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SpaceX Crew Dragon aces third autonomous space station docking

Carrying four astronauts, Crew Dragon approaches the International Space Station for the third time ever on its historic Crew-1 mission. (NASA)

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Update: A SpaceX Crew Dragon has successfully performed an autonomous rendezvous and docking with the International Space Station (ISS) for the third time in a row and the first time with four astronauts aboard.

Near-flawless space station arrival now behind it, Crew Dragon has effectively kicked off what could be the longest continuous spaceflight of a crewed US spacecraft in the history of American space exploration. Barring surprises, Crew Dragon capsule C207 (deemed “Resilience” by its first crew) and its expendable trunk section will spend roughly 180 days in orbit, crushing the previous US record of 84 days set by an Apollo Command and Service Module spacecraft in 1973.

Dragon’s view of the ISS. (SpaceX)
Crew Dragon Crew-1 captain Mike Hopkins (left) and pilot Victor Glover (right) monitor the spacecraft’s autonomous docking. (SpaceX/NASA)
The Crew-1 Crew Dragon docked almost exactly on schedule at 11:01 pm EST (04:01 UTC). (NASA)

Crew Dragon’s first successful operational space station arrival also marks the beginning of a small but significant new era for the ISS, enabling a crew of seven astronauts – up from six – to continuously live and work aboard the 20-year-old orbital outpost. Thanks to the station’s well-quantified needs for regular maintenance and operational expertise, that new seventh crew member will ultimately be able to dedicate almost every working moment to doing science in orbit.

Meanwhile, ISS NASA astronaut Kate Rubins hinted to SpaceX and NASA ground control that a range of photos she took of Crew Dragon’s third ISS arrival were likely to be spectacular. A ground controller took no time to respond with the quip that “[Crew Dragon] is known objectively to be a very good-looking vehicle.” Stay tuned for another update when those approach photos go live.

Four elated Crew-1 astronauts join three existing ISS crew members for the first time. (NASA)

Approximately two hours after Crew Dragon’s third successful docking, Rubins successfully completed an array of tasks and opened the spacecraft’s hatch, allowing NASA astronauts Mike Hopkins, Shannon Walker, Victor Glover, and JAXA astronaut Soichi Noguchi to officially depart Dragon and join the International Space Station’s existing crew of three.

A SpaceX Crew Dragon is set to rendezvous and dock with the International Space Station for the third time later tonight and its four-astronaut crew took some time during their 27-hour flight to give live viewers a tour of the brand new spacecraft.

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Emphasizing just how much space Crew Dragon offers its astronaut passengers once in orbit, the tour also included a minor tradition for NASA astronaut Victor Glover’s first orbital spaceflight. Astronauts Soichi Noguchi, Mike Hopkins, and Shannon Walker – all spaceflight veterans – commemorated Glover’s milestone with the gift of a small, golden pin, continuing a decades-old tradition.

If Crew Dragon remains in good health, the four astronauts will officially kick off the first ISS docking attempt with a 90-second thruster burn shortly after 9 pm EST (02:00 UTC).

Quite similar to Crew Dragon’s flawless Demo-2 astronaut launch debut, the Crew-1 spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at what is known as the ISS keep-out sphere around half an hour after its final major course-change thruster burn. Dragon will pause approximately 400m (~1300 ft) from the space station and wait for ground and station teams to give it the go-ahead to continue to another stopped point 20m (65 ft) out.

Altogether, the Crew-1 Dragon docking process will take about 55 minutes after the spacecraft enters the keep-out sphere and will culminate with a ‘soft’ capture around 11pm EST (04:00 UTC) and a ‘hard’ capture – signified by the docking port firmly bolting Dragon to the ISS – a bit less than 15 minutes later.

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Orbital sunset is expected roughly 10 minutes before docking, meaning that Crew Dragon’s Crew-1 docking should be sunlit from a distance of ~1000 to 20 meters (3300 to 65 ft) from the ISS. Tune in below to watch the historic docking live.

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 ramps up Sweden price war with cheaper Model Y offer

The incentive effectively acts as a manufacturer-funded EV bonus and makes the entry-level Model Y more affordable.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has introduced a new 40,000 SEK incentive in Sweden, lowering the price of its most affordable Model Y to a record low. The incentive effectively acts as a manufacturer-funded EV bonus and makes the entry-level Model Y more affordable.

As per a report from Swedish auto outlet Allt om Elbil, Tesla Sweden is offering a 40,000 SEK electric car bonus on the entry-level Tesla Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive variant. The incentive lowers the purchase price of the base all-electric crossover to 459,900–459,990 SEK, depending on listing.

The bonus applies to orders and deliveries completed by March 31, 2026. Tesla Sweden is also offering zero-interest financing as part of the campaign.

