News
SpaceX fires up Starship’s Raptor engine hours before huge regulatory milestone
SpaceX has fired up the same full-scale Starship rocket for the fourth time, igniting its Raptor engine less than an hour before the FAA officially published a launch license of the ship’s hop test debut.
The ignition marked the fourth time a Raptor engine has been fired up on Starship SN4 since May 5th, thankfully avoiding issues that caused fires and damage during the third and most recent engine test while also verifying that the ship and its Raptor are ready for their flight debut. In an apparent coincidence, the FAA published what serves as a license of Starship’s hop debut less than an hour after SN4 completed its latest test.
While not immediately obvious, this means that SpaceX has effectively surmounted a huge regulatory hurdle previously standing in the way of a full-scale Starship flight test campaign. Now, the path to Starship’s flight debut is just shy of wide-open.
Incredibly, the bureaucratic milestone SpaceX has thus passed may actually be bigger news than the Starship wet dress rehearsal (WDR) and Raptor engine ignition test the company completed earlier today, defying an unspoken law of spaceflight. This is because the license Starship received is completely different from the separate licenses SpaceX used for Starhopper’s first and second flight tests.
Starhopper was certified by the FAA as an experimental vehicle with experimental permits that are far more restrictive than those bestowed upon truly operational launch vehicles like Falcon 9 and Atlas V. For example, Starhopper’s experimental permits – like most others that the FAA has doled out – allowed for a single flight with a very strict ceiling. Launch licenses, of course, deal with operational rockets that must head to orbit or high altitudes on a recurring, semi-routine basis.
For the past few months, the general assumption has been that SpaceX would work with the FAA to retool its existing 150m (~500 ft) Starhopper launch permit to enable Starship SN4’s identical hop debut. In a total surprise, the FAA has instead issued a full launch license for Starship, meaning that SpaceX effectively has blanket permission for an indefinite number of minimally-restricted Starship flight tests until May 2022.
The only obvious qualifier is a note that the FAA has licensed SpaceX “to conduct suborbital reusable launch vehicle (RLV) missions”, meaning that a new license will obviously be needed for Super Heavy and orbital flight tests. Additionally, the license requires SpaceX to follow an unattached “ground track and trajectory” included as part of its FAA application, potentially restricting the kinds of launches the company can perform with it.
SpaceX Starship Prototype S… by Eric Ralph on Scribd
Thanks to Starship SN4’s apparently successful fourth static fire test and the acquisition of an unrestricted FAA suborbital launch license, SpaceX has effectively cleared all significant hurdles in the way of the first flight of a full-scale Starship. SN4 continues to perform admirably and even had ~25 metric tons (~55,000 lb) of stainless steel ballast installed just yesterday to counteract the impressive thrust of Raptor on its imminent hop debut.
Of course, CEO Elon Musk has heavily implied that Starship’s first flight will have to wait until after Crew Dragon’s inaugural NASA astronaut launch, currently scheduled no earlier than May 30th. Regardless, SpaceX appears to be ready for Starship to take flight, and with an FAA license secured, that milestone could come any day now.
Check out Teslarati’s Marketplace! We offer Tesla accessories, including for the Tesla Cybertruck and Tesla Model 3.
Cybertruck
Tesla confirms date when new Cybertruck trim will go up in price
Tesla has officially revealed that this price will only be available until February 28, as the company has placed a banner atop the Design Configurator on its website reflecting this.
Tesla has confirmed the date when its newest Cybertruck trim level will increase in price, after CEO Elon Musk noted that the All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the all-electric pickup would only be priced at its near-bargain level for ten days.
Last week, Tesla launched the All-Wheel-Drive configuration of the Cybertruck. Priced at $59,990, the Cybertruck featured many excellent features and has seemingly brought some demand to the pickup, which has been underwhelming in terms of sales figures over the past couple of years.
Tesla launches new Cybertruck trim with more features than ever for a low price
When Tesla launched it, many fans and current owners mulled the possibility of ordering it. However, Musk came out and said just hours after launching the pickup that Tesla would only keep it at the $59,990 price level for ten days.
What it would be priced at subsequently was totally dependent on how much demand Tesla felt for the new trim level, which is labeled as a “Dual Motor All-Wheel-Drive” configuration.
Tesla has officially revealed that this price will only be available until February 28, as the company has placed a banner atop the Design Configurator on its website reflecting this:
NEWS: Tesla has officially announced that the price of the new Cybertruck Dual-Motor AWD will be increasing after February 28th. pic.twitter.com/vZpA521ZwC
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) February 24, 2026
Many fans and owners have criticized Tesla’s decision to unveil a trim this way, and then price it at something, only to change that price a few days later based on how well it sells.
Awful way to treat customers – particularly when they already sent out a marketing email announcing the $59,990 truck…with zero mention of it being a limited-time offer.
