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A flight-proven SpaceX launch and landing, in pictures
After a series of frustrating but predictable delays, SpaceX has returned its newly-refurbished Launch Complex 40 to active duty with the successful launch of a reused Falcon 9 booster, itself carrying a refurbished Cargo Dragon spacecraft now headed to the International Space Station for its second time.
Clear, sapphire skies greeted Falcon 9 and Dragon earlier this morning as they were at last prepped for launch, this time a very brief window of opportunity on Friday morning. Impressively, despite the fact that LC-40 is essentially a new launch pad, its first launch attempt went off without a hitch – even the slightest delay would have scrubbed the launch of CRS-13 to late December. SpaceX has thus continued to demonstrate its ability to move incredibly quickly while still accomplishing the tasks at hand: the company effectively constructed and upgraded an entirely-new launch facility in less than ten months, a staggering achievement by any comparison.
For this launch, Teslarati’s photographer Tom Cross was on hand to document it, and he weathered the numerous delays and cancellations of launch opportunities and photo ops over the last week. Arguably, his patience paid off and we have some exceptional photos of CRS-13, SpaceX’s 17th successful launch of 2017 and 20th successful landing of a Falcon 9 overall. While we await the status of Tom’s remotely placed cameras, tragically destroyed by Falcon 9’s intense exhaust, Tom was still present on top of the massive Vehicle Assembly Building and was able to take a number of amazing photos of the launch.
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- A reused Falcon 9 clears the lightning towers of Florida’s Launch Complex-40 (LC-40). (Tom Cross)
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- As Falcon 9 rises out of Earth’s atmosphere, its exhaust expands. (Tom Cross)
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- Falcon 9 races to orbit. (Tom Cross)
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- Falcon 9 nears main engine cutoff (MECO) and stage separation. (Tom Cross)
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- As the rocket gains speed, it tips over to reach orbital velocity. (Tom Cross)
After Falcon 9’s second stage separated and continued on towards orbit with Dragon, booster 1035 immediately flipped around and headed back towards Cape Canaveral and Landing Zone-1 for its second-ever recovery. Stationed on top of the VAB, Tom captured this event all the way from boostback burn to landing.
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- Booster 1035 completes its first boostback burn on the fringes of Earth’s atmosphere. (Tom Cross)
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- After the first burn completes, Falcon 9 barrels through hypersonic and transonic regimes of flight. (Tom Cross)
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- The final burn begins. (Tom Cross)
With the first boostback burn complete, Falcon 9 is placed on a landing trajectory. Finally, 1035 begins its last landing burn, the booster’s legs deploy, and as SpaceX would say, “Falcon 9 has landed.”
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- Legs deploy…
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- Falcon 9 approaches the pad…
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- Almost there!
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- And finally, Falcon 9’s Merlin 1D landing engine shuts off, completing the landing. (Tom Cross)
All things considered, this mission was an amazing success for SpaceX: not only does it symbolize NASA’s acceptance of SpaceX’s reuse procedures, but the launch is arguably the first time that a reused spacecraft has launched aboard the reused first stage of a rocket, a truly historic accomplishment for SpaceX along the path towards fully reusable access to orbit.
Up next on the busy rocket company’s docket is the fourth launch of Iridium satellites, currently scheduled to lift off just a week from today, December 22. Rather mind-bogglingly, Iridium-4 will also fly aboard a reused Falcon 9, this time the booster that launched the Iridium-2 mission in June 2017. In the meantime, SpaceX has announced the opening of media accreditation for Falcon Heavy’s January 2018 inaugural launch, which Tom Cross will no doubt be attending and photographing.
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- RIP Tom’s cameras 🙁 (Tom Cross)
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- Tom Cross at the Cape! (Brady Kenningston)
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- A panorama of SpaceX’s newly-reactivated Launch Complex 40. Falcon 9 and Dragon can be seen in the center. (Tom Cross/Teslarati)
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- A December 2017 panorama of SpaceX’s LC-40 facilities, CRS-13’s Cargo Dragon and Falcon 9. (Tom Cross/Teslarati)
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- Falcon 9 readying for launch at LC-40. (Tom Cross)
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- Sooty Falcon 9 1035 before its second flight with an also-reused Dragon payload, CRS-13. (Tom Cross/Teslarati)
Elon Musk
SpaceX just forced Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile to team up for the first time in history
AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon just joined forces for one reason: Starlink is winning.
