Steven Bowen and Woody Hoberg along with UAE astronaut and a Rusk Cosmo astronaut inside undocked from the forward facing port of the International Space Station's Harmony module is 7:05 Eastern Time. On Sunday they completed a six month science mission.
The Endeavor spacecraft will splash down at approximately 12:17 AM Eastern Time on Monday, September 4th near Jacksonville off the coast of Florida. Now, NASA's Crew 6 mission launched March 2nd, 2023 on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from the agency's Kennedy Space Center in Florida and dock to the space station the next day. Hey, thanks for tuning into the
episode today. It's been a whirlwind of discussion, and we hope it's given you some food for thought on the multifaceted actions of one of the world's most talked about entrepreneurs. If you've enjoyed this episode, please don't forget to hit the subscribe or follow button on whatever podcast platform you're listening on right now. It's free, just takes a moment and also helps out the show tremendously. Thank you so much for that.
BMW showcased its electric concept car, named the Vision Nuclus. Now, this car is expected to be the harbinger of a new era for BMW, built on a new architectural foundation that will serve as the blueprint for all its future EVs. Oliver Zips, the CEO of BMW, shared that they're planning to double their EV sales this year. We also estimated that by the end of 2023, battery Ev's will comprise 15% of BMW's global sales. For a brand steeped in a history of internal combustion engines,
that's a very significant pivot. Now, Mercedes-Benz wasn't far behind either. They unveiled their concepts CLA Class, another electric vehicle designed from the ground up to serve as a cornerstone for their future electric offerings. Their CEO was all praised for the car, claiming that its specs are unparalleled in its class. It boasts an impressive range of 750 kilometers and a quick charge feature that can juice up the car to run 400 kilometers in just 15 minutes.
If that doesn't show their ambition in the EV sector, I don't really know what could. In the introduction of dedicated EV platforms for BMW and Mercedes marks a significant departure from their previous strategies. Earlier, they would retrofit their existing combustion or hybrid vehicles to accommodate the batteries, but with these new reveals, they're setting up a dedicated assembly line for
EV's. It's a very serious commitment, but despite these efforts and lists of pine that both Mercedes and BMW have a mountain to climb to catch up the Tesla, let alone to dominate this sector. Now a senior research analyst at Bernstein Research, Daniel Roska, pointed out that while these new platforms are a step forward, they may not completely close the gap with Tesla and the competitive Chinese players.
And Speaking of competition, price wars are becoming increasingly common the EV market. Tesla has been aggressive with its pricing strategy, which puts additional pressure on premium market players like BMW and Mercedes. Now Collinius from Mercedes emphasize that they aren't aiming to push volume, but are focusing on value over volume. This could be a significant differentiator in a market where many players, including Tesla, are fighting fiercely for market share.
Now Volkswagen is also in the race with unique strategy. They plan to target various market segments by offering cars at different price points, and with the announcement of launching 11 new EV models by 2027, they're definitely not holding back. While these vehicles themselves are impressive, the real differentiator in the EV sector seems to be technology. Tesla software capabilities, especially with Autopilot, have set a high standard, but European automakers are catching up.
BMW, for example, is touting its head up display that projects information out of the driver's windshield. Now, Zips also highlighted their significant investment in digital aspects, including semiconductors. So the electric vehicle market is getting more and more crowded. It's no longer just Tesla and the Chinese companies like BYD. But why is this happening? One reason could be the growing consumer awareness about
environmental issues. And as the climate crisis intensifies, people are increasingly considering sustainable modes of transportation, thereby driving up the demand for E V's. And governments around the globe are also implementing stringent emission regulations, forcing automakers to pivot to more eco friendly technologies. Now BMW and Mercedes-Benz in particular have historically been associated with luxury, performance and engineering
excellence. But they also recognize the urgent need for sustainability and are taking big strides to make their fleet more eco friendly. This urgency is partly due to market demand, but it's also because the competition is fierce and not waiting for them to catch up. BMW is offering a concept car that aims to set the stage for a brand new lineup with their EVs and they plan to introduce it over the next few years. And according to BMW CEO, this framework is such a huge game
changer. It's not about creating another electric car, it's about shifting the very core of what BMW represents as a brand. They're not only electrifying their vehicles, but they're also reimagining how these cars will interact with the drivers and with the environment and other vehicles. The user experience is expected to be significantly augmented by digital features, aiming to make driving more intuitive and also enjoyable.
