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Elon Musk’s ‘Monty Python’ tower knight keeps watch over Boring Co’s TBM preparations

(Photo: Pauline Acalin/Teslarati)

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Over five months since The Boring Company held an opening party for its test tunnel in Hawthorne, CA, Elon Musk’s Monty Python-style watchtower is standing strong, and so is its occupant. Based on recent photographs taken of the site, the cleverly-built watchtower’s resident knight is still present, a lone guard watching over the Boring Company’s nearby lot and SpaceX’s headquarters.

Teslarati photographer Pauline Acalin recently paid a visit to The Boring Company’s Hawthorne site, where she was able to get some detailed shots of the ironclad sentry on his post. Pauline’s images show that the watchtower is weathering the elements pretty well, and the pre-made Boring Brick-laid sections used in the structure appear almost the same as they did during the test tunnel’s opening party. This is quite impressive, considering that the Monty Python-style watchtower was constructed in an incredibly quick manner last December.

Elon Musk’s ‘Monty Python’ watchtower remains occupied. (Photo: Pauline Acalin/Teslarati)

The Boring Company watchtower knight is a reference to one of Elon Musk’s favorite movies, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, which is widely regarded as one of the funniest movies ever made. During one of the film’s most memorable segments, a sharp-tongued French knight decided to give King Arthur and his knights a tongue-lashing for the ages. Played by actor John Cleese, the knight, as well as his creative insults, live on today, thanks to the prevalence of memes in the internet.

Apart from the watchtower knight’s continued guard duty, The Boring Company’s Hawthorne site is also seeing some notable activity. Teslarati photographer Tom Cross was able to capture several images of one of the tunneling startup’s lots in the area, which just happens to be a location where a tunnel boring machine (TBM) is being prepared.

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The Boring Company works on a tunnel boring machine. (Photo: Tom Cross/Teslarati)

The new tunnel boring machine is particularly noticeable due to its striking white paint. Several workers could be seen working on different sections of the TBM, though some sections of the machine placed around the lot still require some painting work. It should be noted that the TBM being prepared on the site appears very similar to Godot, the same machine used by the company to build its test tunnel. Nevertheless, Elon Musk’s previous references to its next-generation TBM, Line-Storm, triggers some speculations about the nature of the tunneling machine that Tom photographed in The Boring Company’s lot.

Teslarati has reached out to The Boring Company about this, and will update this piece once a response from the tunneling startup is received.

The Boring Company recently received a contract from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to build a Loop System for the LVCA’s campus. The project, which will be comprised of two tunnels that will each be less than a mile long, is expected to be completed quickly. In a statement on Twitter, Elon Musk noted that the Las Vegas Loop System would likely be operational by the end of the year.

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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.

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SpaceX reportedly mulling IPO, eyeing largest of all time: report

“I do want to try to figure out some way for Tesla shareholders to participate in SpaceX. I’ve been giving a lot of thought to how to give people access to SpaceX stock,” Musk said.

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Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX is reportedly mulling an initial public offering, eyeing what would be the largest valuation at the time of availability of all time, a new report from Bloomberg said on Tuesday.

It is one of many reports involving one of Elon Musk’s companies and a massive market move, as this is not the first time we have seen reports of an IPO by SpaceX. Musk himself has also dispelled other reports in the past of a similar nature, including an xAI funding round.

SpaceX and Musk have yet to comment on the report. In the past, untrue reports were promptly replied to by the CEO; this has not yet gained any response, which is a good sign in terms of credibility.

Musk has discussed a potential IPO for SpaceX in recent months, as the November 6 shareholder meeting, as he commented on the “downsides” of having a public company, like litigation exposure, quarterly reporting pressures, and other inconveniences.

Nevertheless, Musk has also said he wants there to be a way for Tesla shareholders to get in on the action. At the meeting in early November, he said:

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“I do want to try to figure out some way for Tesla shareholders to participate in SpaceX. I’ve been giving a lot of thought to how to give people access to SpaceX stock.”

Additionally, he added:

“Maybe at some point., SpaceX should become a public company despite all the downsides of being public.”

Musk has been historically reluctant to take SpaceX public, at times stating it could become a barrier to colonizing Mars. That does not mean it will not happen.

