Connect with us

News

SpaceX to kick off October with two launches and landings in 48 hours

Published

on

SES-11 to be the last launch from LC-39A ahead of pad modifications for Falcon Heavy

After successfully weathering Hurricane Irma, SpaceX is preparing to remedy a slow month with three or even four launches in October.

Beginning on October 2nd, schedules have firmed up for the launch of SES-11 aboard a refurbished Falcon 9 first stage. SES, a Luxembourg-based satellite communications company, took the courageous and pioneering step of purchasing the first reused Falcon 9 for a commercial launch, culminating in the successful SES-10 mission in March 2017. Following that successful first reuse, SpaceX would later launch Bulgariasat-1 aboard a similarly-refurbished booster. SES-11 will become the third commercial reuse of an orbital rocket when it launches early next month from SpaceX’s LC-39A launch pad, and is currently expected to attempt a landing on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.

If all goes as planned, SpaceX will launch a second Falcon 9 as few as 36 hours after the SES-11 mission, this time carrying the third batch of 10 Iridium NEXT satellites from Vandenberg Air Force Base, California. All ten satellites have arrived at SpaceX’s VAFB facilities and will be attached to the payload dispenser and later encapsulated inside Falcon 9’s payload fairing over the next two weeks. The Iridium-3 launch will also see the Falcon 9 first stage land aboard SpaceX’s second drone ship, and is bound to be reminiscent of the two back-to-back launches SpaceX conducted on both coasts earlier this summer.

Advertisement

Iridum NEXT satellites being attached to the payload dispenser at SpaceX’s VAFB facilities. (Iridium)

Meanwhile, SpaceX has received an FCC license for first stage recovery activities beginning on October 14th, which meshes well with a scheduled launch date for KoreaSat-5, also 10/14. This date is dependent upon a number of variables that are currently hard to account for, and may slip further into October due to work expected to begin at the LC-39A pad after the launch of SES-11. Confirmed by Chris Bergin of NASASpaceflight.com, SpaceX is planning for SES-11 to be the last mission from the venerable launch pad for several weeks at a minimum, likely closer to several months.

This downtime is meant to begin at the same time LC-40, SpaceX’s second East coast pad, is reactivated for Falcon 9 launches. In the best-case scenario, this will allow the company to continue business as usual as it modifies LC-39A for Falcon Heavy, which is expected to begin on-pad testing later this year and potentially conduct an inaugural launch as early as November. As such, KoreaSat-5’s Falcon 9 may end up being the pathfinder SpaceX uses to solve the problems and squash the bugs that will inevitably arise while activating a new launch pad. Delays ought to be expected.

Following KoreaSat-5, the next SpaceX launch is not yet clear but will likely be Iridium-4, NEXT satellites 31-40. Including the three launches discussed above, SpaceX is likely to conduct 7-8 more launches before the end of 2017, not counting Falcon Heavy’s inaugural launch due to uncertainty.

Advertisement

Eric Ralph is Teslarati's senior spaceflight reporter and has been covering the industry in some capacity for almost half a decade, largely spurred in 2016 by a trip to Mexico to watch Elon Musk reveal SpaceX's plans for Mars in person. Aside from spreading interest and excitement about spaceflight far and wide, his primary goal is to cover humanity's ongoing efforts to expand beyond Earth to the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere.

Advertisement
Comments

News

Tesla rival Xpeng shows off new flying car concept for 2027 release

Published

on

Credit: Aridge

Tesla rival Xpeng’s flying car unit has been rebranded as Aridge, and it recently showed off its new flying car concept that has 500 kilometers (310 miles) of range and can travel at speeds of up to 360 kilometers per hour (224 MPH).

In Dubai earlier this week, Abridge showed off its new High-Speed Long-Range Full Tilt-Rotor Flying Car, which it aims to release in the Middle East as soon as 2027.

CEO and Vice President Du Chao said at the event on Monday that Aridge will pioneer new categories of flying cars under the brand, which was formerly called Aeroht. Aridge will focus on delivering cutting-edge, low-altitude products, aiming to make these types of aircraft more popular in the coming years.

At the event in Dubai, Aridge showcased its Land Aircraft Carrier, which completed the first overseas public demonstration of a manned flight for the modular flying car, CNEV Post reported.

Credit: Aridge

So far, it has already accumulated 7,000 cumulative orders for the vehicle. 600 of them are going to the United Arab Emirates’ Ali & Sons Group, Qatar’s Almana Group, Kuwait’s AlSayer, and the Chinese General Chamber of Commerce UAE.

