In a historic first, the largest rocket ever assembled managed to get off the ground. But then it exploded midair. We ask if this launch can still be called a success. Alexei Navalny is still holed up in tortuous conditions in Russia and could be facing even more charges. And, a tribute to a trendsetting fashion designer.

For a full examination of Alexei Navalny’s story so far — told by the people who know him -- search for our Russia podcast "Next Year in Moscow". Or find it here economist.com/moscowpod

To explore the Starship rocket's potential impact on space travel —and find out why exploding is an important part of SpaceX’s model—listen to a previous episode of our "Babbage" podcast. Find that at economist.com/starship-pod or wherever you listen

And, to access the print, digital and audio editions of The Economist, try a free 30-day digital subscription by going to www.economist.com/intelligenceoffer