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SpaceX adds fresh Falcon 9 booster to the fleet after drone ship recovery

SpaceX has safely returned Falcon 9 booster B1060 to shore after its first flight, adding a brand new booster to the fleet. (Richard Angle)

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SpaceX has added a second new Falcon 9 booster to its rocket fleet in just one month after B1060 safely returned to shore aboard drone ship Just Read The Instructions (JRTI) on July 4th.

Exactly 31 days prior, Falcon 9 booster B1058 sailed into Port Canaveral aboard drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) on June 3rd after becoming the first private rocket in history to launch astronauts into orbit. Prior to B1058’s successful May 30th launch and landing debut, SpaceX’s fleet of available flightworthy boosters appeared to be just three strong, comprised of B1049, B1051, and B1059. Supposedly (relatively) easy to reconfigure into regular Falcon 9 boosters, twice-flown Falcon Heavy side boosters B1052 and B1053 remain wildcards that seem unlikely to re-enter circulation anytime soon.

In other words, SpaceX has grown its fleet of flight-proven Falcon 9 boosters by almost 70% in a single month, undoubtedly bringing with it some welcome sighs of relief for the second half of the company’s 2020 launch manifest. Given just how ambitious SpaceX’s plans are for the next six months, both boosters are set to be invaluable assets in the near term.

SpaceX has safely returned Falcon 9 booster B1060 to shore after its first flight, adding a brand new booster to the fleet. (Richard Angle)

Postponed from June for unknown reasons, July could potentially be SpaceX’s busiest month of launches ever. The 10th overall Starlink launch – also SpaceX’s second Starlink rideshare – is on track to lift off with Falcon 9 booster B1051 on its fifth flight no earlier than (NET) 11:59 am EDT (16:59 UTC) on July 8th. Initially scheduled around June 22nd, B1051 no longer has a shot at beating SpaceX’s booster turnaround record, but it could snag a four-way tie with Falcon 9 boosters B1048, B1052, and B1053 at 74 days between launches.

B1051 last returned to port on April 25th. (Richard Angle)

Up next, SpaceX is scheduled to launch the ANASIS II South Korean military communications satellite as early as July 14th. Perhaps just 11 days after that, another Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to attempt the United States’ first East Coast polar launch in half a century with Argentina’s SAOCOM 1B Earth radar satellite mission. As of now, ANASIS II is expected to launch on booster B1058 according to Next Spaceflight, potentially crushing SpaceX’s booster turnaround record by 17 days (>25%). The Falcon 9 booster assigned to SAOCOM 1B remains a mystery at this point, although B1059 or B1049 are the obvious candidates, with B1060 a close third.

(Richard Angle)
(Richard Angle)
Falcon 9 B1060 lifts off from SpaceX’s LC-40 pad on June 30th. (Richard Angle)

Finally, SpaceX has another Starlink mission – Starlink V1 L10 – scheduled to launch no earlier than late July, likely flying on either Falcon 9 B1049 or B1060.

For SpaceX to achieve its goal of 2-4 launches per month for the rest of the year, it looks like its newly expanded fleet of Falcon 9 boosters is going to have to routinely break or at least skirt turnaround records of just a handful of weeks. As an example, in July alone, SpaceX will need to use four of its five-booster fleet to complete the four launches it has scheduled, while the fifth booster last launched on either June 3rd, 13th, or 30th.

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(SpaceX)
(Richard Angle)
(Richard Angle)
Falcon 9 B1060 will soon be lifted onto dry land to be prepared for its next launch. (Richard Angle)

SpaceX has at least two additional Starlink missions scheduled in August, meaning that both B1051 and B1058 will need to launch just 40-50 days later to sustain that cadence. Thankfully, September should bring a bit of respite heading into Q4 2020 if both Falcon 9 boosters B1061 and B1062 debut on scheduled in mid-September (Crew Dragon’s first operational astronaut launch) and September 30th (GPS III SV04), respectively. If successfully recovered, SpaceX’s fleet will grow to seven boosters strong – likely more than enough to sustain an average cadence of one launch every 10-14 days.

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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 launches first ‘true’ East Coast V4 Supercharger: here’s what that means

What truly distinguishes this installation from the hundreds of “V4” stalls already scattered across the network? Most existing V4 dispensers, rolled out since 2023, feature welcome upgrades like longer cables, built-in touchscreen displays, integrated credit-card readers for non-Tesla users, and improved ergonomics.

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Credit: Tesla Charging | X

Tesla has launched its first “true” V4 Supercharger on the East Coast, and while that may be sort of confusing, here’s what we mean by that.

