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Musk says SpaceX’s fifth Starship launch is scheduled next week, sets static fire date

Elon Musk says SpaceX is "aiming to launch [Starship SN15] next week." (NASASpaceflight - bocachicagal)

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4 years ago

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Update: As expected, SpaceX has scheduled a road closure on Monday, April 19th – most likely for Starship SN15’s first static fire attempt. The installation of three Raptors could begin at any point over the next three days and generally takes a matter of hours.

CEO Elon Musk says that SpaceX is “aiming to launch” its fifth high-altitude Starship test flight as early as next week, continuing a more or less monthly cadence.

Building off of the successes and learning from the unique failures of Starship prototypes SN8, SN9, SN10, and SN11, SpaceX’s next test flight arguably has the best chance of success yet. That’s thanks in large part to the introduction of “hundreds of improvements” on Starship SN15 – many of which will hopefully address the shortcomings that ultimately destroyed all four of its predecessors.

As of April 15th, SpaceX has canceled road closures on Thursday and Friday, leaving no closures (i.e. testing windows) active – an exceedingly rare occurrence in Boca Chica, Texas. Earlier this week, Starship SN15 appeared to complete cryogenic proof and thrust puck stress tests on Monday, standing up to the thermal stresses of (simulated) cryogenic propellant, the tank pressures required for flight (>6 bar or 90 psi), and the thrust of three Raptor engines.

On Wednesday, SpaceX removed a steel structure fitted with hydraulic rams – used to simulate Raptor thrust – and performed a similar cryogenic proof test later that evening. Instead of testing SN15’s main tanks, though, the second round focused on Starship’s secondary header tanks – meant to store propellant specifically for landing. The results of both tests are unclear but the removal of the ram structure does suggest that the main cryo proof was successful enough that it doesn’t need to be repeated.

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With those tests seemingly out of the way, Starship SN15 has just one or two major hurdles standing between it and a launch attempt next week. Notably, because it was the first prototype since SN8 to incorporate hydraulic ram thrust puck testing into its cryo proof, SN15 didn’t roll to the launch pad with Raptor engines already installed. Assuming SpaceX wants to continue testing as soon as possible (i.e. Monday), the company now has around three and a half days to install three Raptor engines.

That should be no problem whatsoever, though Musk has said that SN15 will be the first Starship prototype to fly with upgraded Raptor engines. Depending on how significant those upgrades are, SN15’s Raptor installation process could be longer than usual as engine technicians and engineers install them on a Starship prototype for the first time.

If SpaceX manages that feat by Sunday, Starship SN15 will likely be able to attempt a static fire test on Monday, April 19th. Historically, SpaceX has never flown a Starship less than six days after a three-engine static fire, meaning that a successful Monday test is far from a guarantee that Starship SN15, SpaceX, or the FAA will be ready for a launch attempt next week. Still, Starship SN11 did fly four days after a one-Raptor static fire and SN9 attempted to launch three days after a three-engine test, so it’s far from impossible.

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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.

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Tesla Model 3 ranks as the safest new car in Europe for 2025, per Euro NCAP tests

Despite being on the market longer than many of its rivals, the Tesla Model 3 continues to set the bar for vehicle safety.

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9 minutes ago

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July 4, 2025

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Credit: Tesla Asia/X

The Tesla Model 3 has been named the safest new car on sale in 2025, according to the latest results from the Euro NCAP. Among 20 newly tested vehicles, the Model 3 emerged at the top of the list, scoring an impressive 359 out of 400 possible points across all major safety categories.

Tesla Model 3’s safety systems

Despite being on the market longer than many of its rivals, the Tesla Model 3 continues to set the bar for vehicle safety. Under Euro NCAP’s stricter 2025 testing protocols, the electric sedan earned 90% for adult occupant protection, 93% for child occupant protection, 89% for pedestrian protection, and 87% for its Safety Assist systems.

The updated Model 3 received particular praise for its advanced driver assistance features, including Tesla’s autonomous emergency braking (AEB) system, which performed well across various test scenarios. Its Intelligent Speed Assistance and child presence detection system were cited as noteworthy features as well, as per a WhatCar report.

Other notable safety features include the Model 3’s pedestrian-friendly pop-up hood and robust crash protection for both front and side collisions. Euro NCAP also highlighted the Model 3’s ability to detect vulnerable road users during complex maneuvers, such as turning across oncoming traffic.

Euro NCAP’s Autopilot caution

While the Model 3’s safety scores were impressive across the board, Euro NCAP did raise concerns about driver expectations of Tesla’s Autopilot system. The organization warned that some owners may overestimate the system’s capabilities, potentially leading to misuse or inattention behind the wheel. Even so, the Model 3 remained the highest-scoring vehicle tested under Euro NCAP’s updated criteria this year.