And on the flip side, Mercedes-Benz Concept CLA class offers not just an electric vehicle, but a feat of engineering that pushes the boundaries of what Ev's can do. 750 kilometer range is impressive, or really what caught everyone's attention was its rapid charging capabilities.
15 minutes for 400 kilometers is something that even Tesla hasn't achieved in their consumer models, and if you can bring this from a concept to an actual car available on the market, that would represent a massive leap in EV technology. Now let's talk about some of the challenges they faced.
First off, the issue of battery technology and sourcing lithium ion batteries are at the heart of all Ev's right now, and securing a steady, sustainable supply of these materials is a logistical and ethical challenge. Companies are racing to find alternative materials or improve the efficiency of existing ones. This is where Tesla has an advantage with its Gigafactories and plans to manufacture its own
batteries. Whether BMW and Mercedes can catch up on this front, it's something to keep an eye on. Another challenge? Infrastructure. Europe does have a growing network of charging stations, but it's not yet an extensive network like it is in the US, and it needs to be a bigger market to support a mass adoption of electric vehicles. Both BMW and Mercedes will need to consider how their cars will fit into the existing infrastructure, or what steps they could take to expand it or
make their own. And let's not forget about the emerging competition from China. Companies like NEO and Speg and BYD are not just content with conquering the domestic market, They have global ambitions that are slowly but steadily entering European and North American markets. With often lower price models and impressive tech features. These companies are set to give the traditional European automakers a run for their money. Meanwhile, VW and Audi are also stepping up their game.
VW has made it clear that they intend to cater to various segments of the market, providing options for every type of consumer, and the versatility in their approach can make them a formidable competitor to both BMW and Mercedes. Now we have to remember again Tesla's Autopilot Tesla software, the hardware that drives that software. It set a standard for autonomous driving features. And how will BMW and Mercedes compete on them?
They're working on it, but as mentioned earlier, BMW is investing heavily in digital features, semiconductors, which can significantly enhance vehicle performance and experience. And these moves by BMW and Mercedes-Benz are not mere incremental steps in the realm of EVs. They signify a wholesale commitment to the future that's electric.
And while these are challenges and they're stiff competition out there, their willingness to invest, innovate and adapt speaks volumes about the resilience and vision of these iconic brands. On April 20th, 2023, SpaceX launched its first integrated Starship and super heavy vehicle. But instead of a grand success, the mission concluded in an explosion, prompting an FAA
investigation. Starship is the cornerstone of Spacex's vision for the future of space travel, with its ability to carry a large payload and humans to the moon into Mars. Now, the recent investigation looked into what went wrong and outlined 63 corrective actions that SpaceX needs to implement before taking to the skies.
Again, the FEA made it clear that this isn't a complete green light for SpaceX. They stated that SpaceX would need to implement all corrective actions that impact public safety and apply for and receive a license modification from the FAA that addresses all safety, environmental, and other application regulatory requirements prior to the next
Starship launch. Now, one of the critical issues was the failure of the two stages of a Starship separate, triggering Starship's autonomous flight safety system and causing the vehicle to be destroyed. Moreover, the power of the Super heavy 33 Raptor engines resulted in damage to the Starbase launch site, creating a crater and launching debris into the air. These are among the aspects that SpaceX will need to refine
before the next test flight. Now Elon Musk, Spacex's head, took to social media to express that the company has already made numerous improvements. He noted that thousands of upgrades have been applied to both the Starship and the launchpad, and one of the most significant changes is the shift to hot staging, a complex process where the second stage engines begin firing before full separation from the first stage.
Now this new strategy requires SpaceX to install new hardware, including a heat shield and a venting interstage, and another update involves fortifying the ground beneath Starbase's orbital launch mount with a steel plate that has a water
spot or a deluge system. This deluge system is intended to dissipate the extreme force generated by super heavy 33 Raptors, and the idea is that the water will act as a cushion against the engine power, reducing the chances of damaging the launchpad, as occurred during the April mishap. But the path to the next launch is not entirely free of
roadblocks. There's the FP A's expectation that SpaceX will need to obtain a license modification, which means proving that all safety and environmental protocols are met. That's a tall order, and SpaceX hasn't yet announced when they'll apply for this modification or when they expect to undertake another test flight. Spacex's Starship program isn't just a lark or an ambitious pipe dream, and has significant implications for the future of space travel.
