🚀 Starship gets regulatory approval — launch tomorrow?

Plus: Supercharged lasers, self-powered elevators, Airbus’ fix for tumbling satellites. Starship prepares to light up the skies once more. SpaceX targets Friday for the massive rocket’s next launch attempt after an explosive first flight. With Elon Musk’s Mars ambitions riding on its success, can the world’s most powerful rocket reach orbit this time? Or will it complete another very public “[rapid unscheduled disassembly]( The fully-stacked 400-foot vehicle represents the realization of Musk's founding vision for SpaceX: To enable affordable interplanetary travel and colonization. Each fiery setback brings his team one step closer to that breakthrough while demonstrating their fail-fast iterative approach. Blastoff or bust, the spectacle will be one for the ages. Go straight to today’s [Must Read]( to get the latest on the biggest, boldest rocket’s next date with destiny. Good morning. I’m Tim, newsletter editor at IE. This is the Blueprint. Let’s begin the countdown! 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Must Read [🚀 SpaceX’s massive Starship rocket likely to fly again on Friday]( SpaceX could attempt another launch of their Starship rocket this Friday. The fully stacked vehicle aims to reach orbit after exploding on its first test flight in April. CEO Elon Musk gives Starship a 60% chance of success versus 50% previously, thanks to many design changes. Still, he acknowledges that failures remain likely before orbit is achieved. Starship promises to be the world's most powerful rocket at 400 feet (121 meters) tall with 17 million pounds of thrust. While the upper stage won't be recovered this flight, Starship is designed for full reusability. NASA is counting on an adapted Starship for its Moon landings but may face delays from development setbacks. This would be just one of [the missions Starship is likely to embark on]( before a trip to Mars. Another explosive outcome, though disappointing, would still provide SpaceX valuable data to improve future designs. With each attempt, the company moves closer to debuting its mega rocket that could transform space launch. Follow Starship’s journey as it works to stick the landing in the final frontier. [[Read More]( [Science]( [✳️ Scientists find new way to supercharge lasers by a million times]( Researchers in the UK and South Korea propose using plasma density gradients to compress laser pulses, potentially increasing their peak power. Computer simulations showed the technique could shrink a 2.35 picosecond pulse down to 10.3 femtoseconds. This revolutionary approach uses robust plasma instead of easily damaged solid materials. The discovery could enable new physics research and drive breakthroughs in particle acceleration, energy generation, and more. Learn how this new plasma technique may unlock unprecedented laser intensity levels. [[Read More]( [Energy]( [🌃 AI lifts will power themselves in new Hong Kong skyscraper]( Zaha Hadid's latest Hong Kong high-rise, The Henderson, will feature self-powering elevators with AI capabilities. Cameras follow passenger numbers to efficiently coordinate the lifts, while also generating electricity from their motion. The AI system eliminates long wait times via dynamic scheduling. The technology maximizes convenience while making the system self-sustaining. Its integration highlights engineering innovation within cutting-edge architecture. [[Read More]( [Innovation]( [🛰️ Airbus device aims to stop defunct satellites from tumbling]( Airbus launched a 100-gram device called Detumbler designed to prevent tumbling of deactivated satellites. Satellite tumbling poses an orbital debris hazard and also prevents controlled deorbiting. After attachment to the targeted spacecraft, Detumbler uses a rotor and magnets to create friction to damp the spinning motion. The device will be tested in space in 2024 to demonstrate its ability to stabilize derelict satellites before disposal. [[Read More]( QUESTION OF THE DAY Starship could launch as early as tomorrow. How do you think it will go? [All the way to orbit]( [It will explode on the pad]( [It will explode during ascent]( [Launch will be delayed]( YESTERDAY'S RESULTS We asked you about the innovations reported in yesterday’s Blueprint, here’s what excited you most. 48% Silver catalyst reducing fuel cell costs 38% Thermoacoustic-Stirling engine setting power records 12% Artificial fingertip identifying textures 3% 3D-printed jumping robots “Targeting Friday, November 17 for Starship’s second flight test. 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