Connect with us
Cheaper launches as a result of reusable rockets may not necessarily increase demand for satellite launches. Cheaper launches as a result of reusable rockets may not necessarily increase demand for satellite launches.

News

SpaceX’s Falcon 9 Block 5 fleet preps for dual drone ship booster landings

Published

on

SpaceX engineers and technicians have just completed the second on-pad static fire of a Falcon 9 Block 5 booster, and another test is scheduled on the opposite coast for a different upgraded booster in roughly two days.

Penciled in on July 22 and July 25, these imminent back to back launches will mark the effective beginning of the highly-reusable Block 5 era now that all older versions have flown for the last time. Crucially, the practice of intentionally expending reused boosters will almost certainly come to an end for the indefinite future, beginning with these next missions. Both new cores will land aboard drone ship pair Just Read The Instructions (JRTI; West Coast) and Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY; East Coast), and both autonomous vessels will be simultaneously stationed at sea for the second time ever.

This rare dual drone ship deployment will likely become a regular occurrence for SpaceX Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy recoveries over the course of the rest of 2018 and 2019, as higher rates of launch from both East and West coast launch facilities and the unlikelihood of a Block 5 booster being expended will translate to a much greater need for the giant rocket recovery vessels.

Advertisement
-->

In fact, the 7-10 days it takes drone ships to travel from their ports of call to booster landing points and back to port again will likely be the most insurmountable constraint on launch cadence, at least for the Falcon family – high energy missions could only be completed every ten or so days on the East Coast, at least until a third drone ship is brought online. To be named A Shortfall of Gravitas (ASoG), a third autonomous spaceport drone ship (ASDS) is in fact planned as an expansion of SpaceX’s fleet, although it’s unknown if the vessel is under construction now, nor when exactly it’s expected to enter service.

Falcon 9 B1045’s picture-perfect, gentle landing aboard drone ship OCISLY, April 2018. (SpaceX)

SpaceX’s next three missions from its Florida-based LC-40 pad all happen to feature Block 5 Falcon 9 boosters tasked with placing heavy communications satellites in high-energy orbits, and all three launches are currently paced roughly two weeks apart – July 22, August 2, and August 18. That consistent two-week cadence on SpaceX’s launch schedule is for the most part driven equally by launchpad readiness and drone ship availability, both of which require some amount of refurbishment or maintenance after launches/landings.

On the West Coast will be the launch of Iridium NEXT-7 on July 25, carrying ten Iridium NEXT satellites atop a Block 5 booster. That booster – as well as at least two of the three East coast boosters – will be fresh from the factory, conducting (hopefully) the first of many future missions apiece. Excitingly, the planned recovery attempt after Iridium-7 will bring to an end a nearly 10-month drought of rocket landings aboard drone ship JRTI. Further, it looks like chances are good that Iridium-7 will also see recovery vessel Mr Steven break in his massive new net and arms in with an attempted catch of a Falcon 9 fairing half.

Follow us for live updates, peeks behind the scenes, and photos from Teslarati’s East and West Coast photographers.

Teslarati   –   Instagram Twitter

Tom CrossTwitter

Advertisement
-->

Pauline Acalin  Twitter

Eric Ralph Twitter

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.

Advertisement
Comments

Elon Musk

Tesla AI5 chip nears completion, Elon Musk teases 9-month development cadence

The Tesla CEO shared his recent insights in a post on social media platform X.

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s next-generation AI5 chip is nearly complete, and work on its successor is already underway, as per a recent update from Elon Musk. 

The Tesla CEO shared his recent insights in a post on social media platform X.

Musk details AI chip roadmap

In his post, Elon Musk stated that Tesla’s AI5 chip design is “almost done,” while AI6 has already entered early development. Musk added that Tesla plans to continue iterating rapidly, with AI7, AI8, AI9, and future generations targeting a nine-month design cycle. 

He also noted that Tesla’s in-house chips could become the highest-volume AI processors in the world. Musk framed his update as a recruiting message, encouraging engineers to join Tesla’s AI and chip development teams.

Tesla community member Herbert Ong highlighted the strategic importance of the timeline, noting that faster chip cycles enable quicker learning, faster iteration, and a compounding advantage in AI and autonomy that becomes increasingly difficult for competitors to close.

Advertisement
-->

AI5 manufacturing takes shape

Musk’s comments align with earlier reporting on AI5’s production plans. In December, it was reported that Samsung is preparing to manufacture Tesla’s AI5 chip, accelerating hiring for experienced engineers to support U.S. production and address complex foundry challenges.

Samsung is one of two suppliers selected for AI5, alongside TSMC. The companies are expected to produce different versions of the AI5 chip, with TSMC reportedly using a 3nm process and Samsung using a 2nm process.

