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NASA’s Artemis Moon mission hits important milestone with successful full-scale booster test

NASA successfully tests a full-scale version of its Artemis Moon mission booster. (Image: NASA/Northrop Grumman)

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NASA’s upcoming Artemis mission to the Moon hit an important milestone today by successfully ground testing a full-scale version of its newest rocket booster.

Building on the completion of other similar tests of the booster – named Flight Support Booster 1 (FSB-1) – which qualified it for flight as part of the agency’s upcoming Space Launch System (SLS), this most recent test used new propellant materials and verified that the ballistic requirements of its five motors were met. In a follow up teleconference, NASA and its partners confirmed the test accomplished its goals.

https://twitter.com/JimBridenstine/status/1301260812342890496

“NASA and Northrop Grumman have completed testing for the boosters used for the first three Artemis missions of the agency’s lunar program,” the digital press kit detailed. “FSB-1 builds upon prior tests of the rocket’s five-segment solid rocket booster to evaluate improvements and new materials in the boosters for missions beyond Artemis III.”

FSB-1 and its variants are primarily built by NASA partner Northrop Grumman whose facility in Promontory, Utah is where today’s test took place. The recent test firing burned for about two minutes and produced 3.6 million pounds of thrust. Its success is a nod to NASA’s claim that these are the largest, most powerful rocket boosters ever built for flight. Measuring 167 feet long and 12 feet in diameter, FSB-1-type boosters will fly in pairs along with the main SLS rocket body and cargo.

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NASA successfully tests a full-scale version of its Artemis Moon mission booster. (Image: NASA/Northrop Grumman)

NASA’s Artemis mission is dubbed as the “twin sister of Apollo” and is aiming to return humans to the Moon by 2024. The agency has set out to develop a whole suite of technologies to support both a sustainable lunar-oriented mission and a subsequent Mars mission, engaging the commercial space community along the way. While the launch components of Artemis involve the traditional NASA path of using long-time contractors, other parts of the mission have been opened to other bidders whose contract winners have included SpaceX.

As an add-on to its success in launching the first astronauts to the ISS from American soil since the Space Shuttle’s retirement in 2011, SpaceX has also made headway in NASA’s competitive Moon race. The private space company has already procured four contracts to develop and lunar launch and landing capabilities for the agency, one as recently as the end of August. SpaceX also has multiple Moon-oriented launch contracts independent of NASA.

NASA’s SLS rocket seen in its Block 1 configuration with on Orion capsule on top. (NASA)

One of the SLS’s primary competitors will be SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy and Starship rockets. The company has already begun testing prototypes of its rocket-lander combination along with setting world records with its new Raptor engine. While SpaceX’s primary mission is to ferry humans to Mars for lifelong stays, the Moon is already providing paying customers for the venture.

Last year, CEO Elon Musk announced a private charter agreement between eccentric Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa and the rocket maker for a lunar trip in 2023. SpaceX’s earliest NASA-backed trip to the Moon is set for 2022 while the agency’s own Artemis mission has 2024 on its calendar for launch.

You can watch NASA’s full Artemis mission booster test below:

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Accidental computer geek, fascinated by most history and the multiplanetary future on its way. Quite keen on the democratization of space. | It's pronounced day-sha, but I answer to almost any variation thereof.

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WATCH: SpaceX Starship Flight 10 launch

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Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX is set to launch its tenth test flight of the Starship program, with a launch window that will open at 6:44 p.m. local time, or 7:44 p.m. on the East Coast.

Starship’s tenth test flight was originally scheduled for launch yesterday with a one-hour window that opened at 7:30 p.m. ET, but it was called off 17 minutes before that window even had a chance to open.

Starship Flight 10 rescheduled as SpaceX targets Monday launch

SpaceX moved the flight to tonight. It was also originally scheduled to have a launch window at the same time as Sunday, but it was pushed back 14 minutes to around 6:30 p.m. ET. There are storms in the area, as well as clouds over Starbase, so there is the off chance for another launch delay.

There are several big objectives for this launch, including the expansion of the operating envelope for the Super Heavy booster. SpaceX says there are “multiple landing burn tests planned.”

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The booster will also be performing a few in-flight experiments to help with data collection. Specifically, real-world performance data on future flight profiles and off-nominal scenarios will be on the list of things SpaceX will be looking for.

