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SpaceX Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket’s drone ship return captured in stunning detail [gallery]
Teslarati photographer Pauline Acalin has captured SpaceX’s first West Coast Falcon 9 Block 5 booster recovery in the best detail yet seen of the rocket upgrade, well-worn after its first successful launch of Iridium NEXT-7, July 25.
Iridium-7 marked a number of important debuts for SpaceX: Falcon 9 Block 5 (Booster 1048, in this case) completed its first West Coast launch from SpaceX’s Vandenberg pad, drone ship Just Read The Instructions’ (JRTI) first rocket recovery attempt and success in nearly ten months, and recovery vessel Mr Steven’s first (albeit unsuccessful) attempt at catching a Falcon fairing with a dramatically enlarged net and arms.
- B1048 returns to port on drone ship JRTI after its successful July 2019 launch debut. (Pauline Acalin)
Although inclement wind conditions foiled Mr Steven’s fairing catch effort and put pressure on Falcon 9 B1048’s journey to JRTI, Iridium-7 was flawlessly placed in orbit and Falcon 9 managed a slightly off-center but still thoroughly successful landing on the drone ship off the coast of California. With that launch and land debut on the West Coast and a second successful East Coast launch of a Block 5 rocket to the East just a few days prior, SpaceX has effectively demonstrated the basic functionality and reliability of the upgrade’s many far-reaching changes to the underlying Falcon 9 architecture.
Recovered booster 1048’s single-piece cast titanium grid fins. They were able to maneuver the vehicle through stormy winds at sea, landing it safely on Just Read the Instructions following Iridium-7 launch. #spacex #iridium7 #falcon9 pic.twitter.com/yATFVrjGjc
— Pauline Acalin (@w00ki33) July 29, 2018
Just Read The Instructions recovers a rocket
After nearly ten months largely spent berthed at SpaceX’s original Port of San Pedro dock space, drone ship JRTI has at long last returned to sea and successfully recovered a Falcon 9 booster, this time marking the West Coast launch and landing debut of the Block 5 rocket. Photos of the drone ship and rocket’s return to port were some of the best ever seen, thanks largely to the port’s layout and narrow mouth, which allowed Teslarati photographer Pauline Acalin to put giant telephoto lenses and a unique top-down perspective to good use.
Iridium NEXT-7 thankfully brought an end to the understandable but still-painful practice of intentionally expending twice-flown Falcon 9 boosters in the ocean after launch. Thanks to Iridium-7’s new Block 5 booster, B1048, expending the rocket was out of the question, as it likely will be for most Block 5 launches in the future. A combination of several expendable missions and an unfortunate duo of recovery anomalies (a small fire after Koreasat 5A and the Falcon Heavy center core landing failure) led to JRTI sitting on the sidelines since October 2017, as a considerable subset of its critical thruster hardware had to be stripped in order to keep East Coast sister ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) operational for a handful of attempts in 2018.
- Falcon 9 B1048 returns to Port of Los Angeles aboard drone ship Just Read The Instructions, July 27. (Pauline Acalin)
- Falcon 9 B1048 returned to Port of Los Angeles aboard drone ship Just Read The Instructions after its first launch. July 27. (Pauline Acalin)
- Falcon 9 B1048 returns to Port of Los Angeles aboard drone ship Just Read The Instructions, July 27. (Pauline Acalin)
- Falcon 9 B1048 returns to Port of Los Angeles aboard drone ship Just Read The Instructions, July 27. (Pauline Acalin)
- Falcon 9 B1048 returns to Port of Los Angeles aboard drone ship Just Read The Instructions, July 27. (Pauline Acalin)
Many of the months JRTI spent at berth were thus without the pod thrusters the drone ship needs to keep itself at the proper landing point once at sea. Still, JRTI departed the port with a full complement of four blue thrusters on the evening of July 22 and had a highly successful return-to-action. Sadly, it’s unclear how much SpaceX will need the vessel within just a month or two from today – after the final Iridium launch (NEXT-8) in November or December, perhaps all of SpaceX’s future Vandenberg launches will be lofting lightweight payloads that should allow the company to rely almost entirely on its brand-new rocket landing zone – conveniently colocated barely 1000 feet from the pad – for CA rocket recoveries.
F9 Block 5 shows off its upgraded exterior
Falcon 9 Block 5 booster (B1048) arrived at Port of Los Angeles on July 27 after landing at sea aboard drone ship JRTI. Photos captured by Pauline arguably show the best details yet seen of the rocket upgrade, ranging from titanium grid fins to extraordinary shots of its sooty-but-still-sorta-shiny Merlin 1D engines.