America’s three largest wireless carriers, AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon, announced on On May 14, 2026 that they had agreed in principle to form a joint venture aimed at pooling their spectrum resources to expand satellite-based direct-to-device (D2D) connectivity across the United States in what can be seen as a direct response to SpaceX’s Starlink initiative. D2D, in plain terms, is technology that lets a standard smartphone connect directly to a satellite in orbit, the same way it connects to a cell tower, with no extra hardware required.
The alliance is widely seen as a means to slow Starlink’s rapid expansion in the satellite internet and mobile markets. SpaceX’s Starlink Mobile service launched commercially in July 2025 through a partnership with T-Mobile, starting with messaging before expanding to broadband data. SpaceX secured access to valuable wireless spectrum through its $17 billion deal with EchoStar, paving the way for significantly faster satellite-to-phone speeds.
SpaceX was not shy about its reaction. SpaceX president and COO Gwynne Shotwell responded on X: “Weeeelllll, I guess Starlink Mobile is doing something right! It’s David and Goliath (X3) all over again — I’m bettin’ on David.” SpaceX’s VP of Satellite Policy David Goldman went further, flagging potential antitrust concerns and asking whether the DOJ would even allow three dominant competitors to coordinate in a market where a new rival is actively entering.
Weeeelllll, I guess @Starlink Mobile is doing something right! It’s David and Goliath (X3) all over again — I’m bettin’ on David 🙂 https://t.co/5GzS752mxL
— Gwynne Shotwell (@Gwynne_Shotwell) May 14, 2026
Financial analysts at LightShed Partners were blunt, saying the announcement showed the three carriers are “nervous,” and pointed to the timing: “You announce an agreement in principle when the point is the announcement, not the deal. The timing, weeks ahead of the SpaceX roadshow, was the point.”
As Teslarati reported, SpaceX’s next generation Starlink V2 satellites will deliver up to 100 times the data density of the current system, with custom silicon and phased array antennas enabling around 20 times the throughput of the first generation. The carriers’ JV, which has no definitive agreement, no financial structure, and no deployment timeline yet, will need to move quickly to matter.
Elon Musk’s SpaceX is targeting a Nasdaq listing as early as June 12, aiming for what would be the largest IPO in history. With Starlink now serving over 9 million subscribers across 155 countries, holding 59 carrier partnerships globally, and now powering Air Force One, the carriers’ joint venture announcement landed at exactly the wrong time to look like anything other than a defensive move.
Tesla just raised Model Y prices for the first time in two years, with the largest increase being $1,000.
The move signals shifting dynamics in the competitive electric vehicle market as the company continues to work on balancing demand, profitability, and accessibility.
The new pricing affects premium trims while leaving entry-level options unchanged. The Model Y Premium Rear-Wheel Drive (RWD) now starts at $45,990, a $1,000 increase.
The Model Y Premium All-Wheel Drive (AWD)—previously referred to in the post as simply “Model Y AWD”—rises to $49,990, also up $1,000. The top-tier Model Y Performance sees a more modest $500 bump, bringing its starting price to $57,990.
Tesla Model Y prices just went up:
New prices:
🚗 Model Y Premium RWD: $45,990 – up $1,000
🚗 Model Y AWD: $49,990 – up $1,000
🚗 Model Y Performance: $57,990 – up $500 https://t.co/e4GhQ0tj4H pic.twitter.com/TCWqr3oqiV— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) May 16, 2026
Base models remain untouched to preserve affordability. The entry-level Model Y RWD holds steady at $39,990, and the base Model Y AWD stays at $41,990. This selective approach keeps the crossover accessible for budget-conscious buyers while extracting more revenue from higher-margin configurations.
After years of aggressive price cuts to stimulate volume amid slowing EV adoption and rising competition from rivals like BYD, Ford, and GM, Tesla appears confident in underlying demand. Recent lineup refreshes for the 2026 Model Y, including refreshed styling and efficiency gains, have helped maintain its status as America’s best-selling EV.