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The Euro NCAP’s concerns are also quite interesting because Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised, which is arguably the company’s most robust safety suite, is not allowed for public rollout in Europe yet. FSD Supervised would allow the Model 3 to navigate inner city streets with only minimal human supervision.

Other top scorers included the Volkswagen ID.7, Polestar 3, and Geely EX5, but none matched the Model 3’s total score or consistency across categories. A total of 14 out of 20 newly tested cars earned five stars, while several models, including the Kia EV3, MG ZS, and Renault 5, fell short of the top rating.

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Why Tesla’s Q3 could be one of its biggest quarters in history

Tesla could stand to benefit from the removal of the $7,500 EV tax credit at the end of Q3.

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12 hours ago

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July 3, 2025

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(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla has gotten off to a slow start in 2025, as the first half of the year has not been one to remember from a delivery perspective.

However, Q3 could end up being one of the best the company has had in history, with the United States potentially being a major contributor to what might reverse a slow start to the year.

Earlier today, the United States’ House of Representatives officially passed President Trump’s “Big Beautiful Bill,” after it made its way through the Senate earlier this week. The bill will head to President Trump, as he looks to sign it before his July 4 deadline.

The Bill will effectively bring closure to the $7,500 EV tax credit, which will end on September 30, 2025. This means, over the next three months in the United States, those who are looking to buy an EV will have their last chance to take advantage of the credit. EVs will then be, for most people, $7,500 more expensive, in essence.

The tax credit is available to any single filer who makes under $150,000 per year, $225,000 a year to a head of household, and $300,000 to couples filing jointly.

Ending the tax credit was expected with the Trump administration, as his policies have leaned significantly toward reliance on fossil fuels, ending what he calls an “EV mandate.” He has used this phrase several times in disagreements with Tesla CEO Elon Musk.

Nevertheless, those who have been on the fence about buying a Tesla, or any EV, for that matter, will have some decisions to make in the next three months. While all companies will stand to benefit from this time crunch, Tesla could be the true winner because of its sheer volume.

If things are done correctly, meaning if Tesla can also offer incentives like 0% APR, special pricing on leasing or financing, or other advantages (like free Red, White, and Blue for a short period of time in celebration of Independence Day), it could see some real volume in sales this quarter.

Tesla is just a shade under 721,000 deliveries for the year, so it’s on pace for roughly 1.4 million for 2025. This would be a decrease from the 1.8 million cars it delivered in each of the last two years. Traditionally, the second half of the year has produced Tesla’s strongest quarters. Its top three quarters in terms of deliveries are Q4 2024 with 495,570 vehicles, Q4 2023 with 484,507 vehicles, and Q3 2024 with 462,890 vehicles.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving testing continues European expansion: here’s where

Tesla has launched Full Self-Driving testing in a fifth European country ahead of its launch.

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15 hours ago

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July 3, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Full Self-Driving is being tested in several countries across Europe as the company prepares to launch its driver assistance suite on the continent.

The company is still working through the regulatory hurdles with the European Union. They are plentiful and difficult to navigate, but Tesla is still making progress as its testing of FSD continues to expand.

Today, it officially began testing in a new country, as more regions open their doors to Tesla. Many owners and potential customers in Europe are awaiting its launch.

On Thursday, Tesla officially confirmed that Full Self-Driving testing is underway in Spain, as the company shared an extensive video of a trip through the streets of Madrid:

The launch of Full Self-Driving testing in Spain marks the fifth country in which Tesla has started assessing the suite’s performance in the European market.

Across the past several months, Tesla has been expanding the scope of countries where Full Self-Driving is being tested. It has already made it to Italy, France, the Netherlands, and Germany previously.

Tesla has already filed applications to have Full Self-Driving (Supervised) launched across the European Union, but CEO Elon Musk has indicated that this particular step has been the delay in the official launch of the suite thus far.

In mid-June, Musk revealed the frustrations Tesla has felt during its efforts to launch its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) suite in Europe, stating that the holdup can be attributed to authorities in various countries, as well as the EU as a whole:

Tesla Full Self-Driving’s European launch frustrations revealed by Elon Musk

“Waiting for Dutch authorities and then the EU to approve. Very frustrating and hurts the safety of people in Europe, as driving with advanced Autopilot on results in four times fewer injuries! Please ask your governing authorities to accelerate making Tesla safer in Europe.”

Tesla said last year that it planned to launch Full Self-Driving in Europe in 2025.

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