— Ryan McCaffrey (@DMC_Ryan) February 24, 2026
It seems the most ideal increase in price would be somewhere between $5,000 and $10,000, but it truly depends on how many orders Tesla sees for this new trim level. The next step up in configuration is the Premium All-Wheel-Drive, which is priced at $79,990.
The difference between the Dual Motor AWD Cybertruck and the Premium AWD configuration comes down to towing, interior quality, and general features. The base package is only capable of towing up to 7,500 pounds, while the Premium can handle 11,000 pounds. Additionally, the seats in the Premium build are Vegan Leather, while the base trim gets the textile seats.
It also has only 7 speakers compared to the 15 that the Premium trim has. Additionally, the base model does not have an adjustable ride height, although it does have a coil spring with an adaptive damping suspension package.
Cybertruck
Tesla set to activate long-awaited Cybertruck feature
Tesla will officially activate the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature on Cybertruck soon, as the company has officially added the feature to its list of features by trim on its website.
Tesla is set to activate a long-awaited Cybertruck feature, and no matter when you bought your all-electric pickup, it has the hardware capable of achieving what it is designed to do.
Tesla simply has to flip the switch, and it plans to do so in the near future.
Tesla will officially activate the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) feature on Cybertruck soon, according to Not a Tesla App, as the company has officially added the feature to its list of features by trim on its website.
Tesla rolls out Active Road Noise Reduction for new Model S and Model X
The ANC feature suddenly appeared on the spec sheet for the Premium All-Wheel-Drive and Cyberbeast trims, which are the two configurations that have been delivered since November 2023.
However, those trims have both had the ANC disabled, and although they are found in the Model S and Model X, and are active in those vehicles, Tesla is planning to activate them.
In Tesla’s Service Toolbox, it wrote:
“ANC software is not enabled on Cybertruck even though the hardware is installed.”
Tesla has utilized an ANC system in the Model S and Model X since 2021. The system uses microphones embedded in the front seat headrests to detect low-frequency road noise entering the cabin. It then generates anti-noise through phase-inverted sound waves to cancel out or reduce that noise, creating quieter zones, particularly around the vehicle’s front occupants.
The Model S and Model X utilize six microphones to achieve this noise cancellation, while the Cybertruck has just four.
Tesla Cybertruck Dual Motor AWD estimated delivery slips to early fall 2026
As previously mentioned, this will be activated through a software update, as the hardware is already available within Cybertruck and can simply be activated at Tesla’s leisure.
The delays in activating the system are likely due to Tesla Cybertruck’s unique design, which is unlike anything before. In the Model S and Model X, Tesla did not have to do too much, but the Cybertruck has heavier all-terrain tires and potentially issues from the aluminum castings that make up the vehicle’s chassis, which are probably presenting some challenges.
Unfortunately, this feature will not be available on the new Dual Motor All-Wheel-Drive configuration, which was released last week.
News
Tesla Model S and X customization options begin to thin as their closure nears
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
Tesla Model S and Model X customization options are beginning to thin for the first time as the closure of the two “sentimental” vehicles nears.
We are officially seeing the first options disappear as Tesla begins to work toward ending production of the two cars and the options that are available to those vehicles specifically.
Tesla’s Online Design Studio for both vehicles now shows the first color option to be listed as “Sold Out,” as Lunar Silver is officially no longer available for the Model S or Model X. This color is exclusive to these cars and not available on the Model S or Model X.
🚨 Tesla Model S and Model X availability is thinning, as Tesla has officially shown that the Lunar Silver color option on both vehicles is officially sold out
To be fair, Frost Blue is still available so no need to freak out pic.twitter.com/YnwsDbsFOv
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 25, 2026
Tesla is making way for the Optimus humanoid robot project at the Fremont Factory, where the Model S and Model X are produced. The two cars are low-volume models and do not contribute more than a few percent to Tesla’s yearly delivery figures.
With CEO Elon Musk confirming that the Model S and Model X would officially be phased out at the end of the quarter, some of the options are being thinned out.
This is an expected move considering Tesla’s plans for the two vehicles, as it will make for an easier process of transitioning that portion of the Fremont plant to cater to Optimus manufacturing. Additionally, this is likely one of the least popular colors, and Tesla is choosing to only keep around what it is seeing routine demand for.
During the Q4 Earnings Call in January, Musk confirmed the end of the Model S and Model X:
“It is time to bring the Model S and Model X programs to an end with an honorable discharge. It is time to bring the S/X programs to an end. It’s part of our overall shift to an autonomous future.”
Fremont will now build one million Optimus units per year as production is ramped.
Tesla confirms date when new Cybertruck trim will go up in price
Tesla set to activate long-awaited Cybertruck feature
