Starbase City Official, Starlink 6-84 Success, and Neuralink's ALS Breakthrough

In this episode, Michelle discusses the transformation of SpaceX's Starbase into an official city, examining SpaceX's pivotal role in this development. The conversation moves to SpaceX's successful Starlink 6-84 mission and the company's plans for future launches, highlighting ongoing advancements in satellite technology. Michelle also covers Neuralink's significant breakthrough with ALS patient Bradford Smith, providing insights into the potential implications for medical science. The episode closes with a broader discussion on Neuralink's impact and final remarks, encouraging listeners to stay tuned for more updates on these groundbreaking stories.

Episode Transcript

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First up, let's talk about a monumentaldevelopment for SpaceX.

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The votes are in, and it's official—Starbase,SpaceX's Texas headquarters, is on its way to
becoming a real city!
That's right, residents of a small swath ofsouthern Texas have voted in favor of
incorporating Starbase as an official city.
This newly-designated city is home to SpaceXand many of its employees, and it's where the

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company builds rocket engines, launchesspacecraft, and manufactures other
space-related technology.
With 212 residents voting in favor and only sixagainst, the measure passed with flying colors.
Importantly, most of the eligible voters in thearea are SpaceX employees, and only 143 votes

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were needed to make Starbase a city.
Elon Musk couldn't contain his excitement andtook to X to celebrate.
The city itself made its first post, statingthat "becoming a city will help us continue
building the best community possible for themen and women building the future of humanity's

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place in space." The idea for Starbase datesback to March 2021 when Musk first teased the
concept on what was then known as Twitter.
Now, with the vote behind them, Starbase willbe separated from Cameron County as its own
roughly one-and-a-half square mile city.
This designation carries significantimplications for SpaceX's operations.

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By becoming an official city, SpaceX may beable to circumvent some governmental red tape
when it comes to scheduling rocket launches.
Previously, the company had to seek permissionfrom county authorities to close a nearby
highway or restrict public access to Boca ChicaBeach and Boca Chica State Park for rocket
launches.

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However, even though the vote passed, countycommissioners and judges still need to declare
the election results official, according toRemi Garza, the elections administrator for
Cameron County.
While it seems like SpaceX could get a helpinghand with Starbase handling its own building
and permitting processes, Cameron County JudgeEddie Trevino told NBC News that any changes to

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the existing procedures that SpaceX has to gothrough would be unnecessary.
It's an exciting time for SpaceX and all theElon Musk fans out there.
Starbase as a city could be a game-changer forthe future of space exploration and humanity's
journey beyond our planet.
Next on our radar is another impressive feat bySpaceX that took place on May 4th, fittingly

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known as Star Wars Day.
During a predawn launch from NASA's KennedySpace Center, SpaceX successfully increased its
Starlink satellite payload to 29 satellitesaboard a Falcon 9 rocket.
This launch, known as the Starlink 6-84mission, took off at 4:54 a.m.
and was a spectacular display of technologicalprowess.

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In a January progress report, SpaceX mentionedthat it could deploy up to 29 next-generation
V2 Mini Optimized satellites per Falcon 9launch, and this mission proved just that.
These satellites are a significant upgrade overtheir predecessors, featuring enhanced
avionics, propulsion, and power systems.
The V2 Mini Optimized satellites weigh in atabout 575 kilograms, or 1,267 pounds, which is

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nearly 22% lighter than the original V2 Minisatellites introduced in 2023.
This reduction in weight allows Falcon 9 tocarry more satellites, thereby increasing the
network capacity per launch.
After the successful liftoff from pad 39A, theFalcon 9's first-stage booster made a pinpoint

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landing on SpaceX's drone ship, A Shortfall ofGravitas, stationed in the Atlantic Ocean.
This marked the booster's 20th mission, havingpreviously supported high-profile launches such
as Crew-6 and several Starlink missions,showcasing the reusability and reliability of
SpaceX's technology.
This launch was the 38th orbital rocket launchfrom Kennedy Space Center and the nearby Cape

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Canaveral Space Force Station in 2025,underscoring SpaceX's relentless pace in
advancing space exploration.
Despite concerns over potential cloud cover dueto a sea-breeze collision zone over Florida,
the launch proceeded without a hitch, thanks tofavorable weather conditions at Cape Canaveral.
Looking ahead, SpaceX is gearing up for anotherStarlink mission on May 6th, with a launch

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window from 8:22 p.m.
until just past midnight.
This upcoming mission will further contributeto the growing constellation of Starlink
satellites, bringing high-speed internet toeven more areas around the globe.
In a truly heartwarming story, Elon Musk'stechnology is bringing hope and a voice back to
those who have lost it.

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Bradford Smith, a 44-year-old man diagnosedwith amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, or ALS, has
found his voice again thanks to Neuralink, agroundbreaking brain-computer interface
developed by Musk's company.
Bradford became the third person in the worldto receive a Neuralink implant, and the first
who was nonverbal due to ALS, a disease thatleft him unable to speak, move, breathe, or eat

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without assistance.
The Neuralink device, which is the size of acoin, is implanted in the brain and reads
neural activity through 1,024 electrodes,sending signals to a computer.
This allows Bradford to communicatetelepathically, using his eyes to control a
cursor and type words that are read aloud by acomputer.

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Artificial intelligence plays a crucial role indecoding his thoughts and converting them into
speech, effectively giving him back the abilityto communicate in his own voice.
Bradford's journey with ALS began in 2018 witha devastating diagnosis that threatened to rob
him of his ability to live a full life.

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However, his determination and the support ofhis wife, Tiffany, and their three children
kept him hopeful.
When Neuralink opened its patient portal forthose interested in the implant, Bradford
eagerly signed up, knowing it could be alifeline for him.
His persistence paid off, as he became apioneer in using the technology to regain his

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voice.
This incredible achievement was recentlyrecognized by the United States Food and Drug
Administration, which granted Neuralink the"Breakthrough Device" designation.
It's not just a breakthrough for the Smithfamily but a monumental step forward in health
technology, offering hope to countless othersbattling similar conditions.

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Bradford's story is a testament to the power oftechnology and human resilience.
Despite the challenges he faces daily, hemaintains a positive outlook, often joking
about his situation and cherishing the abilityto communicate with his loved ones.
His faith and family have been his anchors inthis journey, and he now uses his experience to

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inspire others, encouraging them to findstrength in adversity and the support of those
around them.
This story is a shining example of how ElonMusk's vision and innovation continue to create
profound impacts on individual lives.
Neuralink is not just a technological marvel;it's a beacon of hope for people like Bradford

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and their families, proving that withdetermination and cutting-edge science, new
possibilities can emerge.
Alright that's a wrap for this episode.
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Thanks again for listening, and hope to catchyou next time.