Musk has previously stated that while different foundries translate chip designs into physical silicon in different ways, the goal is for both versions of the Tesla AI5 chip to operate identically. AI5 will succeed Tesla’s current AI4 hardware, formerly known as Hardware 4, and is expected to support the company’s Full Self-Driving system as well as other AI-driven efforts, including Optimus.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla Model Y and Model 3 named safest vehicles tested by ANCAP in 2025

According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025.

Published

on

Credit: ANCAP

The Tesla Model Y recorded the highest overall safety score of any vehicle tested by ANCAP in 2025. The Tesla Model 3 also delivered strong results, reinforcing the automaker’s safety leadership in Australia and New Zealand.

According to ANCAP in a press release, the Tesla Model Y achieved the highest overall weighted score of any vehicle assessed in 2025. ANCAP’s 2025 tests evaluated vehicles across four key pillars: Adult Occupant Protection, Child Occupant Protection, Vulnerable Road User Protection, and Safety Assist technologies.

The Model Y posted consistently strong results in all four categories, distinguishing itself through a system-based safety approach that combines structural crash protection with advanced driver-assistance features such as autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring. 

This marked the second time the Model Y has topped ANCAP’s annual safety rankings. The Model Y’s previous version was also ANCAP’s top performer in 2022.

The Tesla Model 3 also delivered a strong performance in ANCAP’s 2025 tests, contributing to Tesla’s broader safety presence across segments. Similar to the Model Y, the Model 3 also earned impressive scores across the ANCAP’s four pillars. This made the vehicle the top performer in the Medium Car category.  

ANCAP Chief Executive Officer Carla Hoorweg stated that the results highlight a growing industry shift toward integrated safety design, with improvements in technologies such as autonomous emergency braking and lane support translating into meaningful real-world protection.

Advertisement
-->

“ANCAP’s testing continues to reinforce a clear message: the safest vehicles are those designed with safety as a system, not a checklist. The top performers this year delivered consistent results across physical crash protection, crash avoidance and vulnerable road user safety, rather than relying on strength in a single area.

“We are also seeing increasing alignment between ANCAP’s test requirements and the safety technologies that genuinely matter on Australian and New Zealand roads. Improvements in autonomous emergency braking, lane support, and driver monitoring systems are translating into more robust protection,” Hoorweg said.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla Sweden uses Megapack battery to bypass unions’ Supercharger blockade

Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery.

Published

on

Credit: Tesla Charging/X

Tesla Sweden has successfully launched a new Supercharger station despite an ongoing blockade by Swedish unions, using on-site Megapack batteries instead of traditional grid connections. The workaround has allowed the Supercharger to operate without direct access to Sweden’s electricity network, which has been effectively frozen by labor action.

Tesla has experienced notable challenges connecting its new charging stations to Sweden’s power grid due to industrial action led by Seko, a major Swedish trade union, which has blocked all new electrical connections for new Superchargers. On paper, this made the opening of new Supercharger sites almost impossible.

Despite the blockade, Tesla has continued to bring stations online. In Malmö and Södertälje, new Supercharger locations opened after grid operators E.ON and Telge Nät activated the sites. The operators later stated that the connections had been made in error. 

More recently, however, Tesla adopted a different strategy altogether. Just before Christmas, Tesla went live with a new charging station in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm, by powering it with a Tesla Megapack battery, as noted in a Dagens Arbete (DA) report. 

Because the Supercharger station does not rely on a permanent grid connection, Tesla was able to bypass the blocked application process, as noted by Swedish car journalist and YouTuber Peter Esse. He noted that the Arlandastad Supercharger is likely dependent on nearby companies to recharge the batteries, likely through private arrangements.

Advertisement
-->

Eight new charging stalls have been launched in the Arlandastad site so far, which is a fraction of the originally planned 40 chargers for the location. Still, the fact that Tesla Sweden was able to work around the unions’ efforts once more is impressive, especially since Superchargers are used even by non-Tesla EVs.

Esse noted that Tesla’s Megapack workaround is not as easily replicated in other locations. Arlandastad is unique because neighboring operators already have access to grid power, making it possible for Tesla to source electricity indirectly. Still, Esse noted that the unions’ blockades have not affected sales as much.

“Many want Tesla to lose sales due to the union blockades. But you have to remember that sales are falling from 2024, when Tesla sold a record number of cars in Sweden. That year, the unions also had blockades against Tesla. So for Tesla as a charging operator, it is devastating. But for Tesla as a car company, it does not matter in terms of sales volumes. People charge their cars where there is an opportunity, usually at home,” Esse noted. 

Advertisement
-->
Continue Reading