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  • The next Starship flight will test much more than hardware

    The next Starship flight will test much more than hardware

    SpaceX is gearing up to launch its massive Starship rocket from South Texas, a test that gives the company a chance to reverse a brutal few months of mishaps on the ground and in the air.

    The last Starship test flight was nearly three months ago, and it notched a milestone: the first reuse of a Super Heavy booster. But that mission ended with the upper stage, also called Starship, or Ship, breaking apart on reentry and the booster exploding over the Gulf during the landing burn phase of flight.

    A few weeks later, the Ship slated for Flight 10 blew up on the ground during a static-fire campaign, destroying a test stand and forcing SpaceX to swap in a new upper stage for this next mission. The Federal Aviation Administration has since closed its mishap investigations into Flight 9, clearing the way for this next attempt.

    These back-to-back losses have raised the stakes and turned this next flight into its own kind of test: Can SpaceX integrate lessons learned and notch some new wins?

    The company’s approach is famously known as “build-fly-fix-repeat,” and each test flight yields a trove of valuable data. But the continued loss of “Ship” during flight has raised questions as to when the megarocket will be ready to carry payloads for commercial customers and NASA.

    Despite the setbacks, SpaceX has made remarkable progress on the stainless-steel Starship since the first flight in April 2023. Most recently, the company made history in May when it reflew a booster for the first time, proving that rapid reuse is possible. But returning the upper stage — let alone landing it for reuse, as is the ultimate goal — still seems to be a ways off.

    The financial stakes have become increasingly public. In a January filing with Texas regulators, SpaceX said it has already poured “more than $7.5 billion” into Starbase and the Starship program. More recently, SpaceX told Florida’s governor that it plans to spend another $1.8 billion to stand up Starship pads at Kennedy Space Center and Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.

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    Tech and VC heavyweights join the Disrupt 2025 agenda

    Netflix, ElevenLabs, Wayve, Sequoia Capital — just a few of the heavy hitters joining the Disrupt 2025 agenda. They’re here to deliver the insights that fuel startup growth and sharpen your edge. Don’t miss the 20th anniversary of TechCrunch Disrupt, and a chance to learn from the top voices in tech — grab your ticket now and save up to $675 before prices rise.

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    NASA is also banking on Starship’s success.

    SpaceX holds two contracts worth $4 billion to develop a version of Starship known as the Human Landing System to return astronauts to the moon under the space agency’s Artemis program. That mission, Artemis III, is currently scheduled for mid-2027. To meet that date and give NASA the confidence it needs that Starship is safe enough for humans, SpaceX must demonstrate a series of tough milestones beyond simple launch and reentry. Those include perfecting Ship’s reusable heat shield, demonstrating cryogenic propellant transfer in low Earth orbit, and landing Starship on the moon. Any one of these is history-making, and SpaceX must complete them all.

    Meanwhile, Bloomberg recently reported that SpaceX reassigned scores of engineers from its Falcon 9 program to Starship to make headway on solving the big rocket’s problems.  

    Starship’s importance to the company’s long-term plans can’t be overstated. Beyond eventually taking cargo and humans to Mars, the longtime ambition of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, SpaceX is also counting on bringing Starship online to loft larger sized, higher-throughput versions of its Starlink internet satellites at a higher cadence. As that service passes 6 million global customers, SpaceX is looking to upgrade the constellation quickly and bring in more revenue to furnish its multiplanetary ambitions.

    Starship is the largest and most powerful rocket ever built, standing at nearly 400 feet tall, with 33 methane-fueled Raptor engines on the booster and six on Ship. At liftoff, the integrated Starship produces about 16.5 million pounds of thrust.

    For this flight, SpaceX plans a controlled splashdown for Super Heavy in the Gulf of Mexico and an Indian Ocean splashdown for Ship.

    This will be the fourth test flight this year. Liftoff is scheduled for August 24 with an hourlong launch window that opens at 7:30 p.m. ET. SpaceX will livestream the launch on X.

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  • Von der Leyen blasts China’s blackmail, directly targeting Trump at G7 summit

    G7 Summit’s Eye‑Opening Moment

    Ursula von der Leyen’s Bold Declaration

    In the midst of the G7 summit’s high‑stakes chatter, Ursula von der Leyen dropped a truth bomb: the “biggest collective problem” that’s been gnawing at the global trading system actually dates back to China’s accession to the World Trade Organization in 2001.

    What That Means for the World

    • Trade Balance Trouble: A decade‑old imbalance that still puts markets on edge.
    • Policy Ripple Effects: Decisions made in 2001 are still echoing through tariffs and subsidies worldwide.
    • Market Instability: A single country’s move can stir the whole global pot, sparking unexpected swings.
    • New Challenges for the G7: The summit now faces the task of steering a system with deep-rooted issues.

    Ursula von der Leyen Rallys the G7 Against China’s Rare‑Earth Monopoly

    At the G7 summit in Canada’s Kananaskis, Ursula von der Leyen used her platform to warn that a “new China shock” was on the horizon. She blasted Beijing for its “pattern of dominance, dependency and blackmail,” a line that seemed tailor‑made to echo former President Trump’s hard‑line rhetoric.