Bloomberg’s report cites multiple unidentified sources who are familiar with the matter. They indicate to the publication that SpaceX wants to go public in mid-to-late 2026, and it wants to raise $30 billion at a valuation of around $1.5 trillion.

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This is not the first time SpaceX has discussed an IPO; we reported on it nine years ago. We hope it is true, as the community has spoken for a long time about having access to SpaceX stock. Legendary investor Ron Baron is one of the lucky few to be a SpaceX investor, and said it, along with Tesla, is a “lifetime investment.”

Tesla bull Ron Baron reveals $100M SpaceX investment, sees 3-5x return on TSLA

The primary driver of SpaceX’s value is Starlink, the company’s satellite internet service. Starlink contributes 60-70 percent of SpaceX’s revenue, meaning it is the primary value engine. Launch services, like Falcon 9 contracts, and the development of Starship, also play supporting roles.

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SpaceX reaches incredible milestone with Starlink program

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Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX reached an incredible milestone with its Starlink program with a launch last night, as the 3,000th satellite of the year was launched into low Earth orbit.

On Monday, SpaceX also achieved its 32nd flight with a single Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

The mission was Starlink 6-92, and it utilized the Falcon 9 B1067 for the 32nd time this year, the most-used Falcon booster. The flight delivered SpaceX’s 3000th Starlink satellite of the year, a massive achievement.

There were 29 Starlink satellites launched and deployed into LEO during this particular mission:

SpaceX has a current goal of certifying its Falcon boosters for 40 missions apiece, according to Spaceflight Now.

The flight was the 350th orbital launch from the nearby SLC-40, and the 3,000 satellites that have been successfully launched this year continue to contribute to the company’s goal of having 12,000 satellites contributing to global internet coverage.

There are over five million users of Starlink, the latest data shows.

Following the launch and stage separation, the Falcon 9 booster completed its mission with a perfect landing on the ‘Just Read the Instructions’ droneship.

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The mission was the 575th overall Falcon 9 launch, highlighting SpaceX’s operational tempo, which continues to be accelerated. The company averages two missions per week, and underscores CEO Elon Musk’s vision of a multi-planetary future, where reliable connectivity is crucial for remote work, education, and emergency response.

As Starlink expands and works toward that elusive and crucial 12,000 satellite goal, missions like 6-92 pave the way for innovations in telecommunications and enable more internet access to people across the globe.

With regulatory approvals in over 100 countries and millions of current subscribers, SpaceX continues to democratize space, proving that reusability is not just feasible, but it’s also revolutionary.

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Tesla expands new Full Self-Driving program in Europe

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Credit: Tesla Europe & Middle East/X

Tesla expanded its new Full Self-Driving program, which gives people the opportunity to experience the company’s suite, in Europe.

Tesla recently launched an opportunity for Europeans to experience Full Self-Driving, not in their personal vehicles, but through a new ride-along program that initially launched in Italy, France, and Germany back in late November.

People could experience it by booking a reservation with a local Tesla showroom, but timeslots quickly filled up, making it difficult to keep up with demand. Tesla expanded the program and offered some additional times, but it also had its sights set on getting the program out to new markets.

It finally achieved that on December 9, as it launched rides in Denmark and Switzerland, adding the fourth and fifth countries to the program.

Tesla confirmed the arrival of the program to Denmark and Switzerland on X:

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The program, while a major contributor to Tesla’s butts in seats strategy, is truly another way for the company to leverage its fans in an effort to work through the regulatory hurdles it is facing in Europe.

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Tesla has faced significant red tape in the region, and although it has tested the FSD suite and been able to launch this ride-along program, it is still having some tremendous issues convincing regulatory agencies to allow it to give it to customers.

CEO Elon Musk has worked with regulators, but admitted the process has been “insanely painful.”

The most recent development with FSD and its potential use in Europe dealt with the Dutch approval authority, known as the RDW.

Tesla says Europe could finally get FSD in 2026, and Dutch regulator RDW is key

Tesla said it believes some regulations are “outdated and rules-based,” which makes the suite ineligible for use in the European jurisdiction.

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The RDW is working with Tesla to gain approval sometime early next year, but there are no guarantees. However, Tesla’s angle with the ride-along program seems to be that if it can push consumers to experience it and have a positive time, it should be easier for it to gain its footing across Europe with regulatory agencies.

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