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SpaceX returns five-flight Falcon 9 booster to port as next reuse milestone nears
SpaceX, for the second time ever, has successfully recovered a Falcon 9 booster after five orbital-class launches and landings and could be just a week or so away from its next record-breaking rocket reuse.
On the morning of August 10th, after a night spent awaiting entry, tugboats carefully guided drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) and Falcon 9 booster B1051 to SpaceX’s Port Canaveral berths. Just three days prior, the booster completed its fifth launch and landing, sending 57 Starlink satellites and two commercial spacecraft on their way to orbit and ending an unusual six weeks of delays suffered by the Starlink-9 mission.
With Starlink-9 – SpaceX’s 13th launch of the year – now safely behind the company, work can proceed in earnest on a handful of upcoming launches.
Two days prior to B1051’s arrival in Port Canaveral, recovery ships GO Ms. Tree and GO Ms. Chief completed a safe return to port with both of Falcon 9’s Starlink-9 payload fairing halves, fished out of the Atlantic Ocean after an unsuccessful catch attempt. While disappointing that SpaceX was unable to complete back-to-back catches after the same ships nailed their first simultaneous fairing catch on July 21st, the Starlink-9 fairing should still be reusable. With any luck, SpaceX will be able to replicate some of that unprecedented success with its next several launches.
Of the two additional launches SpaceX has planned later this month, both are noteworthy. Scheduled no earlier than (NET) mid-August, SpaceX’s 10th Starlink v1.0 launch – the 11th overall – is likely up next according to well-sourced launch photographer Ben Cooper. If completed without issue, SpaceX will be ~70% of the way to a 14-launch milestone said by COO and President Gwynne Shotwell to mark the point at which the company can begin rolling out Starlink internet services for a broader public beta test.
Constellation milestones aside, NextSpaceflight.com says that SpaceX has assigned Falcon 9 booster B1049 to Starlink-9. That particular vehicle became the first orbital-class liquid rocket booster in history to launch and land five times after orbital-class missions when it helped placed the Starlink V1 L7 payload in orbit on June 4th.
If B1049 flies again in mid-August, the booster will become the first to cross the six-launch milestone just 70-80 days after it became the first to hit the five-landing mark. While impressive, that turnaround would only be the sixth or seventh fastest in SpaceX’s history of booster reuse. Still, given that the B1049’s sixth launch would be a pathfinder mission for Falcon 9 Block 5 reusability, it would be a major bode of confidence in the design if SpaceX were able to consecutively break two booster reuse records with the same Falcon 9 – and do so less than three months apart.
After Starlink-10 and on the heels of months of largely coronavirus-related delays, SpaceX’s next mission is believed to be SAOCOM 1B – an Earth observation radar satellite built by Argentinian space agency CONAE. Originally scheduled to launch as early as March 30th, things did not go exactly according to plan. While there’s still a significant chance the mission will slip further into 2020, SAOCOM 1B and several unrelated rideshare payloads are currently scheduled to launch NET late August. The mission will be Falcon 9 booster B1059’s fourth launch and could also happen just 70-80 days after its third flight.
Meanwhile, B1051’s safe return to port and B1049’s imminent sixth launch debut suggests that the former booster could be ready for its own sixth launch as early as October, potentially leaving enough time for one or both of the rockets to squeeze in a seventh-flight milestone before the year is out.
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Tesla Full Self-Driving shows confident navigation in heavy snow
So far, from what we’ve seen, snow has not been a huge issue for the most recent Full Self-Driving release. It seems to be acting confidently and handling even snow-covered roads with relative ease.
Tesla Full Self-Driving is getting its first taste of Winter weather for late 2025, as snow is starting to fall all across the United States.
The suite has been vastly improved after Tesla released v14 to many owners with capable hardware, and driving performance, along with overall behavior, has really been something to admire. This is by far the best version of FSD Tesla has ever released, and although there are a handful of regressions with each subsequent release, they are usually cleared up within a week or two.
Tesla is releasing a modified version of FSD v14 for Hardware 3 owners: here’s when
However, adverse weather conditions are something that Tesla will have to confront, as heavy rain, snow, and other interesting situations are bound to occur. In order for the vehicles to be fully autonomous, they will have to go through these scenarios safely and accurately.
One big issue I’ve had, especially in heavy rain, is that the camera vision might be obstructed, which will display messages that certain features’ performance might be degraded.
So far, from what we’ve seen, snow has not been a huge issue for the most recent Full Self-Driving release. It seems to be acting confidently and handling even snow-covered roads with relative ease:
FSD 14.1.4 snow storm Ontario Canada pic.twitter.com/jwK1dLYT0w
— Everything AI (@mrteslaspace) November 17, 2025
I found the steepest, unplowed hill in my area and tested the following:
• FSD 14.2.1 on summer tires
• FSD 14.2.1 on winter tires
• Manual drivingBut I think the most impressive part was how FSD went DOWN the hill. FSD in the snow is sublime $TSLA pic.twitter.com/YMcN7Br3PU
— Dillon Loomis (@DillonLoomis) December 2, 2025
Well.. I couldn’t let the boys have all the fun!