    The China Play: Monopolizing Rare Earths

    China’s grip on the 17 rare‑earth metals—essential for everything from smartphones to electric cars— is a bona fide quasi‑monopoly. Roughly 60 % of the world’s supply and a staggering 90 % of the processing and refining capacity rest in Chinese hands.

    The Weaponized Supply Chain

    • “China is using this quasi‑monopoly not only as a bargaining chip,” Ursula declared, “but also weaponising it to undermine competitors in key industries.”
    • She highlighted the recent export restrictions on seven rare‑earth minerals, calling the move “alarming” and a clear sign of coercion.
    • The tactics echo past U.S. conflicts—whenever Trump slapped tariffs on Chinese goods, China retaliated with its own fees, spiralling tariffs into a tit‑for‑tat ballet.
    US‑China Ongoing Trade Tussle

    After months of weapon‑grade duty wars, the two giants last week announced a diplomatic “detente” aimed at easing tariffs and loosening export curbs. Trump, ever the opportunist, proclaimingly said, “Relationship [with China] is excellent!”—a rhetorical flourish that didn’t sit well with von der Leyen.

    Von der Leyen’s Call to Action

    She turned the conversation back to G7 solidarity, insisting on an “united” front to counter Beijing’s dominance. Her vision? A fresh network of trusted suppliers backed by new investments in mining and refining.

    • Even if China signals a relaxation of restrictions, the threat stands: “We’re still looking at a new ‘China shock.’”
    • She urged the G7 to increase leverage, forcing China to shoulder more responsibility for the fallout of its state‑led growth model.
    • She blasted China’s “subsidised overcapacity” flooding global markets, pointing to the artificial price advantage of Chinese‑made electric vehicles.

    In a nutshell, von der Leyen’s address was a bold mix of political strategy and market protection, all wrapped in a narrative that kept the G7 on high alert while pointing a finger at China’s power play.
    The G7 leaders in Canada.

    G7 Heads Take on China’s WTO Comeback in Canada

    Why China’s 2001 WTO entry still feels like a surprise cost‑cutting spree

    While the summit was filled with maple‑syrup‑infused chatter, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen delivered a sharp verdict. She traced the core of today’s global trade trouble straight back to China’s 2001 WTO admission.

    • “China still bills itself as a developing country,” she remarked, laughing it off. “It seems it just no longer follows the rules‑based system at all.”
    • She called out China’s “undercutting intellectual property,” massive subsidies and its grand plan to dominate manufacturing and supply chains. “It’s not competition – it’s a deliberate skew.”

    In short, if the global marketplace were a giant fairground, China’s entry in 2001 threw the wheel out of its neutral lane. The fallout? Factory jobs in both the U.S. and the EU tumbled, sparking what many know as the “China shock” that keeps policymakers on edge.

    EU vs. U.S. vs. China – The Trade Tug‑of‑War

    In a side note, U.S. officials pointed out that American manufacturing once looked like a funhouse mirror—pretty in the moment but ultimately unstable. By contrast, EU trade policies have been more of a treadmill, endlessly looping around China’s regional gains. The current scramble is all about finding a new, truly fair play formula.

    Bottom line: The G7 summit isn’t just about polite agreements over coffee. It’s about steering the global economy past unexpected tariffs, subsidies, and the ever‑looming risk of a “China shock.”

    Looming deadline

    Ursula von der Leyen and Trump: A High‑stakes Dance on Trade & China

    Why the EU Looks Like a Skyscraper‑Squeezing Summit

    The European Commission’s chief, Ursula von der Leyen, has rolled out a hard‑on‑hard plan that feels eerily familiar to the Trump administration’s playbook. Both leaders are keen on stopping China’s climb to global economic dominance and itching to bring back vital manufacturing work into their home turf.

    Breaking the Silence: Deals & Directives

    • Trump’s “reciprocal tariffs”: In early April the White House slapped China with tariffs, giving the EU a 90‑day window to negotiate.
    • Phone‑call magic: The two leaders finally got on the line and shook hands on speeding up trade talks.
    • Pressure cooker in Brussels: New szudgy policies on Russia, Ukraine, Greenland and the Middle East caused panic around the EU’s Vienna operations.
    Von der Leyen’s Bold Moves

    Ursula didn’t just mail a recap to the President; she fired up her own team and demanded a fast‑track:
    “Let’s get it done.” She posted a photo with Trump, flashing a friendly, but firm, smile.

    The Voting Pile: A Split Decision in the Making

    Though the back‑and‑forth is frantic, the EU‑US talks still feel like a recipe with too many sour ingredients. The deadline of 9 July isn’t a rigid limit that’s been sealed shut; the Trump administration may push it forward to allow more room for bargaining.

    What’s on the Drawbridge?
    • A BRIT Summary: Is there a “reset” where the EU & China find new footing?
        – Trump’s move to rein in growth politics.
    • Job boost: They want to reel in tech and manufacturing jobs that have gone missing.
    • Minimal head‑butting: The trade delay shows deeper differences, but both sides keep negotiating.

    Ursula’s concluding note:

    “On trade, we told the teams to jump the gun so that we can hit a fair and solid deal.” She added a call to action:

    “Let’s get it done.”