SpaceX Starship Test Flight Clears Way for Record IPO

Elon Musk's company SpaceX successfully completed a test flight of its next-generation Starship rocket on Friday, launching a group of mock satellites and making a controlled landing in the Indian Ocean.

Friday's launch was the 12th test flight of the Starship prototype since 2023 and the first of its upgraded V3 version. The rocket is a candidate for future NASA missions to the moon.

The milestone, reached after months of testing delays, is expected to boost investor confidence ahead of SpaceX's initial public offering (IPO) next month. With a target valuation of $1.75tn, the listing has the potential to be the largest in history.

(reuters, sak)