News
SpaceX readies for astronaut capsule recovery backup plan as rocket drone ship deploys to landing zone
Mission objectives of the SpaceX Crew Dragon Demo-2 test flight, have already commenced days ahead of the scheduled launch attempt. On Wednesday, May 27th at 4:33 pm EDT, Elon Musk’s rocket launching – and landing – company, SpaceX, will set out to achieve more firsts than it has ever attempted in one launch. The final Crew Dragon test flight will shuttle NASA astronauts Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley to the International Space Station for the very first time. Along with the primary mission objective to deliver the astronauts safely, many secondary objectives are built into the mission profile. One of which is autonomously turning the Falcon 9 booster around shortly after launch to land on a floating barge in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.
During the late hours of Saturday, May 23rd, a trusted veteran member of the SpaceX fleet of recovery vessels, Tug Hawk, returned to Port Canaveral to transport SpaceX’s autonomous spaceport drone ship, Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) to the designated booster recovery zone some 510km downrange. It seems that Tug Hawk and its crew returned specifically to assist with the recovery efforts of SpaceX’s highest-profile launch to date as there was already another tug at Port Canaveral available to assist that was not used. The arrival was captured by long-time port activity documenter, Julia Bergeron, and reported by the unofficial Twitter SpaceX recovery vessel tracking account, SpaceXFleet.
The SpaceX recovery fleet portion of the Demo-2 mission got underway on the morning of Sunday (May 24th). Space Coast local Greg Scott was at Port Canaveral to capture Tug Hawk’s departure with OCISLY in tow just twelve hours after arriving. About an hour later, the OCISLY support vessel that carries cargo and crew essential for booster recovery efforts, GO Quest, departed. It will take Tug Hawk and OCISLY approximately two days to travel to the recovery zone, arriving about 24 hours before the launch attempt.
The propulsive landing of a booster at sea is not a new concept for SpaceX. However, it is a practice that can be somewhat tricky to get right every time due to a multitude of factors. Recently, SpaceX suffered the loss of the Falcon 9 boosters B1056 and B1048 following recent Starlink satellite launches. Both boosters suffered unrelated issues with high winds and software glitches resulting in failed attempts to stick the landing on OCISLY. However, SpaceX successfully demonstrated the reliability of the Falcon 9 landing capability with the flawless launch and landing of the April 22nd Starlink Falcon 9 B1051 booster.
A special circumstance of the Demo-2 mission is the added recovery requirements of the Crew Dragon capsule. With Crew Dragon launching from LC-39A at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and splashdown designated for the Atlantic Ocean, various recovery zones span almost the entire length of the United States’ eastern seaboard and across the Atlantic Ocean to Ireland. Special recovery zones also are located throughout the Gulf of Mexico.
Typically, the recovery of a crew capsule would only be thought to occur upon mission end when it is on approach for splashdown after re-entry. However, the specially equipped SpaceX Crew Dragon recovery vessels, GO Searcher and GO Navigator, are required to be able to respond to a number of locations during launch and through the entire duration of Crew Dragon’s time on orbit chasing down the International Space Station prior to docking – for Demo-2 that will be nineteen hours. This is to ensure that in the unlikely event of Crew Dragon experiencing an emergency pad or launch abort scenario, the crew aboard can be safely rescued.
To this end, GO Searcher departed Port Canaveral days ago destined for the Naval Air Station in Pensacola on Florida’s west coast. GO Navigator will remain at Port Canaveral until Crew Dragon returns for a splashdown following the conclusion of Demo-2. Dual Dragon recovery vessels stationed on either side of Florida ensures that Hurley and Behnken can be rescued should they require emergency recovery.
Should Demo-2 pass SpaceX’s upcoming final Launch Readiness Review scheduled for Monday, May 25th, all will proceed toward the launch attempt on Wednesday, May 27th at 4:33 pm EDT.
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Elon Musk
Elon Musk shares updated Starship V3 maiden launch target date
The comment was posted on Musk’s official account on social media platform X.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk shared a brief Starship V3 update in a post on social media platform X, stating the next launch attempt of the spacecraft could take place in about four weeks.
The comment was posted on Musk’s official account on social media platform X.
Musk’s update suggests that Starship Flight 12 could target a launch around early April, though the schedule will depend on several remaining milestones at SpaceX’s Starbase launch facility in Texas.
Among the key steps is testing and certification of the site’s new launch tower, launch mount, and tank farm systems. These upgrades will support the next generation of Starship vehicles.
Booster 19 is expected to roll to the launch site and be placed on the launch mount before returning to the production facility to receive its 33 Raptor engines. The booster would then return for a static fire test, which could mark the first time a Super Heavy booster equipped with Raptor V3 engines is fired on the pad.
Ship 39 is expected to undergo a similar preparation process. The vehicle will likely return to the production site to receive its six engines before heading to Massey’s test site for static fire testing.
