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SpaceX aborts third Starship static fire attempt minutes before ignition
Perhaps just two or so minutes away from ignition, SpaceX Starship prototype SN9 aborted its third triple-Raptor static fire attempt late into the test window on January 12th
Already extended from 5 pm CST (UTC-6) to 8 pm CST, SpaceX only really started clearing the test facilities near the original end of the window and began loading its second fully-assembled Starship with liquid oxygen and methane propellant around 7 or 7:30 pm. At 7:58 pm, a local sheriff sounded a police siren to warn any local residents or workers of an imminent test – needed in the event of an explosion (“overpressure event”), which could turn shatter glass windows and pose a general hazard.
Now a well-worn, familiar process for unofficial Starship followers, the siren serves (however imprecisely) as an approximate T-10 minute marker for any kind of hazardous testing. Hoping to rectify two prior unsuccessful static fire attempts, Starship SN9 may have made it just 2-3 minutes away from a second ignition before an unknown issue caused SpaceX ground controllers or Starship itself to trigger an abort.
Rearing its head in the form of a large, simultaneous vent releasing pressure from Starship SN9’s methane and oxygen tanks, aborts are an equally familiar event for those that have followed along for the last year or two. Starships may have taken some spectacular leaps forward in 2020, but the program and the prototypes it is currently producing are still relatively immature and, in other words, not exactly refined, polished final products.
In 2020 alone, SpaceX destroyed Starship SN1 during pressure testing, toppled (and destroyed) SN3 with faulty test design, saw SN4 violently explode, and eventually flew Starships SN5, SN6, and SN8 – but not before multiple false-starts, aborts, and repairs. Through that hardware-rich process of trial and error, SpaceX managed to go from completing its first one-piece steel ring to the fully-assembled Starship SN8’s almost completely successful 12.5 km (7.8 mi) launch debut in twelve months.
While that sheer speed has been a huge boon for SpaceX, the company appears to have become more cautious in recent months with the introduction of the first full-height Starships – presumably each representing a more substantial investment and thus warranting additional risk-aversion. At the same time, Starship is clearly an extraordinarily complex launch vehicle and that complexity only grows as the program progresses, producing more and more complex prototypes that require equivalently complex testing.
Starship SN8 spent almost two months at the launch pad gradually completing several crucial tests before SpaceX ultimately cleared the rocket to attempt the program’s first high-altitude launch on December 11th. As of January 12th, Starship SN9 has been at the pad for three weeks. Meanwhile, Starship SN10 is practically ready to begin testing and SN11 could be made ready just a few weeks after that.
Starship SN9’s next (fourth) static fire attempt is now expected no earlier than Wednesday, January 13th, though that could quickly change depending on the severity of the problem that caused Tuesday’s abort.
Elon Musk
Tesla China posts strong February wholesale growth at Gigafactory Shanghai
The update was shared by Tesla observers on social media platform X, citing monthly China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data.
Tesla China sold 58,599 vehicles wholesale in February, reflecting strong year-over-year growth. The figure includes both domestic deliveries in China and vehicles exported to international markets.
The update was shared by Tesla observers on social media platform X, citing monthly China Passenger Car Association (CPCA) data.
Tesla’s February wholesale result represents a 91% increase year over year, compared with 30,688 vehicles in February 2025. Month over month, the result was down 15.2% from January, when Tesla China recorded 69,129 wholesale units.
The February total reflects combined sales of the Model 3 and Model Y produced at Gigafactory Shanghai. The facility produces the two vehicles for both domestic sales and exports.
Gigafactory Shanghai continues to serve as Tesla’s primary vehicle export hub, supplying vehicles to markets across Asia and Europe. Data compiled by Tesla watchers shows that 18,485 vehicles were sold domestically in China in January 2026, while exports accounted for 50,644 units during the same period.
Tesla has also been extending financing programs in China as it pushes to strengthen domestic demand. The company recently extended its seven-year ultra-low-interest and five-year interest-free financing programs through March 31, marking the second extension of the promotion this year.
The financing initiative was first introduced on January 6 as a strategy aimed at offsetting higher ownership costs ahead of China’s planned 5% NEV purchase tax in 2026. The promotion was originally scheduled to expire at the end of January before being extended to February and then again through the end of the first quarter.
Tesla’s efforts come amid growing competition in China’s EV market. According to data compiled by CNEV Post, Tesla’s 2025 retail sales in China reached 625,698 vehicles, representing a 4.78% year-over-year decline. Part of that decline was linked to the Model Y changeover to its updated variant in early 2025, which temporarily reduced deliveries during the transition period.
News
Tesla Model Y L spotted on transport trucks in Australia
One of the sightings was reported along Victoria Parade in Melbourne, and it showed multiple Model Y L vehicles on a transport carrier.
Tesla’s upcoming Model Y L has been spotted on transport trucks in Australia. Sightings of the six-seat extended wheelbase Model Y variant have been reported on social media platform X by members of the Australian Tesla community.
One of the sightings was reported along Victoria Parade in Melbourne, and it showed multiple Model Y L vehicles on a transport carrier.
The sighting follows earlier observations by Tesla enthusiasts in Sydney, where a covered vehicle believed to be a Model Y L was spotted at a Supercharger.
The Sydney sighting drew attention after observers noted that the vehicle’s tare weight appeared to match the ADR approval listing for the Model Y L, suggesting it could indeed be the extended wheelbase variant of the electric SUV.
Tesla has previously confirmed that the Model Y L will launch in Australia and New Zealand in 2026. The confirmation was reported by techAU following a media release from Tesla Australia and New Zealand.
The Model Y L expands the existing Model Y lineup with seating for six passengers. The vehicle features a longer body compared with the standard Model Y in order to accommodate a spacious second and third row.
Tesla has opted for a 2-2-2 seating configuration instead of a traditional seven-seat layout for the Model Y L. The design includes two individual seats in the middle row to provide easier access to the third row and additional passenger space.
Tesla Australia and New Zealand has also stated that the Model Y L will be covered under the company’s updated warranty structure beginning in 2026.
Tesla has not yet announced pricing or official range figures for the Model Y L in Australia.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk shares timeframe for X Money early public access rollout
X Money is expected to enable financial transactions within the app, expanding the platform’s capabilities beyond social media features.
Elon Musk has stated that X Money, the digital payments system being developed for social media platform X, is expected to enter early public access next month.
The update was shared by Musk in a post on X. “𝕏 Money early public access will launch next month,” Musk wrote in his post.
As noted in a Reuters report, X Money is being developed as a digital payment service that’s directly integrated into the X platform.
The system is expected to enable financial transactions within the app, expanding the platform’s capabilities beyond social media features.
Musk has previously discussed plans to introduce payments and financial services as part of X’s broader development.
Since acquiring the platform in 2022, Musk has discussed expanding X to include a range of services such as messaging, media, and financial tools.
Elon Musk has shared his goal of transforming X into an “everything app.” During a previous podcast interview with members of the Tesla community, Musk mused about turning X into something similar to China’s WeChat, which allows users to shop, pay, communicate, and perform a variety of other tasks.
“In China, you do everything in WeChat… it’s kickass… Outside of China, there’s nothing like it, people live on one app. My idea would be like how about if we just copy WeChat,” Musk joked at the time.
To prepare for the rollout of X Money, X has partnered with payment company Visa to support the development of payment services for the platform’s users. The move could allow X to tap into the growing demand for digital and in-app financial transactions as the company builds additional services around its existing user base.
Tesla China posts strong February wholesale growth at Gigafactory Shanghai
Tesla Model Y L spotted on transport trucks in Australia
