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Clash Of The Titans! It’s SpaceX VS Blue Origin!

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SpaceX and Blue Origin are in the race to make the best use of rockets which are a part of NASA’s suborbital reusable launch of vehicle flight contract. Yes, you heard it right! Not so long ago the idea of a man going to the moon or outer space was considered a fantasy! With the latest happenings and technology enhancements, people could now think of travelling and catching up flights to visit Mars and explore the outer space. One of the greatest news for the space travellers enthusiasts flourished, this week. Blue Origin, the reusable rocket company founded by Jeff Bezos announced that it will begin selling tickets for suborbital commercial space flights next year. According to reports, Blue Origin began to test its space vehicle successfully eight times, with the latest being on April 29, 2018. With Elon Musk revolutionizing the transport system on earth and space as well, this tech billionaire is also geared up! Space Exploration Technologies Corp., known as SpaceX is a private American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. Elon Musk led SpaceX is hitting all the headlines on future space travel, while, Jeff Bezos owned Blue Origin is catching up fast. At the AWS public sector summit, the Senior Vice President of Blue Origin, Rob Meyerson said Setting up colonies on the Moon and other planets are our primary target and we will need large payloads for surface landing. We are building the appropriate technology for that. However, Elon Musk led SpaceX has postponed its plans to send space tourists this year to circle the Moon due to technical and production challenges. SpaceX plans to start building mining, power and life support infrastructure to prepare for the first settlers that could arrive as soon as 2024. A Blue Origin Executive said the suborbital space tours will make a good market for us and our customers are very excited. Once we become the most-skilled reusable rocket company in the low-orbit, we can plan to go further, deeper into space.

There are speculations that the prices would be lower than the prices of Elon Musk SpaceX’s for carrying people to the moon in 2022. The cost of the SpaceX flight is around $ 35 million. Two people have apparently booked it, Musk didn’t say much about the two unidentified passengers. SpaceX is planning to make an uncrewed flight of its Dragon spacecraft to the space station this year and its first crewed flights are expected to happen in mid 2018. However, there are no further updates on this!

Currently, Blue Origin’s focus is on its New Shepard which is a fully reusable vertical takeoff, vertical landing (VTVL) space vehicle, consisting of a pressurised capsule atop a booster that can be reused for at least 25 times. The vehicle is named after the first American who went in space, Alan Shepard. It can carry six astronauts to spend approximately three minutes in a high quality, microgravity environment at an apogee of over 100 km.  April 30 marked the company’s first test flight of the New Shepard in 2018 and second flight of the New Shepard 2.0 spacecraft. Meyerson said Right now, we are living in a world where we need to throw away rockets within a year to ocean floors and millions of dollars go down the drain. With ‘New Shepard’, we can reuse the vehicle multiple times to significantly lower the travel cost.  

Speaking about the remarkable developments, Meyerson added space travel is a marathon, not a sprint. We are on the right track to write another chapter in the history of space travel.

However, Blue Origin isn’t the first company to go live with the tickets. Earlier, Virgin Galactic, a space flight company has booked hundreds of reservations for tickets at $ 250,000 each, while flight dates are yet to be confirmed! The story is different with Blue Origin, the company announced a policy of not taking reservations until its New Shepherd suborbital vehicle is ready for flights.

So, when are you grabbing your seat to the journey to space? Will it be SpaceX or will it be Blue Origin? Share your views in the comments section below!

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Zepto Prepares for IPO with $250 Million Secondary Share Sale to Boost Domestic Investor Ownership

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Zepto Prepares for IPO with $250 Million Secondary Share Sale to Boost Domestic Investor Ownership

Zepto, the Bengaluru-based quick commerce startup, is preparing for its initial public offering (IPO) by facilitating a secondary share sale worth up to $250 million. This strategic move aims to increase Indian investor ownership from approximately 33% to nearly 50% before the anticipated public listing later this year or early next year.

