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Elon Musk shows off SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Block 5 ahead of launch and landing debut
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has published what appears to be the first official photo of the company’s newest Falcon 9 upgrade, known as Block 5. This particular booster is the first Falcon 9 Block 5 to be shipped to SpaceX’s launch facilities and is currently aiming for its first launch sometime next week after a May 4 static fire test, perhaps its first of anywhere from 10 to 100 operational missions.
Designed with reliability and reusability front and center, the booster upgrades have focused on additional thermal protection around the octaweb and interstage, reusable legs capable of retracting after recovery, titanium grid fins, and dramatic improvements to the heatshield at the base of the rocket. On the reliability side of upgrades, SpaceX has completed dozens of Merlin 1D static fires to qualify a turbopump redesign requested by NASA, as well as an upgraded COPV designed to guard against the type of anomaly that catastrophically destroyed Amos-6 and Falcon 9 in September 2016. A huge amount of work has also been done to improve and redesign aspects of Falcon 9 for easier (and cheaper) production and refurbishment, most notably replacing the welded octaweb structure with a bolted alternative likely to relieve many headaches and many days of octaweb weld checks.
- Falcon 9 B1046 rolled out to the launch pad for the first time ever on May 3rd, 2018. (SpaceX)
- SpaceX Block 5 Falcon9 at McGregor, Texas [Credit: Chris G – NSF via Twitter, Reprinted with permission from NASASpaceflight.com]
Aside from the biggest and most obvious changes, Block 5 is host to dozens or hundreds of additional tweaks and updates, a reflection of SpaceX’s pursuit of continuous improvement. Per SpaceX’s Vice President of Manufacturing Andy Lambert, SpaceX has “never built any two vehicles identically”, and Block 5 continues that tradition. Many Block 5 features have, however, already been flight-tested and optimized on previous Block 4 launches, including the octaweb heatshield, titanium gridfins, and minor aerodynamic tweaks to the second stage.
Block 5 sitting on the pad – harsh late day lighting [6341x 2804]
by inSpaceXLounge
The rocket is set to conduct its inaugural launch sometime next week – although the current schedule has SpaceX on May 7, Bangladeshi media have indicated that that date will slip a few days to the right after a handful of delays to the booster’s static fire. Tasked with lofting the country’s first geostationary communications satellite, Bangabandhu-1, B1046 will carry the 3500 kg spacecraft on its way to a high-energy geostationary transfer orbit before separating from the second stage and heading back to earth. The drone ship ‘Of Course I Still Love You’ and tugboat Rachel were spied departing from Port Canaveral at around the same time as Falcon 9 rolled out, and they will travel several hundred miles into the Atlantic to catch the pathfinder booster.
Tug boat Rachel has left Port Canaveral with OCISLY ahead of the SpaceX Bangabandhu mission on May 7th. The launch will be the first to feature a Block V Falcon 9.
— Michael Baylor (@MichaelBaylor_) May 3, 2018
Teslarati photographer Tom Cross will be on hand to capture the historic rocket’s static fire and launch over the next week or so, as well as the first Block 5 recovery on OCISLY if all goes as planned. Failure is always a possibility when flight-testing significantly upgraded technological systems, rockets especially, but SpaceX likely has far less tolerance for failure in the case of Block 5 – any problems with the rocket will almost invariably mothball into NASA concerns and investigations as the company nears its first crewed launches. Fingers crossed for the successful inaugural launch and landing of Falcon 9 Booster 1046.
- SpaceX’s second Falcon 9 Block 5 booster was spied by an aerial photographer in Texas, April 17. (Aero Photo)
- The same April 2018 flight captured what appears to be a Block 5 landing leg undergoing testing at a specially-designed test stand. (Aero Photo)
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Tesla just unlocked sales to 50,000+ government agencies
It marks a significant step in expanding Tesla’s presence in the public sector, where procurement processes have traditionally slowed electric vehicle adoption.
Tesla just unlocked sales to over 50,000 government agencies by entering a new agreement with Sourcewell, a purchasing cooperative.
Tesla entered a new master purchasing agreement with Sourcewell, the largest government purchasing cooperative in the U.S. This will enable streamlined sales of its EVs to more than 50,000 U.S. public entities. Tesla entered Designated Contract 0813525-TES, and the agreement covers Model 3, Model Y, and Cybertruck, and potentially other vehicles the company could release.
It marks a significant step in expanding Tesla’s presence in the public sector, where procurement processes have traditionally slowed electric vehicle adoption.
The deal allows eligible agencies, including cities, school districts, state governments, and higher-education institutions, to purchase Tesla vehicles directly through Sourcewell without conducting their own lengthy competitive bidding or request-for-proposal (RFP) processes.
Pricing is pre-negotiated and capped, providing transparency and predictability. Agencies simply register for a Sourcewell account online or by phone and place orders under the existing contract. This cooperative model aggregates demand across thousands of members, reducing administrative costs and time while ensuring compliance with public procurement rules.
For Tesla, the agreement removes major barriers to government fleet sales. Public-sector procurement cycles often stretch 12 to 18 months due to bidding requirements and committee reviews.
