Connect with us

News

Blue Origin reaches orbit with New Glenn maiden flight, but misses booster recovery

Credit: @davill/X\

Published

on

Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket successfully reached its intended orbit on its first launch attempt. It also marked the first time that a Blue Origin spacecraft was able to reach orbit.

Driving the news: 

  • On January 16, 2025, at 2:03 a.m. EST, New Glenn launched from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. 
  • The 320-foot tall rocket was powered by seven BE-4 engines. 
  • After two successful burns of the BE-3U engines, the rocket’s second stage hit its target orbit.
  • As per Blue Origin in a post on its official website, the Blue Ring Pathfinder is now collecting data and performing well.
  • However, New Glenn’s booster, So You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance, was lost during its descent back to Earth.

What they’re saying:

  • “I’m incredibly proud New Glenn achieved orbit on its first attempt. We knew landing our booster, So You’re Telling Me There’s a Chance, on the first try was ambitious. We’ll learn from this and try again this spring,” Blue Origin CEO Dave Limp stated.
  • “Today marks a new era for Blue Origin and for commercial space. We’re focused on ramping our launch cadence and manufacturing rates. My heartfelt thanks to everyone at Blue Origin for the tremendous amount of work in making today’s success possible, and to our customers and the space community for their continuous support. We felt that immensely today,” Jarrett Jones, Senior Vice President of New Glenn noted.
  • SpaceX CEO Elon Musk congratulated Blue Origin on New Glenn’s successful maiden flight. “Congratulations on reaching orbit on the first attempt! @jeffbezos,” Musk wrote in a post on X.

Why it matters:

  • New Glenn is central to Blue Origin’s vision for space exploration. The spacecraft is expected to support NASA’s Artemis program with both cargo and crewed lunar landers.
  • The rocket will also advance in-space resource utilization and multi-orbit mobility.
  • Blue Origin expects New Glenn to be crucial for establishing a human presence on the Moon.

What’s next:

  • Multiple New Glenn vehicles are already in production.
  • Blue Origin has secured orders for years ahead from NASA, Amazon’s Project Kuiper, AST SpaceMobile, and various telecom providers.
  • Blue Origin is also in the process of certifying New Glenn with the U.S. Space Force for national security launches.

Don’t hesitate to contact us with news tips. Just send a message to simon@teslarati.com to give us a heads up.

Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

Advertisement
Comments

News

Tesla pushes Full Self-Driving outright purchasing option back in one market

Tesla announced last month that it would eliminate the ability to purchase the Full Self-Driving software outright, instead opting for a subscription-only program, which will require users to pay monthly.

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla has pushed the opportunity to purchase the Full Self-Driving suite outright in one market: Australia.

The date remains February 14 in North America, but Tesla has pushed the date back to March 31, 2026, in Australia.

Tesla announced last month that it would eliminate the ability to purchase the Full Self-Driving software outright, instead opting for a subscription-only program, which will require users to pay monthly.

If you have already purchased the suite outright, you will not be required to subscribe once again, but once the outright purchase option is gone, drivers will be required to pay the monthly fee.

The reason for the adjustment is likely due to the short period of time the Full Self-Driving suite has been available in the country. In North America, it has been available for years.

Tesla hits major milestone with Full Self-Driving subscriptions

However, Tesla just launched it just last year in Australia.

Full Self-Driving is currently available in seven countries: the United States, Canada, China, Mexico, Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea.

The company has worked extensively for the past few years to launch the suite in Europe. It has not made it quite yet, but Tesla hopes to get it launched by the end of this year.

In North America, Tesla is only giving customers one more day to buy the suite outright before they will be committed to the subscription-based option for good.

The price is expected to go up as the capabilities improve, but there are no indications as to when Tesla will be doing that, nor what type of offering it plans to roll out for owners.

Continue Reading

Elon Musk

Starlink terminals smuggled into Iran amid protest crackdown: report

Roughly 6,000 units were delivered following January’s unrest.