Starship itself will have a few in-flight objectives that include the deployment of eight Starlink simulators that are similar in size to the next-gen satellites for the internet service. SpaceX was set to test this with Starship’s seventh test flight, which occurred in January 2025. However, the task was abandoned as the vehicle was destroyed before deployment could occur.

Liftoff conditions are currently looking favorable, and SpaceX will be eager to improve upon its Starship launch program as CEO Elon Musk has big plans for it in the coming years.

You can watch the launch below via SpaceX:

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Tesla looks to expand Robotaxi geofence once again with testing in new area

It looks as if Tesla is preparing for its next expansion of the geofence, potentially moving toward a much larger service area that could eclipse 150 square miles.

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla looks to be preparing for the potential expansion of the Robotaxi geofence once again, as the company was spotted testing the suite in an area well outside of the Austin service area.

After it first launched the Robotaxi platform on June 22, Tesla has managed to expand its geofence twice, essentially doubling the travel area both times.

The most recent expansion took the size of the geofence from 42 square miles to about 80 square miles, bringing new neighborhoods and regions of the city into the realm of where the driverless vehicles could take passengers.

However, it looks as if Tesla is preparing for its next expansion of the geofence, potentially moving toward a much larger service area that could eclipse 150 square miles.

Over the weekend, one fan noticed a Robotaxi validation vehicle testing in Bee Cave, Texas, which is roughly 25 minutes from the edge of the current geofence:

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Tesla has been testing vehicles in the western suburbs of Austin for some time, and it seems the company is laying some groundwork to push its geofence expansion into Plaid Mode as competition with Waymo continues to be at the forefront of the conversation.

Waymo has been expanding with Tesla for some time, as the pace of expansion for the two companies has been relatively accelerated for the past couple of months.

Tesla’s expansions of the geofence sent a clear message to competitors and doubters, but it is still aiming to keep things safe and not push the envelope too quickly.

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The geofence expansion is impressive, but Tesla is also focusing on expanding its vehicle fleet in both Austin and the Bay Area, where it launched a ride-hailing service in July.

Tesla Bay Area autonomous fleet to grow to over 100 units: Elon Musk

Still, safety is the priority at the current time.

“We are being very cautious. We do not want to take any chances, so we are going to go cautiously. But the service areas and the number of vehicles in operation will increase at a hyper-exponential rate,” CEO Elon Musk said during the Q2 Earnings Call.

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Tesla considers making a big move with Model Y pricing as demand is skyrocketing

“Trending toward a need to expedite output even further, which could mean adjusting pricing upward in the coming days. Trying hard not to, will see.”

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is considering making a big move with Model Y pricing as demand is skyrocketing due to the EV tax credit expiring in just over a month.

With the $7,500 EV tax credit set to be removed on September 30, Tesla is experiencing increased demand for its Model 3 and Model Y. Customers are doing whatever they can to take delivery of the car they ordered as soon as possible.

The IRS recently adjusted the EV tax credit’s rules slightly.

Tesla set to win big after IRS adjusts EV tax credit rules

Previously, the vehicle had to be delivered by September 30, but a slight tweak the agency made last week will now allow customers to enter a legally binding contract along with a marginal down payment by that date. The delivery can occur after September 30, and the car can still qualify for the credit.

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However, demand is getting so crazy for the Model Y that Tesla is considering a price increase on the all-electric crossover, as well as a potential boost in production output to keep up with orders.

Inventory is dwindling in several markets across the United States, a good sign for the company, as it could have one of its best quarters in recent history in terms of deliveries.

However, Tesla is thinking of bumping the price slightly, Raj Jegannathan, the company’s VP of IT, AI Infrastructure, Apps, Infosec, and Vehicle Service Operations, said on X:

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The price adjustment would come as a response to increasing production output, Jegannathan’s response seems to indicate.

The bump would help Tesla’s margins, but the idea that the company could adjust pricing by increasing it would not be popular with potential car buyers. It might encourage some buyers to put their orders in sooner, hoping to avoid a new, higher price.

However, it could also steer some buyers away from putting an order in on a vehicle, especially if the price increase is more than a few hundred dollars.

Tesla boosted the price of the Model S, Model X, and Cybertruck recently, but brought in a “Luxe Package” to help justify it.

It comes with Free Full Self-Driving, Free lifetime Supercharging, four years of premium service, and lifetime Premium Connectivity.

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