News
Boeing’s Starliner slightly delayed, but ready for launch
Boeing and NASA have once again delayed Starliner’s Crewed Flight Test to no earlier than May 1st, 2024.
The launch was originally targeted for mid-April, but this time, scheduling at the International Space Station is the reason for the delay, as the orbiting outpost is fairly busy at the moment.
There are currently 7 vehicles docked at the Space Station, including two Dragon capsules, a Cygnus resupply freighter, and 4 Soyuz capsules (2 Crew, 2 Cargo), so it’s understandable why NASA and Boeing would want to push the Starliner launch just slightly.
Boeing took a major step towards the launch of Starliner’s first crewed flight test when it began fueling the service module and crew capsule. This will enable the capsule to conduct burns to control itself while in orbit.
The capsule assigned to this mission is Spacecraft 3, aka Calypso, which flew the first Orbital Flight Test in 2019 and was unable to make it to the ISS due to numerous issues that arose after separating from the Atlas V second stage.
Starliner takes flight for the first time during OFT-1 in 2019 (Credit: Richard Angle)
For the first Crewed Flight Test, there will be 2 experienced NASA astronauts onboard. Commander Barry Wilmore and Pilot Sunita Williams. They will both be making their 3rd trip to space.
The current pair weren’t the first astronauts assigned to CFT-1, due to the ongoing delays, at various points, 4 other astronauts were assigned to the test flight, including Nicole Mann who ended up switching over to Crew 5 and taking a Crew Dragon capsule to the ISS.
During this most recent delay, Boeing took the time to finish removing the insulating tape that was found to be flammable, finish software reviews, and review a new soft link in the parachute system. The soft link is what connects the main line from the capsule to the risers up to the canopy.
There are currently no items under review that could potentially cause further lengthy delays.
During a recent press conference at NASA’s Johnson Space Center, Flight Director Steve Lammers detailed what to expect before the flight.
The crew will perform a dry dress rehearsal, similar to what SpaceX does with Crew Dragon. However, the test will be completed inside United Launch Alliance’s Vertical Integration Facility, not at the launch pad.
The day before launch, the Atlas V rocket with Starliner stacked on top will be moved to the launch pad. In the last launch attempt, the rocket sat at the launch pad for a few days, enduring Florida thunderstorms, which led to moisture collecting in some of the Service Modules valves, causing a very significant delay to the Starliner program.
Starliner at LC-41 before the first OFT-2 attempt (Credit Richard Angle)
The hatch will be closed 1 hour and 24 minutes prior to launch, with the pad being cleared about with ~50 minutes remaining in the countdown.
This will be the first mission controlled by Houston after lift-off since the last Space Shuttle mission, STS-135.
There will be no live video from the capsule during ascent and transit to the ISS, Ed Van Cise, Starliner rendezvous flight director said the system is lacking the connection from the data to a transmission system. The recorded video will be downlinked after the capsule is docked.
The crew will dock with the ISS 24 hours after lift-off after conducting numerous tests of the Starliner systems.
The capsule will stay docked with the Space Station for a minimum of 8 days.
After undocking, the crew will perform more tests ahead of the de-orbit burn and eventual landing in the Western United States.
The capsule will land under parachutes, and the airbags will deploy just before touchdown to provide a soft landing for the crew.
All in all, this mission has been a long time coming for the company. The original contract called for six flights, and with the Atlas V being retired, there are currently no other human-rated launch vehicles (that are compatible) to launch Starliner, and if NASA wants to extend that contract with Boeing, ULA would need to get the approval to launch Starliner on Vulcan.
Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.
Elon Musk
Tesla warns consumers of huge, time-sensitive change coming soon
Tesla is urging customers to take delivery of their new EV by September 30 in order to take advantage of the $7,500 tax credit.
Tesla is continuing to warn consumers of a huge, time-sensitive change that is coming soon, as the end of the EV tax credit is less than two months away.
The EV tax credit has offered $7,500 off new EVs and $4,000 off used EVs for certain individuals who qualify due to income. For years, it has been a great incentive for consumers, and it has improved further as car companies were able to apply the credit at the point of sale starting in 2023.
Tesla is ready with a perfect counter to the end of US EV tax credits
However, with the Trump Administration, it always seemed as if the EV tax credit was in jeopardy. Earlier this year, the White House officially announced that it would do away with it completely.
On September 30, the tax credit will be abolished. In order to utilize it, customers will have to take delivery of their vehicle by that date. Orders placed before September 30 without delivery by that day will not be able to utilize the credit.
Tesla is truly pushing this point incredibly hard: the sooner an order gets in, the more likely you are to take delivery of the car by September 30.
If there ever was a time to yolo your car purchase, it’s now
– $7,500 fed tax credit is ending
– To take advantage, eligible buyers must take delivery (not just order) by Sept 30The sooner you order, the sooner you can pick it up
— Tesla (@Tesla) August 9, 2025
The end of the EV tax credit is something that has been looming on the minds of electric carmakers, consumers, and investors.