Last fall, Tesla launched a new base version of the Model Y starting at 499,990 SEK. The variant features a refreshed design and simplified equipment compared to the Premium and Performance variants. The new 40,000 SEK incentive now pushes the entry model well below the 460,000 SEK mark.

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So far this year, the Model Y remains the most registered electric vehicle in Sweden and the third most registered new car overall. However, most registrations have been for higher Premium-spec versions. The new incentive could then be Tesla’s way to push sales of its most affordable Model Y variant in the country. 

Tesla is also promoting private leasing options for the entry-level Model Y at 4,995 SEK per month. Swedish automotive observers have noted that leasing may remain the more cost-effective option compared to purchasing outright, even after the new discount.

The base Model Y Rear-Wheel Drive offers a WLTP range of 534 kilometers, a top speed of 201 km/h, and a 0–100 km/h time of 7.2 seconds. Tesla lists energy consumption at 13.1 kWh per 100 kilometers, making it the most efficient version of the vehicle in the lineup and potentially lowering overall ownership costs. 

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Tesla China hires Autopilot Test Engineer amid continued FSD rollout preparations

The role is based in Lingang, the district that houses Gigafactory Shanghai.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Tesla is hiring an Autopilot Test Engineer in Shanghai, a move that signals continued groundwork for the validation of Full Self-Driving (FSD) in China. The role is based in Lingang, the district that houses Gigafactory Shanghai and has become a key testing zone for advanced autonomous features.

As observed by Tesla watchers, local authorities in Shanghai’s Nanhui New City within Lingang have previously authorized a fleet of Teslas to run advanced driving tests on public roads. This marked one of the first instances where foreign automakers were permitted to test autonomous driving systems under real traffic conditions in China. 

Tesla’s hiring efforts come amid ongoing groundwork for a full FSD rollout in China. Earlier reporting noted that Tesla China has been actively preparing the regulatory and infrastructure foundation needed for full FSD deployment, even though the company has not yet announced a firm launch date for the feature in the market.

As per recent comments from Tesla China Vice President Grace Tao, the electric vehicle maker has been busy setting up the necessary facilities to support FSD’s full rollout in the country. In a comment to local media, Tao stated that FSD should demonstrate a level of performance that could surpass human drivers once it is fully rolled out. 

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“We have set up a local training center in China specifically to handle this adaptation,” Tao said. “Once officially released, it will demonstrate a level of performance that is no less than, and may even surpass, that of local drivers.”

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has been quite bullish about a potential FSD rollout in China. During the 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, Musk emphasized that FSD had only received “partial approval” in China, though full authorization could potentially arrive around February or March 2026. This timeline was reiterated by the CEO during his appearance at the World Economic Forum in Davos.

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Tesla Model Y outsells all EV rivals in Europe in 2025 despite headwinds

The result highlights the Model Y’s continued strength in the region.

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Credit: Tesla

The Tesla Model Y was Europe’s most popular electric car in 2025, leading all EV models by a wide margin despite a year marked by production transition, intensifying competition, and anti-Elon Musk sentiments. 

The result highlights the Model Y’s continued strength in the region even as Volkswagen overtook Tesla as the top-selling EV brand overall.

As per data compiled by JATO Dynamics and reported by Swedish outlet Allt om Elbil, the Tesla Model Y recorded 149,805 registrations across Europe in 2025. That figure placed it comfortably at No. 1 among all electric car models in the region.

The Model Y’s performance in Europe is particularly notable given that registrations declined 28% year-over-year. The dip coincided with Tesla’s Q1 2025 transition to the updated Model Y, a changeover that temporarily affected output and deliveries in several markets. Anti-Elon Musk sentiments also spread across several European countries amidst the CEO’s work with U.S. President Donald Trump.

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Even with these disruptions, the Model Y outsold its nearest rival by more than 50,000 units. Second place went to the newly launched Skoda Elroq with 93,870 registrations, followed by the Tesla Model 3 at 85,393 units. The Model 3 also recorded a 24% year-over-year decline. Renault’s new electric Renault 5 placed fourth with 85,101 registrations.

Other top performers included the Volkswagen ID.4, ID.3, and ID.7, along with the BMW iX1 and Kia EV3, many of which posted triple-digit growth from partial-year launches in 2024.

While the Model Y dominated individual model rankings, Volkswagen overtook Tesla as Europe’s top EV brand in 2025. Volkswagen delivered 274,278 electric cars in the region, a 56% increase compared to 2024. Much of that growth was driven by the Volkswagen ID.7. Tesla, by contrast, sold 236,357 electric vehicles in Europe, representing a 27% year-over-year decline.

JATO Dynamics noted that “Tesla’s small and aging model range faces fierce competition in Europe, both from traditional European automakers and a growing number of Chinese competitors.”

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Despite intensifying competition and brand-level shifts, however. the Model Y’s commanding lead demonstrates that Tesla’s bestselling crossover remains a dominant force in Europe’s fast-evolving EV landscape.

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