By protecting base prices, Tesla avoids alienating price-sensitive customers while improving margins on the more popular variants.
Tesla Model Y ownership review after six months: What I love and what I don’t
For consumers, the changes are relatively modest—under 3% on affected trims—and still position the Model Y competitively against gas-powered SUVs in the same class. Federal tax credits and potential state incentives may further offset costs for eligible buyers.
This marks a subtle but notable shift from the deep discounting era that defined much of 2024 and 2025. As the EV market matures into 2026, Tesla’s pricing strategy will be closely watched for clues about production ramps, new variants like the rumored longer-wheelbase Model Y, and broader profitability goals.
In short, today’s adjustment reflects a company that remains dominant yet pragmatic—willing to test higher pricing where demand supports it. It is unlikely to deter consumers from choosing other options.
Elon Musk cannot be fired from SpaceX, and there’s a reason for that.
In a blunt post on X on Friday, Elon Musk confirmed plans to structurally shield his leadership at SpaceX, ensuring he cannot be fired while tying a potential trillion-dollar compensation package to the company’s long-term goal of establishing a self-sustaining colony on Mars.
Yes, I need to make sure SpaceX stays focused on making life multiplanetary and extending consciousness to the stars, not pandering to someone’s bullshit quarterly earnings bonus!
Obviously, IF SpaceX succeeds in this absurdly difficult goal, it will be worth many orders of…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 15, 2026
The revelation stems from a Financial Times report detailing SpaceX’s intention to restructure its governance and compensation framework. The moves are designed to protect Musk’s control and align his incentives with the company’s founding mission rather than short-term financial pressures. Musk’s reply left no ambiguity:
“Yes, I need to make sure SpaceX stays focused on making life multiplanetary and extending consciousness to the stars, not pandering to someone’s bullshit quarterly earnings bonus!”
He added that success in this “absurdly difficult goal” would generate value “many orders of magnitude more than the economy of Earth,” though he cautioned that the journey will not be smooth. “Don’t expect entirely smooth sailing along the way,” Musk wrote.
The strategy reflects Musk’s deep concerns about how public-market expectations could derail SpaceX’s core objective. Founded in 2002, SpaceX has repeatedly stated its purpose is to reduce the cost of space travel and ultimately make humanity a multiplanetary species.
Unlike Tesla, which went public in 2010 and has faced repeated battles over Musk’s compensation and board influence, SpaceX remains privately held. Musk has long resisted taking the rocket company public precisely to avoid the quarterly earnings treadmill that forces most CEOs to prioritize short-term stock performance over ambitious, high-risk projects.
By embedding protections against his removal and linking any outsized pay package to verifiable milestones—such as a functioning Mars colony—SpaceX aims to insulate its leadership from activist investors or board members who might demand faster profits or safer bets.
Musk has referenced past experiences, including his ouster from OpenAI and shareholder lawsuits at Tesla, as cautionary tales. In those cases, he argued, external pressures risked diluting the original vision.
Critics may view the arrangement as excessive, especially given Musk’s already substantial voting power and wealth. Supporters, however, argue it is a necessary safeguard for a company pursuing goals measured in decades rather than quarters. Achieving a Mars colony would require sustained investment in Starship development, orbital refueling, life-support systems, and in-situ resource utilization—technologies that may deliver no immediate financial return.
Musk’s post underscores a broader philosophical point: true breakthrough innovation often demands tolerance for volatility and a willingness to ignore conventional business wisdom. As SpaceX prepares for increasingly ambitious Starship test flights and eventual crewed missions, the new governance structure signals that the company’s North Star remains unchanged—humanity’s expansion beyond Earth.
Whether the trillion-dollar package materializes depends on execution, but Musk’s message is clear: SpaceX exists to reach the stars, not to chase the next earnings beat. For investors or employees who share that vision, the protections are not a perk—they are a prerequisite for success.
SpaceX just forced Verizon, AT&T and T-Mobile to team up for the first time in history
Tesla Model Y prices just went up for the first time in two years
