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NASA’s famed Kepler telescope that discovered thousands of planets officially dead in space
After staring into the far reaches of our galaxy and beyond for nine years, space telescope Kepler was finally decommissioned by NASA on October 30, 2018 after expending all fuel reserves. Kepler’s primary function was to search for exoplanets of all kinds overall. However, the potential other Earth-like worlds discovered made most of the headlines, and understandably so. It launched on March 6, 2009 aboard United Launch Alliance’s Delta II rocket from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, and its mission ended around 94 million miles away from us in an “Earth trailing” orbit around the sun.
Some of Kepler’s accomplishments during its time online included the mind-blowing discovery that there are more planets in our night sky than stars. According to the telescope’s mission page run by NASA, Kepler also taught us about the diversity of other solar systems and planets, and that up to 50% of observable stars in our sky likely have rocky, Earth-sized planets surrounding them. NASA additionally maintains both an Exoplanet Archive and Exoplanet Exploration page providing details on all Kepler’s discoveries to date and artistic interpretations of some of the most exciting finds.
One of the more recently famous Kepler discoveries that you may have heard of is “Tabby’s Star”. After volunteers classifying images on the site PlanetHunters.org noticed strange behavior in its light patterns, theories around the behavior’s cause bubbled up all over the Internet. Some even speculated that the observations would align with the existence of an alien energy-gathering megastructure called a “Dyson Sphere” (or Stapledon sphere, if you’re a sci-fi buff). Further study has revealed dust to be the most likely culprit, but the momentary excitement was in line with some of the telescope’s original inspiration: Are we alone?
Kepler may be gone, but the search for other worlds both like and unlike ours carries on. The Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS), launched into space on April 18, 2018, will continue studying planets around the brightest stars as seen from Earth. Scientists anticipate the catalog of confirmed exoplanet discoveries (Kepler’s currently numbering over 2,000) to expand by the hundreds very quickly as TESS begins its two-year mission, and a quick review of its progress confirms the likelihood of that prediction.
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Tesla Model Y wins 2026 Drive Car of the Year award in Australia
The Model Y is already Australia’s best-selling EV in 2025 and the tenth best-selling vehicle overall.
The Tesla Model Y has been named 2026 Drive Car of the Year overall winner, taking the top honor after being judged as the vehicle that “moves the game forward the most for Australian new car buyers.”
The Model Y is already Australia’s best-selling EV in 2025 and the tenth best-selling vehicle overall, but the vehicle’s Juniper update strengthened its case with new ownership benefits and expanded software capability.
Drive’s overall award compares category winners and looks at which model most significantly advances the local new car market. In 2026, judges pointed to the Model Y’s five-year warranty and the availability of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) as a monthly subscription as key differentiators.
Priced from AU$58,900 before on-road costs, the all-electric crossover SUV offers a lot of value compared to similarly sized petrol and hybrid rivals. The ability to access Tesla’s Supercharger network across Australia also reduces friction for buyers moving to EV ownership.
Owners can add FSD (Supervised) for AU$149 per month. While it still requires driver oversight, the system expands the vehicle’s advanced driver-assistance capabilities and reflects Tesla’s software-first approach.
“The default choice for a reason. The Tesla Model Y makes the transition to electric both effortless and rewarding,” Drive wrote.
The 2025 Model Y facelift also sharpened the vehicle’s exterior, highlighted by a distinctive rear light bar that gives the crossover SUV a more modern road presence.
Drive described the Model Y as a benchmark for combining practicality, efficiency and technology at an accessible price point. With eligibility for federal Fringe Benefit Tax exemptions through novated leasing, its value proposition has improved for numerous buyers.
For 2026, the Model Y’s combination of range efficiency, charging access and software capability proved decisive. Ultimately, the award all but cements the Model Y’s position as one of the most influential vehicles in Australia’s evolving new-car market today.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reiterates rapid Starship V3 timeline with next launch in sight
Musk shared the update in a brief post on X, writing, “Starship flies again next month.”
Elon Musk has confirmed that Starship will fly again next month, reiterating SpaceX’s aggressive timeline for the first launch of its Starship V3 rocket.
Musk shared the update in a brief post on X, writing, “Starship flies again next month.” The CEO’s post was accompanied by a video of Starship’s Super Heavy booster being successfully caught by a launch tower in Starbase, Texas.
The timeline is notable. In late January, Musk stated that Starship’s next flight, Flight 12, was expected in about six weeks. This placed the expected mission date sometime in March. That estimate aligned with SpaceX’s earlier statement that Starship’s 12th flight test “remains targeted for the first quarter of 2026.”
If the vehicle does indeed fly next month, it would mark the debut of Starship V3, the upgraded platform expected to feature the rocket’s new Raptor V3 engines.
Raptor V3 is designed to deliver significantly higher thrust than earlier versions while reducing cost and weight. Starship V3 itself is expected to be optimized for manufacturability, a critical step if SpaceX intends to scale production toward frequent launches for Starlink, lunar missions, and eventually Mars.
Starship V3 is widely viewed as the version that transitions the program from experimental testing to true operational scaling. Previous iterations have completed multiple integrated flight tests, with mixed outcomes but steady progress. Expectations are high that SpaceX is now working on Starship’s refinement.
An aggressive launch schedule supports several priorities at once. It advances Starlink’s next-generation satellite deployment, supports NASA’s lunar ambitions under Artemis, and keeps SpaceX on track for its longer-term Moon and Mars objectives.
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Tesla Model Y L six-seater approved for Australia ahead of launch
The variant was listed as YL5NDB on the Australian government’s ROVER approval website.
Tesla’s six-seat, extended-wheelbase Model Y L has been approved for sale in Australia, as per newly published government documents.
The variant, listed as YL5NDB on the Australian government’s ROVER approval website, has confirmed that Tesla has received regulatory clearance to offer the extended Model Y to domestic customers.
Documents seen by Drive show that the Model Y L has been approved in Australia in a single dual-motor, all-wheel-drive configuration. While Tesla has not formally announced a launch date, vehicles are typically approved for Australian sale several months before arriving in showrooms.
The Model Y L is a longer version of the regular Model Y, designed to accommodate a six-seat layout with two seats in each row. It measures 177mm longer overall than the regular Model Y, at 4969mm, and features a 150mm longer wheelbase at 3040mm.
Australian approval documents list the Model Y L with the same nickel-manganese-cobalt battery pack used in the regular Model Y Long Range, which is expected to have a gross capacity of about 84kWh and a usable capacity of about 82kWh. Output is officially listed at 378kW in government filings, though real-world peak output may differ.
The Model Y L replaces the regular Model Y’s second-row bench with two captain’s chairs featuring heating, ventilation, and power adjustment. Heated third-row seats are also included.
Additional upgrades reported by Drive include an 18-speaker sound system, new front seats with single-piece backrests, and continuously variable shock absorbers. The only wheel option listed for the Australian model is 19-inch wheels.
In Europe, where the Model Y L has also received approval but has not yet launched, the variant is expected to claim up to 681km of WLTP range.
Tesla Model Y wins 2026 Drive Car of the Year award in Australia
Elon Musk reiterates rapid Starship V3 timeline with next launch in sight