Tesla has opened its first true V4 Supercharging station on the East Coast in Kissimmee, Florida, just south of Orlando.

The eight-stall site, powered by an advanced 1.2 MW V4 power cabinet, is capable of delivering up to 500 kW, making it one of only four fully operational 500 kW-capable V4 stations in the United States.

Pricing is dynamic and competitive, as Tesla owners pay $0.40 per kWh during peak hours (8 a.m. to midnight), dropping to an attractive $0.20/kWh off-peak (midnight to 8 a.m.).

Non-Tesla EVs, which can now plug directly into the NACS ports thanks to the open standard, are charged a premium—$0.56/kWh peak and $0.28/kWh off-peak—reflecting Tesla’s strategy to monetize network access while rewarding its own customers.

What’s Makes This a “True” V4 Supercharger

What truly distinguishes this installation from the hundreds of “V4” stalls already scattered across the network? Most existing V4 dispensers, rolled out since 2023, feature welcome upgrades like longer cables, built-in touchscreen displays, integrated credit-card readers for non-Tesla users, and improved ergonomics.

Tesla confirms significant detail regarding V4 Supercharger

However, nearly all of these have been paired with legacy V3 power cabinets. These hybrid setups, sometimes informally called V3.5, deliver charging curves virtually identical to standard V3 stations, typically topping out at 250-325 kW depending on the vehicle and site conditions.

In contrast, Kissimmee’s true V4 architecture incorporates next-generation 1.2 MW power cabinets. These support battery voltages up to 1,000 V (double the 500 V of V3 systems) and can push up to 500 kW per stall.

One compact cabinet efficiently powers all eight stalls, slashing the physical footprint and reportedly keeping deployment costs under $40,000 per stall, far cheaper than earlier designs.

Right now, the primary beneficiary is the Cybertruck, which can achieve dramatically faster charging at low states of charge.

Everyday models like the Model 3 and Model Y see little immediate difference in peak speeds, but the hardware lays the groundwork for future vehicles with higher-voltage batteries.

Tesla launches faster Cybertruck charging at all V4 Superchargers

This milestone signals Tesla’s accelerating push toward a high-power, future-proof Supercharger network.

As true V4 sites multiply, charging times will shrink, grid efficiency will improve, and the entire EV ecosystem, Tesla and non-Tesla alike, will benefit from the infrastructure lead Tesla continues to expand. For drivers in central Florida, the Kissimmee station is more than just another charging stop; it’s a glimpse of the faster, smarter charging era that’s finally arriving.

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Tesla reveals various improvements to the Semi in new piece with Jay Leno

Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen and Semi Program Director Dan Priestley joined Leno in a 47-minute segment revealing all of the various things it did to make the Semi even better as it heads toward volume production this year.

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Credit: Jay Leno's Garage | YouTube

Tesla has revealed the various improvements it has made to the Semi with its redesign, which was unveiled late last year, on a new episode of Jay Leno’s Garage.

Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen and Semi Program Director Dan Priestley joined Leno in a 47-minute segment revealing all of the various things it did to make the Semi even better as it heads toward volume production this year.

Last year, Tesla revealed it had updated the Semi design to fit the bill of its aesthetic, which, on its other vehicles, includes things like lightbars and a sleeker and more aerodynamic design. The changes were not all to appease the eye, but the drivers who will use the Semi on a daily basis to haul goods regionally as the program gets off the ground running.

Weight Reduction

Priestley revealed almost immediately that Tesla was able to cut out about 1,000 pounds of weight from the Semi compared to the previous version.

This does several things, all of which are positive to the mission of a Class 8 truck, which is to haul goods and obtain more efficient travel to cut down on logistics costs.

Initially, this can increase payload capacity, which is often the biggest value driver for fleets that frequently hit gross vehicle weight limits. Tesla’s early Pilot Program members, like PepsiCo. and Frito-Lay, are large-scale companies. They will benefit from a decreased overall weight.

Lighter vehicles also require less energy to accelerate, climb hills, and maintain highway speeds. This new design has that advantage, and as Leno said in his first drive with the Semi as he hauled another unit behind, “I don’t feel like I’m pulling anything.”

Drag Coefficient

Franz said one of the goals of the Semi was to get the drag coefficient down below that of a Bugatti Veyron. This would increase efficiency tremendously, a major need with a large truck like a Semi.

Drag coefficient is extremely valuable when it comes to electric vehicles, because the displacement of air is incredibly important for range ratings.

Franz said aerodynamic efficiency has been improved by 7 percent compared to the last model. He says the coefficient is around 0.4.