The $7,500 discount for buying a clean energy vehicle truly puts many of the cars in a much more affordable price range. Without it, the least expensive Tesla model will be the Model 3 Rear-Wheel-Drive, which starts at $42,490.
That price comes down to $34,990 with the tax credit, and brings the monthly payment down about $130, depending on how much money is put down.
Despite the change, CEO Elon Musk does not believe it will impact Tesla negatively. In fact, he has been in favor of getting rid of the EV tax credit for several years, believing it will actually work to Tesla’s advantage.
Take away the subsidies. It will only help Tesla.
Also, remove subsidies from all industries!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 16, 2024
In my view, we should end all government subsidies, including those for EVs, oil and gas
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) November 14, 2024
Perhaps the most interesting thing that will come of this is how all EV makers will be impacted by the loss of credit. Musk believes Tesla will come out as the big winner here, especially as it plans to roll out new affordable models sometime this year.
News
Tesla FSD V14 gets tentative release date
The update will feature a 10X higher parameter count, among other improvements.
Tesla is not releasing Unsupervised FSD to regular customers yet, but the company seems to be preparing something special for its FSD users nonetheless.
This was, at least, according to Elon Musk in a recent post on X.
Tesla FSD V14
Tesla’s FSD program has been deemed by Elon Musk as one of the key factors that would determine the company’s long term success. Over the past months, however, Tesla has mostly been focusing on the rollout and ramp of its Robotaxi program in Austin and the Bay Area. Tesla’s Robotaxi service uses Unsupervised FSD, which is not yet released to customers.
However, in a post on X, Musk stated that Tesla is preparing its next big update for its consumer-grade FSD system—V14. Musk did not provide a lot of details about FSD V14’s capabilities, but the CEO did state that the update will feature a 10X higher parameter count, among other improvements.
“The FSD release in about 6 weeks will be a dramatic gain with a 10X higher parameter count and many other improvements. It’s going through training & testing now. Once we confirm real-world safety of FSD 14, which we think will be amazing, the car will nag you much less,” Musk wrote in his post.
Tesla Unsupervised FSD Rollout
During the second quarter earnings call, Tesla executives were asked for a timeline on the rollout of Unsupervised FSD to consumer vehicles. In his reply, Musk stated that he believes Unsupervised FSD will be available for consumers in certain geographies. He did explain that Tesla will be extra careful with the system’s release.
“We are getting there. I think it will be available for unsupervised personal use by the end of this year in certain geographies. We are just being very careful about it. This is not something we should rush,” Musk said, adding that “I am confident that by this year, within a number of cities in the US, it will be available to end users.
News
Elon Musk reaffirms Tesla Semi mass production in 2026
The Tesla Semi factory near Giga Nevada is expected to be capable of producing 50,000 units of the Class 8 all-electric truck per year.
Elon Musk has reaffirmed the Tesla Semi’s mass production date. He mentioned the update in a post on social media platform X during the weekend.
Tesla Semi Factory
The Tesla Semi was initially unveiled in late 2017, and its first deliveries were held in December 2022. Since then, Tesla has only been delivering the Semi to a handful of customers while it builds a dedicated factory for the Class 8 all-electric truck near its Giga Nevada facility.
Drone flyovers of the Tesla Semi factory over the past months have suggested that progress in the construction of the facility has been steady. More recent flyovers have even suggested that Tesla is now busy outfitting the facility with the necessary equipment for the mass production of the Semi.
Elon Musk’s Recent Comments
In a recent comment on X, Elon Musk reiterated the idea that the Semi was indeed expected to be mass produced in 2026. Musk shared his update as a response to a Tesla bull who recalled that Bill Gates did not believe that the Semi was feasible due to the limitations of battery technology. In his response, Musk posted a laughing emoji together with “Tesla Semi will be in volume production next year.”
The Tesla Semi factory near Giga Nevada is expected to be capable of producing 50,000 units of the Class 8 all-electric truck per year. While this number may not be attained by the facility right out of the gate, it would only be a matter of time before the factory manages to hit an optimal production rate.
In a video posted on social media earlier this year, Dan Priestley, who leads the Semi program at Tesla stated that the company is preparing for volume production over the coming quarters. With such a pace, the factory should be able to mass produce the Semi in 2026.
Tesla warns consumers of huge, time-sensitive change coming soon
Tesla FSD V14 gets tentative release date
Elon Musk reaffirms Tesla Semi mass production in 2026
-
Elon Musk5 days agoElon Musk teases crazy new Tesla FSD model: here’s when it’s coming
-
Elon Musk2 days agoElon Musk confirms Tesla AI6 chip is Project Dojo’s successor
-
News2 weeks agoTesla hints a smaller pickup truck could be on the way
-
News2 days agoTesla Model Y L reportedly entered mass production in Giga Shanghai
-
Elon Musk3 days agoTesla CEO Elon Musk details massive FSD update set for September release
-
News2 weeks ago
Elon Musk highlights Tesla Model Y’s most underrated feature
-
News2 weeks agoTesla takes first step in sunsetting Model S and X with drastic move
-
Cybertruck2 days agoTesla’s new upgrade makes the Cybertruck extra-terrestrial