Threw the GoPro up and decided to FSD v14.2.1 in the snow. Roads were not compacted like the other day, a little slippery, but overall doable at lower speeds. Enjoy the video and holiday music 🎶
Liked:
Took turns super slow… pic.twitter.com/rIAIeh3Zu3— 🦋Diana🦋 (@99_Colorado) December 3, 2025
Moving into the winter months, it will be very interesting to see how FSD handles even more concerning conditions, especially with black ice, freezing rain and snow mix, and other things that happen during colder conditions.
We are excited to test it ourselves, but I am waiting for heavy snowfall to make it to Pennsylvania so I can truly push it to the limit.
News
Tesla hosts Rome Mayor for first Italian FSD Supervised road demo
The event marked the first time an Italian mayor tested the advanced driver-assistance system in person in Rome’s urban streets.
Tesla definitely seems to be actively engaging European officials on FSD’s capabilities, with the company hosting Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Mobility Assessor Eugenio Patanè for a hands-on road demonstration.
The event marked the first time an Italian mayor tested the advanced driver-assistance system in person in Rome’s urban streets. This comes amid Tesla’s push for FSD’s EU regulatory approvals in the coming year.
Rome officials experience FSD Supervised
Tesla conducted the demo using a Model 3 equipped with Full Self-Driving (Supervised), tackling typical Roman traffic including complex intersections, roundabouts, pedestrian crossings and mixed users like cars, bikes and scooters.
The system showcased AI-based assisted driving, prioritizing safety while maintaining flow. FSD also handled overtakes and lane decisions, though with constant driver supervision.
Investor Andrea Stroppa detailed the event on X, noting the system’s potential to reduce severe collision risks by up to seven times compared to traditional driving, based on Tesla’s data from billions of global fleet miles. The session highlighted FSD’s role as an assistance tool in its Supervised form, not a replacement, with the driver fully responsible at all times.
Path to European rollout
Tesla has logged over 1 million kilometers of testing across 17 European countries, including Italy, to refine FSD for local conditions. The fact that Rome officials personally tested FSD Supervised bodes well for the program’s approval, as it suggests that key individuals are closely watching Tesla’s efforts and innovations.
Assessor Patanè also highlighted the administration’s interest in technologies that boost road safety and urban travel quality, viewing them as aids for both private and public transport while respecting rules.
Replies on X urged involving Italy’s Transport Ministry to speed approvals, with one user noting, “Great idea to involve the mayor! It would be necessary to involve components of the Ministry of Transport and the government as soon as possible: it’s they who can accelerate the approval of FSD in Italy.”
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Tesla FSD (Supervised) blows away French journalist after test ride
Cadot described FSD as “mind-blowing,” both for the safety of the vehicle’s driving and the “humanity” of its driving behaviors.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) seems to be making waves in Europe, with French tech journalist Julien Cadot recently sharing a positive first-hand experience from a supervised test drive in France.
Cadot, who tested the system for Numerama after eight years of anticipation since early Autopilot trials, described FSD as “mind-blowing,” both for the safety of the vehicle’s driving and the “humanity” of its driving behaviors.
Julien Cadot’s FSD test in France
Cadot announced his upcoming test on X, writing in French: “I’m going to test Tesla’s FSD for Numerama in France. 8 years I’ve been waiting to relive the sensations of our very first contact with the unbridled Autopilot of the 2016s.” He followed up shortly after with an initial reaction, writing: “I don’t want to spoil too much because as media we were allowed to film everything and I have a huge video coming… But: it’s mind-blowing! Both for safety and for the ‘humanity’ of the choices.”
His later posts detailed FSD’s specific maneuvers that he found particularly compelling. These include the vehicle safely overtaking a delivery truck by inches, something Cadot said he personally would avoid to protect his rims, but FSD handled flawlessly. He also praised FSD’s cyclist overtakes, as the system always maintained the required 1.5-meter distance by encroaching on the opposite lane when clear. Ultimately, Cadot noted FSD’s decision-making prioritized safety and advancement, which is pretty remarkable.
FSD’s ‘human’ edge over Autopilot
When asked if FSD felt light-years ahead of standard Autopilot, Cadot replied: “It’s incomparable, it’s not the same language.” He elaborated on scenarios like bypassing a parked delivery truck across a solid white line, where FSD assessed safety and proceeded just as a human driver might, rather than halting indefinitely. This “humanity” impressed Cadot the most, as it allowed FSD to fluidly navigate real-world chaos like urban Paris traffic.
Tesla is currently hard at work pushing for the rollout of FSD to several European countries. Recent reports have revealed that Tesla has received approval to operate 19 FSD test vehicles on Spain’s roads, though this number could increase as the program develops. As per the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), Tesla would be able to operate its FSD fleet on any national route across Spain. Recent job openings also hint at Tesla starting FSD tests in Austria. Apart from this, the company is also holding FSD demonstrations in Germany, France, and Italy.
Tesla Full Self-Driving shows confident navigation in heavy snow
Tesla hosts Rome Mayor for first Italian FSD Supervised road demo
