Real life Iron Man, Elon Musk has been featured a lot in the news recently for launching one of the world’s most powerful rockets, Falcon Heavy. SpaceX’ latest rocket blasted off its first test flight carrying a red Tesla roadster along with it. If you have not been able to follow the news or the launch of this iconic rocket, here are 10 facts to bring you up to speed.
1. On February 6, 2018, SpaceX launched it’s Falcon Heavy rocket from Cape Canaveral, Florida, into an orbit that stretches into the asteroid belt.
2. Elon Musk was not sure if the launch would be a success. The launch of the rocket was delayed by three hours citing high winds.
3. After a successful launch, two of Falcon’s rocket cores successfully touched down back on Earth after takeoff. However, the middle core of SpaceX’s huge rocket missed the drone ship where it was supposed to land. Relighting one of the three engines necessary to land, the center core landed in the Atlantic Ocean.
A graphic showing the path of the Falcon Heavy rocket
4. Falcon Heavy is considered to be the most powerful rocket ever created, since the Shuttle System and second only to the Saturn V rockets, which carried men to the moon during the Apollo era.
5. The Tesla Roadster has the message “Don’t panic!” stamped on the dashboard and David Bowie playing on the speakers. The $100,000 car will cruise through high energy radiation belts, Van Allen belts, that circuit Earth towards deep space.
6. The Tesla cruised through space for a good six hours which was also live streamed by SpaceX. The car was then pushed out towards its elliptical orbit around Mars, once the upper stage’s systems survived being bombarded with all the radiation, firing and pushing the car forward for one last time.
Third burn successful. Exceeded Mars orbit and kept going to the Asteroid Belt. pic.twitter.com/bKhRN73WHF
7. Experts along with Elon Musk are still unclear about what will happen to the car. Planetary scientists have been asking about the details regarding the car’s exact orbit to calculate the Tesla’s odds of collision and how long it will actually last in deep space.
8. The successful launch of the Falcon Heavy rocket along with its capabilities of putting objects into deep space and landing back on Earth demonstrates the possibility of creating low production cost rockets and ability to reuse them in the future.
9. The success of this launch makes it easier for governments and businesses to lift massive projects into space or set off deep space missions, marking a major step toward cheaper, more frequent spaceflight programs.
10. Falcon Heavy’s capabilities of putting objects into deep space also opens up avenues for space companies, like Planetary Resources and Deep Space Industries to send their spacecrafts into the asteroid belt. Currently, both the space companies are working on technologies to mine water from asteroids in the near future.
Watch the Elon Musk’s dummy astronaut orbiting Earth in a Tesla in this time lapse video.
Cult.fit, the Bengaluru-based fitness and wellness platform backed by Zomato, has finalized five top investment banks—Axis Capital, Jefferies, Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and JM Financial—to manage its highly anticipated Initial Public Offering (IPO). The company aims to raise ₹2,500 crore through this offering, which is expected to value Cult.fit at nearly $2 billion.
Company Growth and Business Model
Founded in 2016 by Mukesh Bansal and Ankit Nagori, Cult.fit has grown into a diversified health and wellness ecosystem. The company operates over 500 gyms across India and has expanded into multiple segments:
Cultsport: Direct-to-consumer fitness apparel and equipment (30% revenue contribution).
Eat.fit: Healthy meal delivery service (24.5% of revenue).
Mind.fit: Yoga and mental wellness services.
Care.fit: Healthcare clinics and diagnostics.
In FY24, Cult.fit reported an operating revenue of ₹927 crore, a 33.6% jump from ₹694 crore in FY23. Despite this growth, the company recorded a loss of ₹535 crore.
IPO Details
The IPO marks a significant milestone for Cult.fit, which was last valued at $1.56 billion during Zomato’s $100 million investment in 2021. With strong backing from investors like Accel Partners, Tata Digital, Temasek, Kalaari Capital, and Chiratae Ventures, the upcoming IPO is set to further strengthen its position in the Indian fitness industry.
Strategic Importance
Cult.fit’s move to go public reflects its ambition to scale operations and attract institutional investors globally. Its diversified business model positions the company as a leader in India’s growing fitness market. Analysts are closely watching this IPO as one of the most anticipated offerings of 2025.
Dozee, an Indian healthtech startup focused on remote patient monitoring, has raised $8 million in its latest funding round to boost its global expansion. This significant investment will help the company enhance its presence in both domestic and international markets.
Funding Overview
The funding attracted a mix of existing and new investors, including Prime Venture Partners, 3one4 Capital, and the State Bank of India. The capital will primarily be used to expand Dozee’s reach to hospitals worldwide and strengthen its research and development efforts. CEO Mudit Dandwate highlighted the funding’s role in improving critical care facilities globally while promoting Indian-made products.
Innovative Solutions
Dozee is recognized for its Contactless Vital Signs Measurement System, which allows healthcare providers to monitor patients’ vital signs without direct contact. This technology has been implemented in over 380 hospitals across India, significantly reducing the workload on nursing staff and saving valuable time.
The company’s AI-powered Early Warning System (EWS) can predict patient deterioration up to 16 hours in advance, enabling timely medical interventions that could save lives.
Global Expansion Plans
Dozee aims to tap into over 2,000 hospitals across more than 100 districts in India within the next two years as part of its expansion strategy. The company is also looking to enter new international markets while adapting its technology to meet various regulatory standards.
With this funding, Dozee is set to make substantial progress in the healthtech sector, aligning with global trends towards more efficient healthcare solutions and positioning itself as a leader in remote patient monitoring.
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.