NASA plans to use Starship at its upcoming Artemis missions, which aim to return humans to the moon. Moreover, Starship is critical for Spacex's Starlink settling Internet service, currently providing connectivity across 50 countries. The legal landscape is equally complex. Environmental and cultural heritage nonprofits have raised questions about the environmental impact of Spacex's test flights.
SpaceX and the FAA are defendants in a lawsuit alleging failure to conduct an appropriate environmental review prior to the first Starship test flag. This is Spacex's flagship project aimed at creating a fully reusable spacecraft that can carry humans to Mars and beyond, possibly to the outer solar system. It's not just a concept on paper, it's an engineering marvel, the design to accomplish tasks previously considered near impossible, the capacity to carry up to 100 people.
Eventually, along with ample cargo space, this rocket can undertake long duration voyages. Places like the Moon, Mars, and perhaps even more distant celestial bodies. Imagine it as the foundational block of Spacex's ambition to make life multiplanetary, a super heavy rocket. The first stage of the Starship system comes with over 30 Raptor engines and serves as the workhorse for getting the second stage Starship out of Earth's gravitational pull.
But the height of about 230 plus feet Super heavy is designed to be not just powerful, but also efficient. Once it gets Starship to a certain altitude, it disengages and returns to Earth, where it can be refueled and launched again. Now this reusability feature is crucial for reducing the cost of space travel and making it more accessible to a broader population.
Now the second stage Starship is not just a vessel for reaching other planets, It's essentially a mini habitat that can sustain life for extended periods of time. About life support systems, spaces for scientific research, and cargo areas for essentials like food and equipment. It's an all in one vehicle for exploring the cosmos. The spacecraft will be designed to execute pinpoint landings on celestial bodies that lack atmosphere using its own
propulsion system. This provides the potential for establishing bases on the Moon and Mars and facilitates the transportation of resources between Earth and these extraterrestrial locations. Together, Starship and super Heavy aren't just rockets, they are the cornerstones of a vision or interplanetary travel becomes a common aspect of human civilizations. Now, while the FAA recent decision marks progress, it doesn't mean that SpaceX can
proceed without obstacles. Corrective actions need to be implemented and licenses need to be updated, and multiple stakeholders from regulatory agencies to environmental groups are keeping a watchful eye. Space Texas Starship could launch anywhere between two weeks or two months, so we're not exactly sure when this is going to happen. After the FAA approval, maybe there's going to be other environmental assessments, and possibly SpaceX could get those 63 items done faster than we expect.
So please stay tuned. Hit the subscribe or follow button on whatever podcast platform you're on right now to keep up to date with all the latest Starship news. So what Honda's decision to switch to NACS actually mean? NACS is a Tesla design standard that's been adopted by a growing number of automakers, starting with Ford earlier this year. And Honda has now joined the list, planning to equip its new electric vehicles with NACS ports from 2025 onwards.
And this move will also grant Honda EV owners access to Tesla's expansive and a highly reliable Supercharger network, a considerable benefit for any electric vehicle owner planning long trips or who wants an easier fast charging experience. Now while access to Tesla Supercharger network is a big win, it's worth noting that Honda, along with six other automakers, have also committed to building a separate network of high speed EV chargers across North America.
Slated for completion by 20-30, this new network aims to install at least 30,000 high speed EV chargers and plans to leverage funding from both private and the public sectors. Now let's talk about the NACS standard. At its core, NACS is designed to be a universal high performance charging system that can be used across multiple makes and models of electric vehicles. One of its key features is the port design, which is slim and robust with no moving parts.
This makes it less susceptible to wear and tear, thereby enhancing its durability. The NACS port supports both A/C alternating current and DC direct current charging, providing versatility to users. When connected to a high speed DC charger such as Tesla Supercharger can handle charging rates of up to one MW, allowing for extremely fast charging times. Now this capacity far exceeds most existing standards and can replenish hundreds of miles of range. In just a matter of minutes.
