Tick, Tick, Boom: SpaceX launches Starship

<p>In a historic first, the largest rocket ever assembled managed to get off the ground. But then it <a href="https://www.economist.com/science-and-technology/2023/04/20/despite-an-explosion-elon-musk-is-closer-to-his-new-space-age?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">exploded midair</a>. We ask if this launch can still be called a success. Alexei Navalny is still holed up in <a href="https://www.economist.com/europe/2023/04/20/vladimir-putins-courts-are-stepping-up-repression?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">tortuous conditions</a> in Russia and could be facing even more charges. And, a tribute to a trendsetting <a href="https://www.economist.com/obituary/2023/04/20/mary-quant-launched-the-clothes-that-made-the-sixties-swing?utm_campaign=a.io&amp;utm_medium=audio.podcast.np&amp;utm_source=theintelligence&amp;utm_content=discovery.content.anonymous.tr_shownotes_na-na_article&amp;utm_term=sa.listeners" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">fashion designer</a>.</p><br><p>For a full examination of Alexei Navalny’s story so far — told by the people who know him -- search for our Russia podcast "Next Year in Moscow". Or find it here <a href="https://open.acast.com/shows/62e286a934d4d93d6587424a/episodes/economist.com/moscowpod" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economist.com/moscowpod</a></p><br><p>To explore the Starship rocket's potential impact on space travel —and find out why exploding is an important part of SpaceX’s model—listen to a previous episode of our "Babbage" podcast. Find that at&nbsp;<a href="http://economist.com/starship-pod" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">economist.com/starship-pod</a> or wherever you listen</p