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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket launches Spanish Amazonas Nexus satellite

Falcon 9 streaks into orbit on its ninth launch of 2023. (Richard Angle)

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SpaceX has successfully launched Spanish connectivity provider HISPASAT’s Amazonas Nexus satellite into a geostationary transfer orbit.

The mission kicks off a surge of geostationary satellite launches for SpaceX. It was also the company’s 16th Falcon rocket launch in nine weeks, demonstrating an extraordinary cadence just a hair away from CEO Elon Musk’s ambitious 2023 target.

After several delays, SpaceX’s workhorse Falcon 9 rocket lifted off at 8:32 pm EST, three hours into a four-hour window. The 4.5-ton (~9,900 lb) Amazonas Nexus communications satellite was the only payload inside the rocket’s reusable carbon-composite payload fairing. Built by Thales Alenia Space, the communications satellite is destined for a geostationary orbit above the western hemisphere, where it will expand and improve HISPASAT’s coverage across Greenland, the Atlantic Ocean, and the Americas.

Amazonas Nexus won’t be SpaceX’s first launch for HISPASAT. In 2018, an older version of the Falcon 9 rocket successfully launched Hispasat 30W-6, the company’s next newest satellite. Amazonas Nexus is designed to operate for at least 15 years and is powered by a large 20-kilowatt solar array.

In addition to a primary payload for HISPASAT, the satellite will carry GreenSat, which will ensure that 100% of Greenland’s population has access to high-speed internet. It will also carry the Pathfinder 2 payload for the US Space Force, continuing a program created to “explore new contracting models to cover [US military] telecommunication service needs with commercial satellites.”

Ordered from Thales Alenia Space in January 2020, Amazonas Nexus was originally scheduled to launch in the second half of 2022, Q3 2022, late 2022, and January 2023. The satellite was finally made ready for launch by early February and lifted off on February 6th, 2023. Falcon 9 booster B1073 supported the mission without issue, completing its sixth orbital-class launch and successfully touching down 620 kilometers (386 mi) downrange on SpaceX drone ship Just Read The Instructions.

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Falcon 9’s expendable upper stage first entered a parking orbit in low Earth orbit (LEO), and later conducted a second burn of its Merlin Vacuum engine, boosting Amazonas Nexus into a supersynchronous geosynchronous transfer orbit (GTO) measuring roughly 350 kilometers (~215 mi) by 60,000 kilometers (~37,150 mi). “Supersynchronous” refers to the fact that the apogee of the transfer orbit is significantly higher than a geosynchronous orbit (~35,800 km). Falcon 9’s performance surplus means that Amazonas Nexus will be able to reach its operational orbit faster and while using less of its own propellant, potentially extending its useful lifespan.

The mission was SpaceX’s ninth launch of 2023 and ninth launch in five weeks. If SpaceX can sustain that pace, it would translate to an average of almost 94 Falcon launches per year – just shy of Elon Musk’s goal of 100 SpaceX launches in 2023.

Eric Ralph is Teslarati's senior spaceflight reporter and has been covering the industry in some capacity for almost half a decade, largely spurred in 2016 by a trip to Mexico to watch Elon Musk reveal SpaceX's plans for Mars in person. Aside from spreading interest and excitement about spaceflight far and wide, his primary goal is to cover humanity's ongoing efforts to expand beyond Earth to the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere.

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Tesla officially publishes Q4 2025 vehicle delivery consensus

By releasing these numbers directly, Tesla establishes a clear, transparent benchmark ahead of its actual results.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has taken the rather unusual step of officially publishing its company-compiled Q4 2025 delivery consensus on the Investor Relations site. As per analyst estimates, Tesla is expected to deliver 422,850 vehicles and deploy 13.4 GWh of battery storage systems this Q4 2025. 

By releasing these numbers directly, Tesla establishes a clear, transparent benchmark ahead of its actual results, making it harder for narratives to claim a “miss” based on outlier estimates.

Official consensus sets the record straight

Tesla’s IR press release detailed the consensus from 20 analysts for vehicle deliveries and 16 analysts for energy deployments. As per the release, full-year 2025 consensus delivery estimates come in at 1,640,752 vehicles, an 8.3% decline from 2025โ€™s FY deliveries of 1,789,226 cars.ย 

Tesla noted that while it “does not endorse any information, recommendations or conclusions made by the analysts,” its press release does provide a notable reference point. Analysts contributing to the company compiled consensus include Daiwa, DB, Wedbush, Oppenheimer, Canaccord, Baird, Wolfe, Exane, Goldman Sachs, RBC, Evercore ISI, Barclays, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, UBS, Jefferies, Needham, HSBC, Cantor Fitzgerald, and William Blair.