It was not the only thing Aridge showcased at the event, either. It also has a long-range hybrid flying car called the A868. This is the concept with the 500-kilometer (310-mile) range rating and the 360 kilometers per hour (224 MPH) top speed.

Advertisement

Credit: Aridge

The A868 will target long-distance travel needs for consumers and will work alongside the Land Aircraft Carrier to build diversified low-altitude application scenarios that would be beneficial from a civilian and commercial standpoint.

The vehicles will be built at a new facility that was completed at the end of September, which is located in Guangzhou. It will be able to build 10,000 units with full-scale production and delivery scheduled to take off in 2026.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla ramps production of its ‘new’ models at Giga Texas

The vehicles are being built at Tesla Gigafactory Texas in Austin, and there are plenty of units being built at the factory, based on a recent flyover by drone operator and plant observer Joe Tegtmeyer.

Published

on

Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla is ramping up production of its ‘new’ Model Y Standard at Gigafactory Texas just over a week after it first announced the vehicle on October 7.

Earlier this month, Tesla launched the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y “Standard,” their release of what it calls its affordable models. They are priced under $40,000, and although there was some noise surrounding the skepticism that they’re actually “affordable,” it appears things have been moving in the right direction.

The vehicles are being built at Tesla Gigafactory Texas in Austin, and there are plenty of units being built at the factory, based on a recent flyover by drone operator and plant observer Joe Tegtmeyer:

The new Standard Tesla models are technically the company’s response to losing the $7,500 EV tax credit, which significantly impacts any company manufacturing electric vehicles.

However, it seems the loss of the credit is impacting others much more than it is Tesla.

Advertisement

As General Motors and Ford are scaling back their EV efforts because it is beginning to hurt their checkbooks, Tesla is moving forward with its roadmap to catalyze annual growth from a delivery perspective. While GM, Ford, and Stellantis are all known for their vehicles, Tesla is known for its prowess as a car company, an AI company, and a Robotics entity.

Elon Musk was right all along about Tesla’s rivals and EV subsidies

Tesla should have other vehicles coming in the next few years, especially as the Cybercab is evidently moving along with its preliminary processes, like crash testing and overall operational assessment.

It has been spotted at the Fremont Factory several times over the past couple of weeks, hinting that the vehicle could begin production sometime next year.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

Tesla set to be impacted greatly in one of its strongest markets

Published

on

tesla norway
Credit: Robert O. Akander-Lima/LinkedIn

Tesla could be greatly impacted in one of its strongest markets as the government is ready to eliminate a main subsidy for electric vehicles over the next two years.

In Norway, EV concentrations are among the strongest in the world, with over 98 percent of all new cars sold in September being electric powertrains. This has been a long-standing trend in the Nordic region, as countries like Iceland and Sweden are also highly inclined to buy EVs.

Tesla Model Y leads sales rush in Norway in August 2025

However, the Norwegian government is ready to abandon a subsidy program it has in place, as it has effectively achieved what it set out to do: turn consumers to sustainability.

This week, Norway’s Finance Minister, Jens Stoltenberg, said it is time to consider phasing out the benefits that are given to those consumers who choose to buy an EV.

Advertisement

Stoltenberg said this week (via Reuters):

“We have had a goal that all new passenger cars should be electric by 2025, and … we can say that the goal has been achieved. Therefore, the time is ripe to phase out the benefits.”

EV subsidies in Norway include reduced value-added tax (VAT) on cheaper models, lower road and toll fees, and even free parking in some areas.

The government also launched programs that would reduce taxes for companies and fleets. Individuals are also exempt from the annual circulation tax and fuel-related taxes.

In 2026, changes will already be made. Norway will lower its EV tax exemption to any vehicle priced at over 300,000 crowns ($29,789.40), down from the current 500,000, which equates to about $49,500.

Advertisement

Tesla Superchargers most liked by Norway EV drivers

This would eliminate each of the Tesla Model Y’s trim levels from tax exemption status. In 2027, the VAT exemptions will be completely removed. Not a single EV on the market will be able to help owners escape from tax-exempt status.

There is some pushback on the potential loss of subsidies and benefits, and some groups believe that the loss of the programs will regress the progress EVs have made.

Christina Bu, head of the Norwegian EV Association, said:

“I worry that sudden and major changes will make more people choose fossil-fuel cars again, and I think everyone agrees that we don’t want to go back there.”

Advertisement
Continue Reading

Trending