Once both stages are prepared, the booster and ship will roll out to the launch site for the first full stack of a V3 Super Heavy and V3 Starship. A full wet dress rehearsal is expected to follow before any launch attempt.
Elon Musk has previously shared how SpaceX plans to eventually recover Starship’s upper stage using the launch tower’s robotic arms. Musk noted that the company will only attempt to catch the Starship spacecraft after two successful soft landings in the ocean. The approach is intended to reduce risk before attempting a recovery over land.
“Should note that SpaceX will only try to catch the ship with the tower after two perfect soft landings in the ocean. The risk of the ship breaking up over land needs to be very low,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
Such a milestone would represent a major step toward the full reuse of the Starship system, which remains a central goal for SpaceX’s long-term launch strategy.
News
Tesla opens first public Tesla Semi Megacharger site in Los Angeles
The development was highlighted in a post on social media platform X by the official Tesla Semi account.
Tesla has opened its first public Tesla Semi Megacharger site in Los Angeles. The station reportedly offers up to 750 kW charging speeds and is open to Tesla Semi customers.
The development was highlighted in a post on social media platform X by the official Tesla Semi account.
Tesla Semi Megachargers
The Los Angeles site seems to be the first public Tesla Semi Megacharger that is not located at a Tesla factory. It is also the third Megacharger site currently visible on Tesla’s map.
The Megacharger system is designed specifically for the Tesla Semi and is capable of delivering extremely high charging speeds to support long-haul trucking operations. Infrastructure such as this will likely play a key role in making the Semi competitive with diesel-powered transport trucks.
Tesla’s progress with the Semi has also drawn attention in recent days after Elon Musk biographer Ashlee Vance shared photos from inside the Tesla Semi factory near Giga Nevada. The images suggested that preparations for higher production volumes may be underway, hinting that a broader ramp of the Tesla Semi’s production indeed be approaching.
New deployment strategies
Tesla has continued expanding its broader charging network through several new strategies aimed at accelerating infrastructure deployment. One of these initiatives is the Supercharger for Business program, which allows third parties to purchase Tesla Supercharger equipment and deploy charging stations while still integrating with Tesla’s network.
The program recently marked a milestone in Alpharetta, Georgia, where the city deployed four 325 kW city-branded Superchargers near the Alpharetta Department of Public Safety on Old Milton Parkway. The chargers support the city’s Tesla Model Y police vehicles while also remaining accessible to the public.
As per a report from EVwire, the project was designed not only to support fleet charging but also to generate economic returns that could offset the city’s investment. Tesla’s Supercharger for Business program has already attracted several participants, including businesses and charging providers such as Suncoast Charging, Pie Safe bakery in Idaho, Francis Energy in Oklahoma, and Wawa convenience stores.
Elon Musk
The Boring Company’s Vegas Loop moves 82k riders during CONEXPO
The Loop’s feat was highlighted by The Boring Company in a post on its official account on social media platform X.
The Boring Company said its Vegas Loop system transported roughly 82,000 passengers during the recent CONEXPO-CON/AGG construction trade show in Las Vegas. The event was held at the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) from March 3-7, 2026.
The Loop’s feat was highlighted by The Boring Company in a post on its official account on social media platform X.
CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026
CONEXPO-CON/AGG is one of the largest construction trade shows in North America. This year’s event was quite impressive, attracting more than 140,000 construction professionals from 128 countries across the world.
Considering the number of this year’s attendees, the LVCC Loop seemed to have proven itself to be a very useful transportation solution. A video posted by The Boring Company on its official X account featured attendees expressing their enthusiasm for the underground transport system, with some stating that they would like to see similar tunnels across Las Vegas.
The LVCC Loop is only part of the greater Vegas Loop network, which is actively under construction.
New Vegas Loop extensions
One of the newest additions is a station at the Fontainebleau Las Vegas resort on the Strip. The station is located on level V-1 of the resort’s south valet area, according to a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal. From the Fontainebleau, passengers can travel free of charge to stations serving the Las Vegas Convention Center, as well as to Loop stations at Encore and Westgate.
The system is also expanding beyond the Strip corridor. In December, The Boring Company began offering Vegas Loop rides to and from Harry Reid International Airport. These trips include a limited above-ground segment after receiving approval from the Nevada Transportation Authority to allow surface street travel tied to Loop operations.
The Boring Company President Steve Davis previously told the Review-Journal that the University Center Loop segment, which is currently under construction, is expected to open in the first quarter of 2026. The extension would allow Loop vehicles to travel beneath Paradise Road between the convention center and the airport, with a planned station just north of Tropicana Avenue.
Elon Musk shares updated Starship V3 maiden launch target date
Tesla opens first public Tesla Semi Megacharger site in Los Angeles
