News
SpaceX’s third Falcon 9 launch in 31 hours aborted by “tiny helium leak”
SpaceX’s third Falcon 9 launch in a little over 31 hours was called off seconds before liftoff after the rocket’s onboard computer detected what Elon Musk says was a “tiny helium leak.”
SpaceX takes “no risks with customer satellites,” per the CEO, so the company has stood down from its October 6th launch attempt to inspect the rocket, analyze data gathered from tonight’s attempt, and ensure everything is in order. Barring surprises, SpaceX will attempt to launch Intelsat’s Galaxy-33 and Galaxy-34 geostationary communications satellites at the next earliest opportunity, a 69-minute window that opens at 7:06 pm EDT (23:06 UTC) on Friday, October 7th.
The abort ends an opportunity SpaceX had to launch three Falcon rockets faster than ever before, but the company was still able to crush a different (internal) record with two Falcon 9 launches in seven hours on October 5th. Thanks to its relentless pursuit of ever-higher launch cadences, SpaceX will likely have many opportunities to break its record of three launches in ~36 hours over the next several months.
Intelsat’s Galaxy-33/Galaxy-34 (G33/G34) mission would have been SpaceX’s third Falcon 9 launch in 31 hours and 20 minutes following the successful October 5th launches of Crew-5 (carrying four astronauts) at 12:00 pm EDT and Starlink 4-29 (deploying 52 Starlink satellites) at 7:10 pm EDT. The hat-trick record for a non-SpaceX vehicle appears to have been previously held by the Soviet R-7 rocket family, which completed three launches in 40 hours in March 1978.
SpaceX broke that record in June 2022 when it launched Starlink 4-19, SARah-1, and Globalstar FM15 a little over 36 hours apart. It will now have to wait for another opportunity to break its own record, though it likely won’t be too long as the company continues to target 60 launches in 2022 and “up to” 100 launches in 2023.
According to a SpaceX launch controller, Falcon 9’s first ill-fated Galaxy-33/Galaxy-34 launch attempt was aborted automatically when the rocket’s flight computer “identified higher than expected cryo helium decay.” SpaceX’s Falcon rockets burn a combination of cryogenic liquid oxygen and chilled rocket-grade kerosene (RP-1), but they carry composite overwrapped pressure vessels (COPVs) filled with high-pressure helium gas to keep their propellant tanks pressurized as they’re drained. If SpaceX’s much larger Starship rocket shares some similarities, the company may also use a system of “helium injection” [PDF] inside Falcon 9 to keep its cryogenic oxygen and chilled kerosene as cold as possible. Musk later simplified the cause of the abort to a “tiny helium leak,” but the location of the leak (inside or outside of the rocket) was not specified.
Two hours before that, the Crew Dragon spacecraft SpaceX launched the day prior successfully docked with the International Space Station (ISS), delivering its ‘payload’ of four professional astronauts to the orbital outpost. One of those passengers is Russian cosmonaut Anna Kikina, marking the first time an American spacecraft has ferried a Russian to the ISS in almost 20 years. That milestone has unfortunately been muddied and overshadowed by the country’s illegal, genocidal, and increasingly suicidal invasion of Ukraine.
Crew-5 is the seventh Crew Dragon to successfully transport astronauts to the ISS and SpaceX’s eighth crewed launch overall since May 2020. Flying for the second time, Crew Dragon capsule C210 docked on its first try after a smooth 29-hour rendezvous. About a week from now, another crew of four astronauts will board a different Crew Dragon spacecraft and return to Earth, handing off the ISS to Crew-5 and ending SpaceX and NASA’s Crew-4 mission.
SpaceX is scheduled to launch at least one more batch of astronauts for NASA in March or April 2023, meaning that the company is expected to singlehandedly ensure NASA access to the ISS for almost three full years. At the start of the Commercial Crew Program and for most of its development, NASA intended for partners SpaceX and Boeing to alternate, but Boeing’s Starliner spacecraft is years behind schedule.
Elon Musk
SpaceX’s newest logo confirms everything about what it’s become
SpaceX officially absorbed xAI under the SpaceXAI brand, completing the largest private merger in history.
SpaceX made its corporate transformation official in May 2026 when Elon Musk posted on X that xAI would cease to exist as a standalone company. “xAI will be dissolved as a separate company, so it will just be SpaceXAI, the AI products from SpaceX,” he wrote.
A new SpaceXAI logo was announced today, visually embedding the xAI letters inside the SpaceX identity, which can be seen as a deliberate design choice that signals the merger is not a partnership but a full absorption and XAi a core function of the same company. The same way Starlink is not a separate brand but a SpaceX product. The announcement closed the loop on a process that began February 2, 2026, when SpaceX acquired xAI in the largest private merger in history, valued at $1.25 trillion. SpaceX at $1 trillion and xAI at $250 billion.
We are now @SpaceXAI. pic.twitter.com/ema66xDWC9
— SpaceXAI (@SpaceXAI) July 6, 2026
The reason SpaceX bought xAI was stated plainly by Musk at the time of the deal: to build orbital data centers. SpaceX had simultaneously filed with the FCC to launch up to one million satellites designed to function as AI compute nodes in low Earth orbit, escaping what Musk described as the energy constraints limiting AI development on Earth.
xAI provided the AI software stack, with Grok, the X platform, and the Colossus supercomputer infrastructure in Memphis with over 220,000 NVIDIA GPUs, while SpaceX provided the rockets, Starlink, and the capital base to fund it. The two companies needed each other. xAI was burning $2.5 billion in losses on $250 million in revenue. SpaceX was generating an estimated $8 billion in profit on $15 billion in revenue and needed an AI narrative to command the valuation it was targeting for its IPO.
