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ISSR&D: NASA praises SpaceX and commercial partners, looks towards the future
Robert Lightfoot, the current Acting Director of NASA, began the third day of ISS R&D with a rousing keynote on the roles of NASA and the ISS in the future of public and private space exploration.
ISS R&D’s keynote venue. (Teslarati/Eric Ralph)
Lightfoot began the timely statement that those creating new platforms often completely fail to fully predict how those platforms will eventually be used. The ISS is a prime example, with an array of commercial endeavors having come into existence for reasons that were undoubtedly less than prominent in discussions of the use of the ISS around the time it was be theorized and later constructed.
Another shining example, Lightfoot admitted that those involved with ensuring the survival of the ISS may have never imagined or predicted that the Station would act as a catalyst for programs like COTS, CRS, and CCtCap, which have encouraged considerable competition and led to a range of successes in a now-burgeoning commercial space market. In fact, NASA’s willingness to take risks, particularly in the development of the ISS and other platforms, has arguably enabled SpaceX to completely revitalize American participation in the commercial launch industry, and to do so in less than five years.
While not fully accurate, given that Ariane 5 carries two satellites per launch, this chart is still a profound demonstration of the rapid progress SpaceX has made in ensuring a more competitive commercial launch industry. (SpaceX)
Lightfoot went on to praise NASA’s commercial partners, and said that “[NASA will] be able to get four crew on station [once SpaceX, Boeing, and possibly Sierra Nevada are launching crew]”. He offered a brief overview of the past several trunk-loads of scientific instruments SpaceX Dragons have brought to the ISS, enabling it to remain “a vital platform for earth observation, [both hands-on and hands-off]”. A great deal of the experiments and cargo that have enabled such a burgeoning low Earth orbit economy aboard the ISS have been brought there in part by SpaceX’s Falcon 9 launch vehicle and Dragon spacecraft, which marked the first commercial spacecraft to reach orbit and later visit the International Space Station in 2010 and 2012 respectively.
Lightfoot actively asked himself and the audience what the future of the ISS may be or ought to be, and clearly had every desire to ensure the future of the vibrant LEO economy that the ISS has enabled. Whether this means that the ISS continues to function indefinitely or is replaced with a commercial platform, it will be necessary for NASA to eventually decrease or cut completely their funding burden of the ISS if NASA wishes to better develop the hardware and create the knowledge necessary for manned Mars exploration.
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- A prototype of Dragon 2 being tested in an anechoic chamber. (SpaceX)
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- Boeing’s CST-100 Starliner. (Boeing)
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- Orbital ATK’s Enhanced Cygnus, the second CRS partner that delivers cargo to the ISS. (NASA)
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- Sierra Nevada Corporation’s Dream Chaser Cargo, which received investment from NASA for their CRS-2 program. (SNC)
Undertaking all that is necessary, and doing it successfully, will require a great deal of cooperation in the development of space policy in the present and near future. Jeff Bingham, once a Republican aide in Congress and a crucial voice in gathering the votes to ensure the continued existence of the ISS more than a decade ago, noted that his past colleague, Ann Lukowksi, was a Democratic aide, and that “didn’t matter”. Together, with the help of numerous other crucial members, they arguably ensured that the House successfully passed a resolution to pursue the creation of the ISS with a margin of a single vote out of more than 400.
Bipartisan cooperation has long been a standout feature of space policy and decision-making, and is more obvious and crucial than ever in a time of increased polarization. Public investment in private space endeavors, whether direct or indirect, has ensured the existence of SpaceX and a thriving community of commercial space providers and users, and will soon allow the U.S. to rid itself of a reliance upon non-American launch vehicles for access to the ISS.
Rivian has strengthened its AI strategy by appointing Aidan Gomez, co-founder and CEO of generative AI startup Cohere, to its board. Gomez’s appointment was announced through a regulatory filing. The move underscores Rivian’s ambition to lead in automotive software and AI-driven autonomy.
Gomez is a data scientist and AI expert. He launched Cohere in 2019, focusing on AI foundation models for enterprises like Oracle and Notion. Gomez will be on Rivian’s board until 2026. His appointment expands Rivian’s board and aligns with the company’s $5.8 billion joint venture with Volkswagen Group to develop software. The venture leverages Rivian’s electrical architecture expertise, licensing intellectual property, and may sell tech to other firms in the future.
Gomez’s expertise is a strategic fit, with CEO RJ Scaringe stating the AI expert’s “thinking and expertise will support Rivian as we integrate new, cutting-edge technologies into our products, services, and manufacturing.”
Rivian’s AI efforts include an AI assistant for its EVs, which has been under development since 2023, according to the automaker’s Chief Software Officer Wassym Bensaid.
“The AI work, which is specifically on the orchestration layer or framework for an AI assistant, sits outside the joint venture with VW,” Bensaid told TechCrunch.
Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas sees Rivian’s value in its AI and autonomy potential, not just its EVs. “We see scope for Rivian to play a more important role in AI-enabled autonomy with potential milestones in 1H25,” Jonas said, highlighting the upcoming period as “consequential to determining Rivian’s place in the autonomous vehicle race.”
Jonas believes Rivian stands out as a non-Tesla, U.S.-based “software-defined” company with a fully integrated, AI-driven autonomous platform fueled by advances in generative AI and large language models.
Gomez’s board role positions Rivian to capitalize on AI innovations, enhancing its software leadership and autonomous vehicle development. As the EV maker navigates its Volkswagen partnership and internal AI projects, Gomez’s expertise could drive breakthroughs, reinforcing Rivian’s dual identity as an EV manufacturer and a tech innovator in a competitive landscape.
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Tesla Model Y gets five-year, zero-interest financing deal in China
The program was announced by the electric vehicle maker through its official Weibo account.
Tesla has launched a five-year, zero-interest financing deal for the new Model Y in China.
The program was announced by the electric vehicle maker through its official Weibo account.
Model Y Financing Program Details
The new five-year, zero-interest financing deal is available through June 30, and it applies to all Model Y variants, the rear-wheel-drive (RWD) and long-range all-wheel-drive (AWD), which start at 263,500 yuan ($36,300) and 313,500 yuan ($42,950), respectively. Buyers can qualify for the program by paying a down payment of as low as 79,900 yuan ($10,950), with monthly payments starting at 3,060 yuan ($420).
It should be noted that prior to the recently announced program, Tesla China had offered a three-year, zero-interest financing deal for the new Model Y RWD and AWD.
New Model Y Sales So Far
Tesla’s new five-year, zero-interest financing program comes amidst heightened competition in China’s electric vehicle sector. For context, the company sold 74,127 vehicles domestically in March, up 18.8% year-over-year, as noted in a CNEV Post report. From this number, the Model Y accounted for 48,189 deliveries.
During the week of April 14-20, Tesla China also saw 6,800 new vehicle registrations, suggesting that Giga Shanghai is focusing on exports this month.
Other Updates And Incentives
Tesla China also extended an 8,000-yuan insurance subsidy for the Model 3 through April 30. A five-year, zero-interest financing program was launched for the all-electric sedan as well. To qualify, buyers would have to pay a down payment of as low as 79,900 yuan ($10,950), with monthly payments starting at 2,460 yuan ($340).
A new Star Diamond Black paint option for both the Model Y and Model 3 was also announced. Delivery times remain steady as well, with the Model Y RWD seeing a 2-4 week wait time and the Model Y Long Range AWD seeing a 3-5 week wait time. The Model 3 is listed with a 1-3 week wait time for all its variants.
Hyundai Motor Group and Posco Holdings have signed a memorandum of understanding to collaborate on a U.S. steel plant in Louisiana, leveraging a three-month suspension on President Trump’s tariffs. The partnership strengthens Hyundai’s U.S. manufacturing strategy, which includes investing billions into the country to increase production.
Posco will take an equity stake in the Louisiana steel factory, which is set to begin production in 2029 with an annual capacity of 2.7 million tonnes, per a Hyundai Steel regulatory filing. The $5.8 billion project, part of Hyundai’s broader $21 billion U.S. investment unveiled last month with President Donald Trump, may see Posco sell some of the plant’s steel output. The initiative aligns with Hyundai’s efforts to localize production and mitigate tariff impacts.
President Trump imposed 25% tariffs on South Korea this month but paused the levies for three months later. In response to the impending Trump tariffs, Hyundai’s U.S. COO Claudia Marquez launched the Hyundai Assurance Program during the 2025 New York International Auto Show.
“When it comes to the customers, which again is tough and even for us just for planning purposes, what we wanted to make sure is that we have a plan, so we launched our Hyundai Assurance Program, which is confirming and assuring to customers that [prices] are not going to go up, at least this next couple of months,” Marquez said, emphasizing price stability.
Hyundai Motor Group has boosted production in the United States since President Donald Trump was reelected. The South Korean automaker wants to limit the impact of Trump’s tariffs through its plants in the United States, namely the factories in Georgia and Alabama.
“Hyundai Motor and its partners are investing $12.6 billion (18.4 trillion won) in an assembly plant and two battery joint ventures, enabling additional production capacity. The decision to make this investment was made during the first Trump administration,” said Hyundai’s President and CEO Jose Muñoz.
The Posco partnership enhances Hyundai’s supply chain resilience, which is critical as Trump’s tariffs loom. By 2029, the Louisiana plant could reduce reliance on imported steel, aligning with Trump’s domestic production goals. Hyundai’s strategic investments and Assurance Program position it to navigate trade uncertainties while reinforcing its presence in the U.S. market.
Rivian Boosts AI Strategy with Cohere CEO’s Board Appointment
Tesla Model Y gets five-year, zero-interest financing deal in China
Hyundai & Posco partner for US steel plant amid Trump tariff pause
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