Credit: Tesla Investor Relations

Teslaโ€™s busy Q4 2025

Tesla seems to be pushing hard to deliver as many vehicles as possible before the end of 2025, despite the companyโ€™s future seemingly being determined not by vehicle deliveries, but FSD and Optimusโ€™ rollout and ramp. Still, reports from countries such as China are optimistic, with posts on social media hinting that Tesla’s delivery centers in the country are appearing packed as the final weeks of 2025 unfold.

The Tesla Model Y and Model 3 are also still performing well in Chinaโ€™s premium EV segment. Based on data from January to November, the Model Y took Chinaโ€™s number one spot in the RMB 200,000-RMB 300,000 segment for electric vehicles, selling 359,463 units. The Model 3 sedan took third place, selling 172,392. This is quite impressive considering that both the Model Y and Model 3 command a premium compared to their domestic rivals. 

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Tesla’s Elon Musk accepts invitation to Israel’s Smart Transportation Conference

The announcement was shared by the Israeli Prime Minister in a post on social media platform X.ย 

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Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Elon Musk has reportedly accepted an invitation from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to participate in the country’s Smart Transportation Conference in March 2026.ย 

The announcement was shared by the Israeli Prime Minister in a post on social media platform X. 

A call and an invitation

Netanyahu posted on X about Musk, stating in Hebrew: “Last night, I held a joint conference call from Florida with entrepreneur Elon Musk, Minister of Transportation Miri Regev, and the head of the National AI Headquarters, Erez Askal. In the framework of the conversation, Musk responded to my invitation and Minister Regev’s invitation to participate in the Smart Transportation Conference that will be held in March.”

Netanyahu added that he and Musk discussed continuing initiatives such as the promotion of autonomous vehicle laws and the boosting of AI technologies in Israel. This, according to the Prime Minister, is aimed at making the country a global leader in emerging technologies.

โ€œAdditionally, we discussed the continuation of collaborations with Tesla and the promotion of the law pertaining to autonomous vehicles. I spoke at length with Musk about promoting and developing artificial intelligence technologies in Israel, and I said in our conversation: We intend to catapult Israel and turn it into a global leader in the field, just as we did in cyber and other technologies,โ€ Netanyahu added.

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Tesla FSDโ€™s upcoming rollout in Israel

Elon Muskโ€™s upcoming conference appearance in Israel could hint at Teslaโ€™s upcoming rollout of FSD and its Robotaxi service in the country. Previous reports have hinted that FSD is nearing regulatory approval in Israel, following strong advocacy from local owners and direct intervention from the government.ย 

Nearly 1,000 Tesla drivers petitioned authorities, highlighting FSD’s potential to enhance road safety. Transport and Road Safety Minister Miri Regev responded positively on X, writing โ€œIโ€™ve received the many referrals from Tesla drivers in Israel! Tesla drivers? Soon you wonโ€™t need to hold the steering wheel.โ€

Minister Regev has instructed the ministryโ€™s Director-General to accelerate the approval process, including necessary tests. A dedicated working group, led by Moshe Ben-Zaken, is also coordinating with regulatory and safety agencies to meet international standards.

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Tesla China delivery centers look packed as 2025 comes to a close

Needless to say, it appears that Tesla China seems intent on ending 2025 on a strong note.

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Credit: @Tslachan/X

Tesla’s delivery centers in China seem to be absolutely packed as the final days of 2025 wind down, with photos on social media showing delivery locations being filled wall-to-wall with vehicles waiting for their new owners. 

Needless to say, it appears that Tesla China seems intent on ending 2025 on a strong note.

Full delivery center hints at year-end demand surge

A recent image from a Chinese delivery center posted by industry watcher @Tslachan on X revealed rows upon rows of freshly prepared Model Y and Model 3 units, some of which were adorned with red bows and teddy bears. Some customers also seem to be looking over their vehicles with Tesla delivery staff.ย 

The images hint at a strong year-end push to clear inventory and deliver as many vehicles as possible. Interestingly enough, several Model Y L vehicles could be seen in the photos, hinting at the demand for the extended wheelbase-six seat variant of the best-selling all-electric crossover.ย 

Strong demand in China

Consumer demand for the Model Y and Model 3 in China seems to be quite notable. This could be inferred from the estimated delivery dates for the Model 3 and Model Y, which have been extended to February 2026 for several variants. Apart from this, the Model Y and Model 3 also continue to rank well in Chinaโ€™s premium EV segment.ย 

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From January to November alone, the Model Y took Chinaโ€™s number one spot in the RMB 200,000-RMB 300,000 segment for electric vehicles, selling 359,463 units. The Model 3 sedan took third place, selling 172,392. This is quite impressive considering that both the Model Y and Model 3 are still priced at a premium compared to some of their rivals, such as the Xiaomi SU7 and YU7. 

With delivery centers in December being quite busy, it does seem like Tesla China will end the year on a strong note once more. 

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