And the goal of NECS is not just to facilitate faster charging, but to create a unified system that can be easily adopted for various automakers. Tesla has opened up this standard with the intention of streamlining the charging infrastructure across North America. This robust design, high charging capabilities and flexibility. NACS is aiming to be the new industry standard, encouraging broader adoption of electric vehicles by making the charging process as convenient as
possible. Now let's pick the discussion to other significant development in the world of Ev's The 7th Automaker Alliance to construct the new network of high speed charges across North America. This partnership includes automakers like G, MB, MW, Honda, Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes-Benz and Stalantis. The coalition aims to make long distance travel for EV owners more convenient by installing charges along highways in in urban centers, leveraging the
national Electric Vehicle infrastructure or NEVI funding in the United States and other public and private sources. Now while Tesla Supercharger network has set a very high standard, this joint venture aims to take it one step further by offering a universally compatible network that will serve various EV makes and models. There will be no need to fumble with multiple charging station apps as the network will adopt the developing plugin charge
standard. The Federal Highway Administration is attempting to standardize the end game. Here is a better, more unified charging experience for all electric vehicle owners, irrespective of their vehicles maker model. Now the faster people can plug in, charge and go, the easier it becomes for potential buyers to make the switch from fossil fuels to electric vehicles, helping us move towards a more sustainable future.
And the new network plans to be powered entirely by renewable energy, a crucial step towards environmental sustainability. Now the big take away though, as EV adoption grows, standardization will play a key role in influencing consumer choices and behaviors. Tesla opening up its charging standard is a significant step forward, and how disagreement to adopt it marks yet another milestone.
And the formation of the Seven Automaker Alliance is another pivotal moment, signaling a growing commitment across the industry to make electric vehicle charging as convenient and efficient as possible. Now, thank you again for tuning into today's episode of the Elon Musk Podcast. If you found value in this episode, make sure to hit the subscribe or follow button on whatever podcast platform you're listening to. Now it's free. Just take a second and it helps us out.
But remember, we can only continue bringing you great content every day thanks to our Elon Musk Investors Club. To join the club and support the show, head on over to join elonclub.com. We're going to talk about the latest SpaceX Crew Dragon mission, Crew Six, which successfully returned from its journey to the International Space Station. Now this mission involved 3 astronauts and one Russian cosmonaut and it came to a safe conclusion just off the coast of Jacksonville, FL.
From the brilliant streak across the sky to the controlled splashdown but at the future of SpaceX human space flights, this is something that we are all going to be intrigued about now. But before we move on, I'd like to give a shout out to everyone who supports this podcast by joining the Elon Musk Investors Club. Your contributions enable us to keep this show running every single day, covering the latest in technology, space exploration, Tesla X, and more.
Early Monday, between 12:05 AM and 12:17 AM, the Dragon Endeavor capsule meet is descent back to Earth, creating a mesmerizing spectacle over the Gulf of Mexico and central Northeast Florida. An observer is even reported hearing Sonic booms as the capsule pierced through the
Earth's atmosphere. This marks the fourth trip to space for Dragon Endeavor, which had previously flown missions Axiom 1, Crew Two and Demo Two. And upon touching down of the Atlantic Ocean, Crew 6 Commander Stephen Bowen expressed his gratitude to SpaceX. He said, Thanks SpaceX, We really appreciate all the support from all the initial training through the launch throughout the mission keeping us abreast of the status of the vehicle and all the support all
the way down. Now Stephen Bowen was joined by NASA astronaut Woody Hoberg, the United Arab Emirates Sultan Al Niade and Russian cosmina Andrei Fedyev, and they all closed the Hatch of this capsule and departed from the International Space Station about 17 hours before their grand splashdown.
Now the mission itself. It lasted about six months, focusing primarily on scientific experiments and maintenance of the International Space Station. And before reentry, the Dragon endeavor performed its final of 5D orbit burns, sealing its fate for the descent back to Earth. And during this process, the capsule's heat shield had to withstand temperatures up to 3500 degrees Fahrenheit. As expected, the plasma layer around the capsule knocked out communications with the crew for
about 7 minutes. Standard occurrence during reentry. Now let's talk about the moment the capsule landed. SpaceX teams immediately approached the capsule floating on the Atlantic waters to ensure that no toxic propellants were leaking.
Following this, the capsule was hoisted up out of the deck of Spacex's recovery ship Megan, named after NASA astronaut Megan MacArthur. And medical checkouts for the astronauts were done right there on the vessel before they boarded a helicopter back to Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
From there, will return to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas. Now this marks another milestone for SpaceX, which has now flown 11 human Space Flight missions, eight of which were contracted with NASA's Commercial Crew Program. The other three missions, namely inspiration for Axiom 1 and Axiom Two, were focused on private astronauts. The latest mission?
