Elon Musk gifts PM Modi a piece of SpaceX's Starship rocket during Washington meeting

Elon Musk gifted Prime Minister Narendra Modi a piece of the Starship rocket during their meeting in Washington, D.C. The gift is reportedly a heat shield tile from SpaceX's fifth flight test, which occurred in October 2024. The tile is engraved with "Starship Flight Test 5. October 13, 2024," and has been referred to as a "space relic" by social media users. Modi also presented books to Musk's family, including works by Rabindranath Tagore and RK Narayan. The fifth flight test marked a significant achievement for SpaceX, showcasing the ability to catch a rocket booster mid-air and demonstrating reusability technology. This test is part of SpaceX's preparations for future missions, including a planned manned mission to Mars.