New Features and Improvements

Priestley shed some additional light on the Semi and some of the improvements the company has made under the hood.

These include:

  • Fully Electric Steering Assist
  • Cybertruck actuators are being used for more strength
  • Tesla included a 48-volt architecture
  • Semi will utilize 4680 battery cells, which are designed to last 1 million miles

These changes come after Tesla rolled out the Semi to various companies for its Pilot Program, which yielded tremendous results. Due to the years it has been working with those companies, it knew what things it had to change and what it had to improve upon before selling the Semi openly.

Fleet Data

The fleet data Tesla has gathered from the Pilot Program has been one of the most widely discussed parts of the Semi program.

Franz and Priestley said that there are currently a few hundred Semi units in the real world, and Tesla has gathered 13.5 million miles. One of those units has traveled over 440,000 miles in the years it has been on the road.

Tesla Semi’s latest adoptee will likely encourage more of the same

Pilot Program members have reported an uptime of 95 percent, and Tesla’s maintenance and Service teams have kept things running:

“80% of breakdowns if you have one, are returned back to the customer in less than 24 hours, and half are back in less than 1 hour.”

Demand

Priestley says demand for the Semi has never been higher, and due to the recent political climate and the impact things have had on gas prices, Tesla has never received more inquiries for the Semi than it has recently.

Many companies will be surprised to hear that the Semi Pilot Program has been an overwhelming success. As Tesla begins to build out the infrastructure for the vehicle, it will only benefit the all-electric Class 8 trucks that keep things moving.

CEO Elon Musk said Tesla plans to start high-volume production this year. The company also plans to start deliveries this year.

 

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Tesla launches amazing new feature for shared vehicles

Tesla has quietly introduced one of its most practical software features yet in update 2026.8: real-time visibility of the active driver profile directly in the Tesla mobile app. Available under the Security & Drivers section, this new tool lets owners see exactly who is behind the wheel or who last drove the vehicle.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is launching an amazing new feature for shared vehicles, giving owners more transparency when they choose to have a Tesla ownership experience with another driver.

This is one of the many advantages of having a Tesla. New features are constantly rolled out through software updates and Over-the-Air fixes, which download directly to the car with an internet connection.

Tesla has quietly introduced one of its most practical software features yet in update 2026.8: real-time visibility of the active driver profile directly in the Tesla mobile app. Available under the Security & Drivers section, this new tool lets owners see exactly who is behind the wheel or who last drove the vehicle.

The feature works seamlessly. While the car is driving, the app displays the name of the currently selected driver profile in real time.

When the vehicle is parked or asleep, it shows the last active profile.

Requiring both the 2026.8 vehicle software and the latest Tesla app, the update brings this capability to every model in the lineup, including legacy Model S and Model X vehicles, which are unfortunately being phased out of the company lineup later this year.

Tesla makes latest move to remove Model S and Model X from its lineup

The feature was first reported on by Not a Tesla App.

Tesla driver profiles have always excelled at personalization, automatically adjusting seat positions, mirrors, steering wheel height, climate settings, navigation recents and favorites, and media preferences.

These profiles link to specific phone keys for automatic activation and support PIN protection for privacy and security. Restricted profiles for teens can also limit speed or features.

This feature shines brightest in single-car households with multiple drivers. Families, couples, and roommates frequently share one Tesla, leading to constant adjustments and questions about settings. Now, a quick app check reveals the current profile, allowing users to anticipate seat configurations or confirm usage without entering the vehicle.

Tesla’s cloud-synced driver profiles to bring custom settings across multiple cars

Parents particularly benefit: they can verify that teens are driving under their assigned (and possibly restricted) profiles, adding a layer of safety oversight and peace of mind. Teslas are already so incredibly safe that many parents dream of putting their kids in one.

Two kids around the same age could now share a Tesla, and this feature would make that effort, which is likely to be a difficult one at times, more seamless.

Beyond convenience, it promotes accountability and reduces everyday friction. No more manual profile switching or arguments over mirror positions. Before approaching the car, anyone can check the app and know exactly what to expect, no more wasted minutes readjusting everything.

In multi-driver setups, it transforms the shared EV into a truly intelligent, user-aware machine that respects individual preferences while keeping the primary owner informed.

Tesla’s commitment to over-the-air updates continues to enhance ownership value years after purchase.

This small but significant addition highlights how software can solve real-world problems in multi-user environments, making Tesla vehicles more family-friendly and practical than ever. For the millions of owners sharing a single car, the 2026.8 update delivers transparency, time savings, enhanced safety, and effortless personalization. It is a great new feature that is rolling out to vehicles now.

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