Crew Seven was launched just over a week ago with astronauts from NASA, the European Space Agency, the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency and a cosmonaut from Roscosmos. Florida's next planned liftoff is a United Launch Alliance Atlas 5 rocket, which was recently grounded due to hurricane. Now, this is a part of a national security mission involving the US Space Force and the National Reconnaissance Office.
In addition, SpaceX plans to launch another Falcon 9 carrying a batch of Starlink satellites from Cape Canaveral Space Forest Station. And SpaceX is having a banner year. Not only did the company successfully bring back the crew from the ISS, but it also launched 62nd mission of the year, putting 21 more Starlink satellites into orbit. SpaceX is really pushing the envelope in terms of what's possible in space exploration
and satellite development. The Falcon 9 rocket blasted off from NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida at 10:47 PM on Monday. This is Spacex's 62nd launch this year, setting a new yearly record for the company, outdoing its previous record sent last year.
In 2022, the first stage of the Falcon 9 returned to a drone ship about 9 minutes after liftoff, showcasing once again the capability of reusable rockets, and the upper stage deployed the 21 satellites into low Earth orbit roughly an hour after liftoff. And according to information available on Spacex's website, this mission also marked a significant milestone for the Falcon Nine's first stage
booster. It was its 10th launch and landing early around Monday as we were discussing Spacex's Dragon spacecraft successfully returned for astronauts from the International Space Station. The crew had been there for 186 days following their launch in March, engaging in an array of tasks, from space walks to scientific experiments and station management. Now, in a post on his X platform, formerly known as Twitter, Elon praised the incredible work that SpaceX has done.
SpaceX, as this year, has been responsible for delivering approximately 80% of all Earth payload mass to orbit. To put that into perspective, China supplied about 10%, with the rest of the world contributing the remaining 10%.
That's huge, and they're aiming to escalate the launch frequency for 10 Falcon flights per month by the end of this year, and to push it to 12 per month by 2024. And according to the current stats, SpaceX has completed a total of 261 launches at 223 landings with 195 total reflights. That's the type of innovation that sets the stays for ambitious goals like Mars colonization with the Starship, which has always been a longterm vision for SpaceX and Elon Musk.
Now looking at the future, the next Starlink launch is Friday and taking off from Cape Canaveral in Florida. And As for collaborations with NASA, the next one is slated for at least February of 2024, during which SpaceX will transport the crew 8 astronauts to the International Space Station. And yes, the hardware allocations for the Dragon and Falcon rockets are already in
the planning stages. So summing this all up, whether it's bringing astronauts back to the Earth or setting new records and satellite launches, SpaceX is propelling everybody into a new era of space exploration as missions like these that add building blocks to the foundation of the future, where travel to the moon, travel to Mars and beyond are all a possibility now. It's incredible to think that we're living through this right now.
In an age where all of this is happening right before our eyes, this Tuesday was a crucial day for SpaceX as a Starship rocket was stacked atop its Super Heavy booster in South Texas, marking the beginning of the final preparations for its second launch. Now, this occasion led to SpaceX founder Elon Musk to post on X or Twitter that Starship is ready to launch, awaiting FAA license approval and the mention of the FAA. The Federal Aviation
Administration is noteworthy. The agency is still engaged in reviewing documents and data from Spacex's first attempt to launch Starship in April of 2023. That initial flight concluded about 90 seconds after liftoff due to engine difficulties and other problems with the booster.
Now, as part of their ongoing evaluation, the FEA is looking into several aspects of this incident, such as the environmental impact at the launch site and the delayed activation of the Rockets flight termination system. And in response to these setbacks, SpaceX generated quote mishap investigation report and submitted it to the FAA. The FAA in turn will highlight the corrective measures SpaceX must implement prior to its second test flight.
The objective is to ensure the safety of not only property, but also humans and wildlife in the vicinity of the South Texas launch site, which is close to both wetlands and the Gulf of Mexico. Now, when probed for an update on this regulatory scrutiny, an FAA spokesperson suggested that additional information could be forthcoming.
In fact, on Wednesday at 6:00 PM Eastern, the FAA issued a statement indicating the SpaceX Starship mishap investigation remains open, clarified that they won't authorize another Starship launch until SpaceX enacts the identified corrective actions and complies with all license modification. Prerequisites Now, beyond the regulatory stuff, it's worth noting the SpaceX has been incredibly busy with preparations at the Starbase launch site.