What SpaceX has done, regardless of how the orbital AI vision ultimately plays out, is walk into a public market as something no company has been before: a rocket manufacturer, satellite internet provider, AI software company, social media platform, and supercomputer operator under one ticker. Whether that combination is worth $2 trillion depends entirely on which of those businesses you believe in most.
Tesla brought its innovative Cybercab robotaxi to the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Annual Convention in Austin, Texas, on July 3 at the JW Marriott Austin.
The hands-on demonstration highlighted the vehicle’s thoughtful design for blind and visually impaired users, underscoring Tesla’s commitment to inclusive autonomous mobility. Attendees, many using white canes or accompanied by service dogs, experienced the steering-wheel-free Cybercab firsthand.
Cybercab at the National Federation of the Blind’s Annual Convention in Austin for a hands-on experience of its accessibility features for blind or visually impaired customers⁰⁰For example:⁰– Braille lettering on physical controls
– Space for service animals & assistive… pic.twitter.com/8wrJcDHkw7— Tesla Robotaxi (@robotaxi) July 6, 2026
The showcase emphasized practical features tailored to the needs of the blind community. Braille lettering appears on physical controls, including door releases and emergency buttons, allowing users to navigate interfaces independently through touch. Generous interior space accommodates service animals and assistive devices such as canes, guide dogs, or mobility aids without compromising comfort.
Wheelchair-height seating facilitates easier transfers for users with additional mobility challenges. Photos from the event captured blind attendees approaching the vehicle confidently, service dogs relaxing inside, and hands exploring Braille-equipped handles.
Tesla Robotaxi’s official account detailed these elements, noting the Cybercab’s focus on accessibility, especially noting the Braille lettering and additional space for service animals.
How Tesla Will Transform Mobility for the Blind
Autonomous vehicles like the Cybercab promise revolutionary independence for the roughly 2.2 million visually impaired Americans. Traditional barriers—reliance on sighted drivers, costly paratransit, or limited public transit—often restrict spontaneous travel. Tesla Full Self-Driving aims to eliminate the need for a human operator, enabling on-demand, door-to-door rides via simple app hailing with voice guidance.
Users gain freedom to work, socialize, shop, or attend events anytime without scheduling hassles or safety concerns. This reduces isolation, boosts employment opportunities, and enhances quality of life, turning mobility from a dependency into true personal autonomy.
The NFB demonstration not only gathered valuable feedback but also generated excitement about a future where technology levels the playing field. By prioritizing inclusive design, Tesla advances a vision of transportation that serves everyone, potentially reshaping daily life for blind individuals and setting a standard for the autonomous industry.
As Cybercab deployment scales, these accessibility innovations could mark a significant step toward equitable mobility.
Investor's Corner
Tesla challenges startups to score a gig inside its most advanced European factory
Tesla is challenging startups to bring their best battery tech directly to Gigafactory Berlin.
Tesla has issued an open challenge to startups across Europe, inviting them to bring their best battery technology directly to the floor of Gigafactory Berlin. The program, called the JUNI x Tesla Battery Cell Giga Challenge, opened applications this month with a deadline of July 24, 2026, and is targeting startups with solutions that can make battery cell manufacturing faster, cheaper, safer, and more scalable at an industrial level.
The timing of the challenge is directly tied to Tesla’s most aggressive European battery investment yet. On May 12, 2026, Giga Berlin plant manager André Thierig announced a $250 million investment to scale the factory’s annual 4680 cell production capacity from 8 GWh to 18 GWh, more than doubling the previous target set just months earlier in December 2025. Thierig confirmed the expansion on X, saying the investment “will enable 18 GWh of annual 4680 cell production and create more than 1,500 new jobs.” Combined with a previously announced battery investment at the Grunheide site now approaches $1.2 billion.
Today, we announced a $ 250m investment for our Giga Berlin Cell factory. This will enable 18GWh of annual 4680 cell production and create more than 1500 new jobs. Good news during challenging times for the German industry. pic.twitter.com/ou4SWMfWh9
— André Thierig (@AndrThie) May 12, 2026
The challenge is looking specifically for startups with proven solutions across five categories: materials, equipment, operations, automation, and artificial intelligence. Applications are screened directly by Tesla’s cell manufacturing team in Grunheide, and the strongest submissions move through technical discussions, a pitch day in front of Tesla stakeholders, and potentially a paid pilot project with the cell team. Tesla is not looking for ideas at concept stage. The program requires applicants to demonstrate working prototypes, test data, or prior pilots before being considered.
The historical context matters here. Elon Musk first announced plans for what he called the world’s largest battery cell production facility alongside the Giga Berlin car factory back in 2020, targeting up to 250 GWh of annual capacity. Those plans were shelved in 2022 when Tesla shifted its battery investment focus to the United States to take advantage of Inflation Reduction Act incentives. The revival of cell production at Giga Berlin, now backed by over $1 billion in committed capital, represents a return to an ambition that was set aside for three years. As Teslarati has reported, the 4680 format is central to Tesla’s long-term cost reduction strategy across vehicles, energy storage, including the Tesla Semi and Cybercab.
By opening the challenge to outside startups, Tesla is acknowledging that reaching 18 GWh at Grunheide will require technology it does not currently have in-house, and it is willing to pay for the right solutions. For a startup in the battery supply chain, a paid pilot with Tesla’s European cell team is as close to a direct commercial path as the industry offers.
SpaceX’s newest logo confirms everything about what it’s become
Tesla flexes how it will help the blind with Cybercab