- B1048 arrives in Port of LA aboard drone ship JRTI. (Pauline Acalin)
- B1048, one launch down and dozens to come. (Pauline Acalin)
- B1048, one launch down and many more to come. (Pauline Acalin)
- B1048’s beautiful Block 5 Merlins, showing off their subtle shine despite a healthy coating of soot. (Pauline Acalin)
Myriad others provide an amazing sense of place with SpaceX technicians conducting thorough post-landing checkouts, carefully documenting the booster’s condition, and generally wrenching on a massive, orbital-class rocket that completed a suborbital jaunt to space just days prior.
Of particular note are detailed views of the silky black “highly flame-resistant felt” now covering Falcon 9’s interstage (the top segment), landing legs, octaweb section, and raceways (the black lines traveling up and down the rocket). Compared to beat-up, older Falcon 9s, B1048’s shielded components look barely worse for wear, and it would genuinely be difficult to determine if the rocket had flown before without the telltale soot fingerprint present after every Falcon 9 recovery.
- A little of everything: landing leg, octaweb, Merlin 1Ds, and drone ship JRTI. (Pauline Acalin)
- B1048’s octaweb attach points for a huge range of fluids and propellants. (Pauline Acalin)
- A SpaceX recovery technician documents one of Falcon 9 B1048’s quick-disconnect panels. (Pauline Acalin)
- One of B1048’s four upgraded landing legs. (Pauline Acalin)
- And another view of B1048’s beautifully intricate leg hardware. (Pauline Acalin)
The only mystery that still remains is what exactly Falcon 9 Block 5’s octaweb heat-shielding looks like, reportedly one of the most critical and research-intensive upgrades necessary for true rapid reusability and reliability through many, many flights. Now built largely of titanium bolted to the octaweb, among a number of other extremely heat-tolerant metals and materials and even active water-cooling in spots, the new heat-shield was designed to carry the brunt of the reentry heating Falcon 9 experiences with ease.
Perhaps we’ll get a glimpse of that yet-unseen heat-shield over the next few weeks and months. Many, many more launches to come, so stay tuned!
For prompt updates, on-the-ground perspectives, and unique glimpses of SpaceX’s rocket recovery fleet (including fairing catcher Mr Steven) check out our brand new LaunchPad and LandingZone newsletters!
News
Tesla Model Y outsells everything in three states, but Ford dominates
The Model Y’s success here highlights accelerating mainstream adoption of electric SUVs, which offer spacious interiors, impressive range, rapid acceleration, and low operating costs.
The Tesla Model Y was the best-selling vehicle in three different states in the U.S. last year, according to new data that shows the all-electric crossover outsold every other car in a few places. However, Ford widely dominated the sales figures with its popular F-Series of pickups.
According to new vehicle registration data compiled by Edmunds and visualized by Visual Capitalist, the Ford F-Series, encompassing models like the F-150, F-250, F-350, and F-450, claimed the title of best-selling vehicle in 29 states.
This dominance underscores the pickup truck’s unbreakable appeal across much of the country, particularly in rural, Midwestern, Southern, and Western states, where towing capacity, durability, and utility for work or recreation remain top priorities.
The Tesla Model Y is the best-selling vehicle in California, Washington, and Nevada
How many states will it dominate next year? https://t.co/ERyoyce42D
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) March 9, 2026
The F-Series has held the crown as America’s overall best-selling vehicle for decades, a streak that continued strong into 2025 despite broader market shifts.
Yet, amid this truck-heavy reality, Tesla made a notable breakthrough. The Model Y emerged as the top-selling vehicle, not just the leading EV, but the outright best-seller in three key states: California, Nevada, and Washington.
These West Coast strongholds reflect regions with robust EV infrastructure, high environmental awareness, generous incentives, and tech-savvy populations. In California alone, nearly 50 percent of new vehicle registrations were electrified, far outpacing the national average of around 25 percent.
The Model Y’s success here highlights accelerating mainstream adoption of electric SUVs, which offer spacious interiors, impressive range, rapid acceleration, and low operating costs.
Elon Musk: Tesla Model Y is world’s best-selling car for 3rd year in a row
Elsewhere, Japanese crossovers filled many gaps: Toyota’s RAV4 and Honda’s CR-V topped charts in several urban and densely populated Northeastern and Midwestern states, where fuel efficiency, reliability, and family-friendly features win out over larger trucks.
While Ford’s broad reach shows traditional preferences persist, at least for now, Tesla’s Model Y victories in high-population, influential states signal a gradual but undeniable transition toward electrification. As charging networks expand and battery technology improves, more states could follow the West Coast’s lead in the coming years.
This 2025 map captures a pivotal moment: pickup trucks still rule the majority, but EVs are carving out meaningful territory where consumer priorities align with sustainability and innovation. The road ahead promises continued competition between legacy giants and electric disruptors.
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.