Funding and Investor Details

The secondary sale will involve private equity firms, including Motilal Oswal Financial Services and Edelweiss Financial Services, allowing existing investors and employees to liquidate their shares. Although Zepto will not raise additional capital through this transaction, it is expected to execute the sale at a valuation of just over $5 billion, consistent with its last funding round in November 2024.

Objectives Behind the Sale

The primary goal of this secondary share sale is to enhance domestic ownership in Zepto, aligning with regulatory preferences and making the IPO more attractive to local institutional investors. Co-founders Aadit Palicha and Kaivalya Vohra currently hold about 20% of the company, and increasing Indian shareholder stakes is seen as a way to strengthen governance and influence over the company’s future direction.

Market Context

Zepto operates in India’s competitive grocery delivery market, facing challenges from established players like Amazon India, Swiggy, Zomato, and BigBasket. Founded in 2021 by Palicha and Vohra after they dropped out of Stanford University, Zepto has quickly gained traction in the quick commerce sector.

Conclusion

As Zepto approaches its IPO, this secondary share sale represents a crucial step in solidifying its position in the Indian market. By boosting domestic investor participation, Zepto aims to enhance its credibility and appeal as it prepares for a public listing amidst a wave of Indian startups entering the stock market.

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Regional OTT Platform STAGE Raises $12.5 Million to Expand Bhojpuri and Cultural Offerings

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Regional OTT platform STAGE has successfully raised $12.5 million in its Series B funding round, a move that highlights the increasing demand for regional content in India. The round was co-led by Goodwater Capital and Blume Ventures, with participation from Physis Capital and several angel investors.

The funding includes $10 million in primary capital and $2.5 million from secondary share sales, allowing early investors to partially exit. This capital will enable STAGE to enhance its content offerings, particularly in underserved languages like Bhojpuri, while strengthening its technological capabilities.

 

Since its launch in 2019, STAGE has quickly established itself as a leader in the regional OTT market, reporting an Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) of ₹180 crore (approximately $21.7 million) and over 4.4 million paying subscribers. The platform has achieved over 20 million app installs and experienced significant growth, with a 289% increase in revenue and a 286% rise in subscribers over the past year, driven by original series such as Videshi Bahu, Kaand 2010, and Bhawani.

 

CEO Vinay Singhal emphasized that this funding is not just financial support but a validation of India’s diverse regional cultures. He noted that dialects like Haryanvi and Bhojpuri should be celebrated rather than viewed as liabilities. With this new funding, STAGE plans to further invest in content creation and technology development to enrich its storytelling experience.

 

As the demand for regional language content continues to grow, STAGE’s strategic investments position it well to expand into more languages and cultural narratives, solidifying its place in the competitive OTT landscape alongside platforms like aha video and Chaupal.

 

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From Space to Earth: Sunita Williams’ Inspiring Journey and Homecoming Celebration

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Sunita Williams, the celebrated Indian-American astronaut, recently returned to Earth after an extended nine-month mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Initially scheduled for just eight days, her mission was prolonged due to technical issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, which rendered it unsafe for their return.

On March 19, 2025, Williams and fellow astronaut Butch Wilmore safely splashed down off the Florida coast. 

 

Their homecoming was celebrated in Jhulasan village, Gujarat, where special prayers and rituals were held to honor her safe return. Family members expressed their joy and gratitude, emphasizing her strong ties to her ancestral home.

Upon her return, Williams received accolades from Indian officials, including a letter from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who expressed pride in her achievements and resilience. He highlighted the inspiration she provides to future generations of scientists.

 

While her return marks a moment of celebration, it also signals the start of new challenges. After spending 286 days in space, Williams will undergo a 45-day rehabilitation period to readjust to life on Earth and regain physical strength.

Sunita Williams’ journey serves as an inspiration not only for India but for aspiring scientists worldwide, showcasing the significant contributions of Indian-origin individuals in global space exploration.

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