They've worked diligently to upgrade the ground systems in the rocket itself For the second launch attempt in the first flight, the absence of a sound suppression system caused significant structural damage, notably sending fragments of concrete from the launchpad, scattering across the vicinity of the Starbase location. And in order to mitigate this issue, SpaceX has constructed and tested a new water deluge in flame deflector system located under the Starship launch mount.
Now the SpaceX engineering team has also been occupied with enhancing the interstage area between the first stage rocket and the upper stage Starship vehicle, now referred to as a hot staging ring. And the aim is to enable the Starship upper stage engines to ignite even before the Super heavy first stage finishes its burn. Although this is an intricate operation, a successful execution could significantly boost the mass to orbit performance of this launch vehicle.
And in preparation for the upcoming test flight, SpaceX has carried out two hot fire tests of the Booster 9 rocket and also ran tests on the Starship upper stage Ship 25. And both sets of hardware have mainly passed these trials. And the next test flight, unlike commercial missions, will not carry any payloads or people. And the objective is to test the performance of the 33 Raptor rocket engines in the booster along with stage separation and the ignition of Starship 6
engines. And should the flight proceed as planned, Starship will complete almost 3/4 of an orbit around Earth before making a splashdown in the Pacific Ocean north of Hawaiian Island of Kauai. Now, while the exact flight path might still be under wraps, pending FAA approval and other regulatory checks, the anticipated trajectory does give
us plenty to talk about. Starship, once launched, aims to achieve a series of milestones that not only demonstrate the feasibility of the technology, but also provide invaluable data for future, more complex missions. The first part of the flight involves the ignition of super heavy 33 Raptor rocket engines. These engines are expected to generate a massive amount of thrust, propelling the vehicle
through Earth's atmosphere. It's crucial for all these engines to operate in synchronization, not just for liftoff, but also as the vehicle ascends. the Super Heavy booster is the real workhorse here, designed to lift the entire rocket assembly until it reaches a designated altitude where stage separation occurs. Now, upon reaching this altitude, a highly crucial part of the mission takes place.
The stage separation is where the Super heavy detaches from the Starship upper stage, and at this point the upper stage, which has its own set of 6 Raptor engines, ignites to continue the journey into space. Now this stage aims to carry Starship almost 3/4 of an orbit around Earth. It's a complex dance to physics and engineering requiring precise timing and flawless execution from both hardware and
software systems on board. And one of the most innovative features expected to be tested is the hot staging ring, designed to facilitate the seamless transition between the Super Heavy booster and the Starship upper stage. And the hot staging rain would theoretically enable the upper stage engines to ignite even before Super Heavy has completed
its burn and separated. This complicated maneuver of successfully executed would revolutionize the mass to orbit performance metrics, allowing heavier payloads to be carried to space with greater efficiency And after cleaning nearly 75% of US orbit, the plan is for Starship to descend into the Pacific Ocean north of the Hawaiian island of Kauai.
This segment of the mission is equally critical because it involves reentry into the atmosphere, which subjects the spacecraft to extreme temperatures and stresses. Now, starships, heat shield and other protective measures will be put to the test here, essentially proving whether the vehicle is capable of enduring the harsh conditions it would face in an actual mission beyond Earth to orbit. Now let's talk about a Super Heavy booster after separation.
The design philosophy behind Super Heavy focuses on reusability. Post separation, Super Heavy will execute a controlled descent burn back to Earth in The booster aims to land vertically as a designated platform, a maneuver that SpaceX has perfected with its Falcon 9 rockets. And achieving this with a Super Heavy booster would be another monumental milestone considering its enormous size and complexity. The booster is about 250 feet tall now.
By studying each segment of the flight path in extreme detail, SpaceX aims together a treasure trove of data that would inform future missions, be a lunar landings, Marcus Expeditions, or even more ambitious yet to be announced adventures into the
cosmos. And every piece of information, from engine performance and stage separation to reentry dynamics and splashdown is a puzzle piece in the grand scheme of the Starship. Thank you for joining us today on this episode of the Elon Musk Podcast. If you enjoyed what you heard, please make sure to hit the follow or subscribe button on your preferred podcast platform.
It's free, only takes a second, but it shows you won't miss out on future episodes about Starship, SpaceX or anything Elon Musk. And remember that this podcast is brought to you by the support of our listeners who are part of the Elon Musk Investors Club. To keep us going strong, head over to join the club elon.com and become a member. And until next time, take care of yourselves and each other, and I'll see you in the next one.