Tesla buyers in the U.S. military can get $1,000 off Cybertruck purchases
By securing the master contract, Tesla gains immediate, simplified access to a massive customer base that previously faced friction in adopting EVs. The company highlighted in its announcement that the partnership will help these 50,000-plus agencies “save thousands of $$$ in operating costs for their vehicle fleet over time” through lower maintenance, energy efficiency, and the elimination of tailpipe emissions.
The initial four-year term runs through November 13, 2029, with options for up to three one-year extensions, offering long-term stability for both parties.
Sourcewell’s role is central to execution. As a cooperative purchasing organization, it negotiates and manages vendor contracts on behalf of its members, then makes them available nationwide. Participating entities contact Tesla’s dedicated fleet team or Sourcewell representatives to complete purchases, bypassing redundant paperwork.
This structure accelerates fleet electrification while maintaining fiscal accountability—agencies receive pre-vetted pricing and terms without reinventing the wheel for each vehicle order.
The partnership positions Tesla to capture a larger share of the public fleet market, where total cost of ownership often favors electric vehicles once procurement hurdles are removed.
For government buyers, it translates to faster deployment of sustainable fleets, reduced long-term expenses, and alignment with environmental mandates. As more agencies transition, the contract could contribute to broader EV infrastructure growth and taxpayer savings across the country.
Elon Musk
How much of SpaceX will Elon Musk own after IPO will surprise you
SpaceX’s IPO filing confirms Musk will maintain his voting power to make key decisions for the company.
Elon Musk will retain dominant voting control of SpaceX after it goes public, according to the company’s IPO prospectus that was filed with the SEC. The filing reveals a dual-class equity structure giving Class B shareholders 10 votes each, concentrating power with Musk and a handful of other insiders, while Class A shares sold to public investors carry one vote.
Musk holds approximately 42% of SpaceX’s equity and controls roughly 79% of its votes through super-voting shares. He will simultaneously serve as CEO, CTO, and chairman of the nine-member board after the listing. Beyond that, the filing includes provisions that may limit shareholders’ influence over board elections and legal actions, forcing disputes into arbitration and restricting where they can be brought.
The case for Musk holding this level of control is grounded in SpaceX’s actual history. The company’s most important bets, from reusable rockets to a global satellite internet constellation, were decisions that ran against conventional aerospace thinking and would likely have faced resistance from a board accountable to investor gains. Fully reusable rockets were considered economically irrational by established industry players for years. Starlink, which now generates over $4 billion in annual operating profit, was widely dismissed as financially unviable when it was proposed. The argument for concentrated founder control seems straightforward, and the decisions that built SpaceX into what it is today required someone willing to ignore consensus and absorb years of losses.
SpaceX files confidentially for IPO that will rewrite the record books
For context, Musk’s position is significantly more dominant than Zuckerberg’s at Meta. The comparison with Tesla is also worth noting. When Tesla did its IPO in 2010, it did not issue dual-class shares. Musk has only recently pushed for enhanced voting protection, proposing at least 25% control at Tesla in 2024 after selling shares to fund his Twitter acquisition left him with around 13%.
SpaceX has clearly learned from that experience and structured the IPO differently by planning to allocate up to 30% of shares to retail investors, roughly three times the typical norm for a large offering. The roadshow is expected to begin the week of June 8, with a Nasdaq listing rumored to be a $1.75 trillion valuation and a $75 billion raise.
News
Tesla bolsters App with new safety, insurance, and storage features
The Tesla Smartphone App is one of the biggest and best features and advantages owners have. Everything from moving the vehicle with Summon, to getting Navigation sent to the car, to preconditioning the cabin can be done with the Tesla App.
Tesla is bolstering its smartphone App with a series of new features to streamline operations for owners. The new additions include fixes to safety, its in-house insurance offering, and storage management for Dashcam clips.
The Tesla Smartphone App is one of the biggest and best features and advantages owners have. Everything from moving the vehicle with Summon, to getting Navigation sent to the car, to preconditioning the cabin can be done with the Tesla App.
But in classic Tesla fashion, the company is aiming to improve the offerings of the app, and it is doing so with a handful of new features. They were first discovered by Tesla App Updates.
Tesla Insurance – Safety Score 3.0
This is truly part of the Spring 2026 Update, but Tesla has now given more transparency on how FSD has saved people money on their premiums.
Tesla intertwines FSD with in-house Insurance for attractive incentive
Additionally, Tesla is now automatically awarding a Safety Score of 100 for every mile traveled on Full Self-Driving (Supervised).
Update Tracking
Updates traditionally appear on the App or on the Center Touchscreen in the car. There is nothing better than seeing that Green Arrow at the top of the screen, or opening your app and seeing that there is a Software Update available.
Now, there will be no need to manually check the app and initiate the download. Tesla is enabling a new feature that will automatically download updates for you.
Storage Management
Your USB drive can now be remotely formatted, and old Dashcam clips can be deleted straight from the phone. When you record a lot of things using the Dashcam feature, that storage fills up pretty quickly.
Now, manually deleting the Dashcam videos is easier than ever.
Trailer Light Test
This is perhaps the coolest and most crucial addition to the Tesla App, as those who tow and haul will now be able to trigger a diagnostic light sequence from the app while standing behind your trailer to ensure the brake lights work.
Verifying your trailer lights are connected properly and operating normally and as intended is normally a massive hassle.
Now, a new trigger will be available to initiate a diagnostic light sequence directly from your phone.