Published

on

Credit: Starlink/X

The United States quietly moved thousands of Starlink terminals into Iran after authorities imposed internet shutdowns as part of its crackdown on protests, as per information shared by U.S. officials to The Wall Street Journal

Roughly 6,000 units were delivered following January’s unrest, marking the first known instance of Washington directly supplying the satellite systems inside the country.

Iran’s government significantly restricted online access as demonstrations spread across the country earlier this year. In response, the U.S. purchased nearly 7,000 Starlink terminals in recent months, with most acquisitions occurring in January. Officials stated that funding was reallocated from other internet access initiatives to support the satellite deployment.

President Donald Trump was aware of the effort, though it remains unclear whether he personally authorized it. The White House has not issued a comment about the matter publicly.

Possession of a Starlink terminal is illegal under Iranian law and can result in significant prison time. Despite this, the WSJ estimated that tens of thousands of residents still rely on the satellite service to bypass state controls. Authorities have reportedly conducted inspections of private homes and rooftops to locate unauthorized equipment.

Advertisement

Earlier this year, Trump and Elon Musk discussed maintaining Starlink access for Iranians during the unrest. Tehran has repeatedly accused Washington of encouraging dissent, though U.S. officials have mostly denied the allegations.

The decision to prioritize Starlink sparked internal debate within U.S. agencies. Some officials argued that shifting resources away from Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) could weaken broader internet access efforts. VPNs had previously played a major role in keeping Iranians connected during earlier protest waves, though VPNs are not effective when the actual internet gets cut.

According to State Department figures, about 30 million Iranians used U.S.-funded VPN services during demonstrations in 2022. During a near-total blackout in June 2025, roughly one-fifth of users were still able to access limited connectivity through VPN tools.

Critics have argued that satellite access without VPN protection may expose users to geolocation risks. After funds were redirected to acquire Starlink equipment, support reportedly lapsed for two of five VPN providers operating in Iran.

Advertisement

A State Department official has stated that the U.S. continues to back multiple technologies,  including VPNs alongside Starlink, to sustain people’s internet access amidst the government’s shutdowns.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla ramps up Sweden price war with cheaper Model Y offer

The incentive effectively acts as a manufacturer-funded EV bonus and makes the entry-level Model Y more affordable.

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla has introduced a new 40,000 SEK incentive in Sweden, lowering the price of its most affordable Model Y to a record low. The incentive effectively acts as a manufacturer-funded EV bonus and makes the entry-level Model Y more affordable.

As per a report from Swedish auto outlet Allt om Elbil, Tesla Sweden is offering a 40,000 SEK electric car bonus on the entry-level Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive variant. The incentive lowers the purchase price of the base all-electric crossover to 459,900–459,990 SEK, depending on listing.

The bonus applies to orders and deliveries completed by March 31, 2026. Tesla Sweden is also offering zero-interest financing as part of the campaign.

Last fall, Tesla launched a new base version of the Model Y starting at 499,990 SEK. The variant features a refreshed design and simplified equipment compared to the Premium and Performance variants. The new 40,000 SEK incentive now pushes the entry model well below the 460,000 SEK mark.

Advertisement

So far this year, the Model Y remains the most registered electric vehicle in Sweden and the third most registered new car overall. However, most registrations have been for higher Premium-spec versions. The new incentive could then be Tesla’s way to push sales of its most affordable Model Y variant in the country. 

Tesla is also promoting private leasing options for the entry-level Model Y at 4,995 SEK per month. Swedish automotive observers have noted that leasing may remain the more cost-effective option compared to purchasing outright, even after the new discount.

The base Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive offers a WLTP range of 534 kilometers, a top speed of 201 km/h, and a 0–100 km/h time of 7.2 seconds. Tesla lists energy consumption at 13.1 kWh per 100 kilometers, making it the most efficient version of the vehicle in the lineup and potentially lowering overall ownership costs. 

Continue Reading