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SpaceX closes in on launch record with most recent Starlink launch

Falcon 9 launches 22 Starlink satellites (Credit Richard Angle)

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22 V2 mini Starlink satellites are well on their way to their operational orbits today following last night’s successful launch atop a Falcon 9, and SpaceX is closing in on its record for launches in a calendar year.

Launching at 10:41 p.m. ET (02:41 UTC), the Falcon 9 thundered away from Space Launch Complex 40 in Florida on its 4th mission. The mission was originally intended to launch earlier in the night, but SpaceX pushed the launch slightly later either for weather or technical reasons.

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Once SpaceX was in the countdown, fueling proceeded smoothly as offshore thunderstorms flashed in the distance. These 22 V2 mini Starlink satellites, Group 6-8, were launched on a South Easterly trajectory and inserted into a 43-degree orbital inclination.

Since the July 15th launch of Starlink Group 5-15 (the last V 1.5 batch), all Starlinks launched will be the V2 mini Starlinks. SpaceX only launches up to 22 at a time since they are bigger than their predecessors.

The Starlink V 1.5 satellites weighed in at ~306 kg (675 lbs) compared to the V2 mini Starlinks coming in at ~800 kg (1,800 lbs). While launching fewer satellites per launch may not seem ideal, the V2 mini Starlinks are actually much more capable.

The V2 mini variant features two solar arrays, Argon Hall thrusters for better on-orbit maneuvering and offers ~4 times more bandwidth than the earlier versions. The full-size V2 Starlink will eventually be launched on Starship, as those do not fit inside a Falcon 9 fairing.

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It’s unknown when those launches will occur, but SpaceX made more progress this weekend with the static fire test of Booster 9.

As mentioned earlier, this was the 4th mission for Falcon 9 B1078. It landed on A Shortfall of Gravitas just under eight-and-a-half minutes after launch. The fairing halves for this mission were flying for the 8th and 10th times and were to be picked up from the ocean by the SpaceX recovery ship Doug.

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This was the 53rd mission for SpaceX this year, well ahead of their pace at the same time last year, which was their record-setting 61 launches. SpaceX could break this record next month.

Coming up next is another Starlink launch, this time from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, which could launch as early as 9 p.m. PT (04:00 UTC) tonight. However, SpaceX has yet to confirm this.

Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.

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Launch journalist, specializing in launch photography. Based on the Space Coast, a short drive from Cape Canaveral and the SpaceX launch pads.

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Tesla FSD (Supervised) could be approved in the Netherlands next month: Musk

Musk shared the update during a recent interview at Giga Berlin.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared that Full Self-Driving (FSD) could receive regulatory approval in the Netherlands as soon as March 20, potentially marking a major step forward for Tesla’s advanced driver-assistance rollout in Europe.

Musk shared the update during a recent interview at Giga Berlin, noting that the date was provided by local authorities.

“Tesla has the most advanced real-world AI, and hopefully, it will be approved soon in Europe. We’re told by the authorities that March 20th, it’ll be approved in the Netherlands,’ what I was told,” Musk stated

“Hopefully, that date remains the same. But I think people in Europe are going to be pretty blown away by how good the Tesla car AI is in being able to drive.”

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Tesla’s FSD system relies on vision-based neural networks trained on real-world driving data, allowing vehicles to navigate using cameras and AI rather than traditional sensor-heavy solutions. 

The performance of FSD Supervised has so far been impressive. As per Tesla’s safety report, Full Self-Driving Supervised has already traveled 8.3 billion miles. So far, vehicles operating with FSD Supervised engaged recorded one major collision every 5,300,676 miles. 

In comparison, Teslas driven manually with Active Safety systems recorded one major collision every 2,175,763 miles, while Teslas driven manually without Active Safety recorded one major collision every 855,132 miles. The U.S. average during the same period was one major collision every 660,164 miles.

If approval is granted on March 20, the Netherlands could become the first European market to greenlight Tesla’s latest supervised FSD (Supervised) software under updated regulatory frameworks. Tesla has been working to secure expanded FSD access across Europe, where regulatory standards differ significantly from those in the United States. Approval in the Netherlands would likely serve as a foundation for broader EU adoption, though additional country-level clearances may still be required.

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Elon Musk estimates Tesla Semi could reach Europe next year

“We’ve got the Tesla Semi coming out, the heavy truck, and that’ll be going to Europe hopefully next year,” Musk said.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is preparing to expand its all-electric Semi truck program to Europe, with CEO Elon Musk indicating that the Class 8 vehicle could arrive in the region 2027.

Musk shared his update during an interview about Giga Berlin with plant manager André Thierig, which was posted on X by the official Tesla Manufacturing account.

“We’ve got the Tesla Semi coming out, the heavy truck, and that’ll be going to Europe hopefully next year,” he said.

Tesla has already begun limited production and customer deployments of the Tesla Semi in the United States, with the company working to scale output through the Semi factory near Giga Nevada. Considering Musk’s comments, it appears that a European rollout would be the next phase of the vehicle’s expansion beyond North America.

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Musk’s use of the word “hopefully” leaves room for flexibility, but the remark signals that Europe is next in Tesla’s commercial expansion plans.

Musk has consistently argued that electrification should extend beyond passenger vehicles. During the same interview, he reiterated his view that “all ground transport should be electric,” adding that ships, and eventually aircraft, would follow.

The Semi plays a central role in that strategy. Heavy-duty freight remains one of the most emissions-intensive segments of road transport, and European regulators have increasingly pushed for lower-emission commercial fleets. 

Tesla recently refreshed the Semi lineup on its official website, listing two variants: Standard and Long Range. The Standard trim offers up to 325 miles of range with an energy consumption rating of 1.7 kWh per mile, while the Long Range version provides up to 500 miles, which should be more than ample for European routes.

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Tesla Cybercab coming next to Giga Berlin, Optimus possibly after

“From a next major product standpoint, I think most likely is the Tesla Cybercab,” Musk said.

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Credit: Cybercab

Tesla could add the Cybercab and Optimus humanoid robot to the production lineup at Giga Berlin, as per recent comments from CEO Elon Musk. 

During a recent interview with Giga Berlin plant manager André Thierig, Musk identified the Cybercab as the most likely next major product for the German factory, with Optimus potentially following after.

“From a next major product standpoint, I think most likely is the Tesla Cybercab,” Musk said. He added that there are also “possibilities of Tesla Optimus” being produced in the facility.

Tesla has already begun production of the Cybercab in Giga Texas, with volume production expected to ramp this year. Based on Musk’s comments, it appears that if conditions align in Europe, Giga Berlin could eventually join that effort.

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The CEO’s comments about Optimus coming to Gigafactory Berlin are quite unsurprising too considering that Musk has mentioned in the past that the humanoid robot will likely be Tesla’s highest volume product in the long run. 

Giga Berlin will likely be able to produce mass volumes of Optimus, as the Model S and Model X lines being converted to an Optimus line in the Fremont Factory are already expected to produce 1 million units of the humanoid robot annually. 

Apart from his comments about the Cybercab and Optimus, Elon Musk also confirmed that Giga Berlin has started ramping battery cell production and will continue expanding Model Y output, particularly as supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) gains regulatory approvals in Europe.

Taken together, the remarks suggest Berlin’s role could evolve beyond vehicle assembly into a broader multi-product manufacturing hub, not just a regional Model Y plant.

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