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SpaceX Falcon 9 “fleet leader” returns to port after record reuse
SpaceX is well and truly 70% of the way to a longstanding rocket reusability target after successfully launching and landing the same Falcon 9 booster on seven orbital-class missions.
Known as Falcon 9 B1049, the record-breaking rocket booster and new “fleet leader” safely returned to Port Canaveral aboard drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) on Saturday, November 28th. Aside from a minor hiccup and 24-hour delay from a vague need for “additional mission assurance,” Falcon 9’s seventh-flight debut was as flawless as ever, simultaneously marking the rocket’s 100th launch overall and 99th success after a decade of operation.
Crystallized in May 2018 and floated many times before by CEO Elon Musk in years prior, SpaceX’s primary goal for Falcon 9 reusability has been ten flights per booster with near-zero refurbishment between launches for several years. As such, Falcon 9 B1049’s latest success means that SpaceX is just three flights away from crossing that partly symbolic but still spectacular milestone.
For as long as SpaceX and Musk have been transparent about their desire to implement reusability into orbital-class rockets, entrenched competitors like Arianespace and United Launch Alliance (ULA) have almost continuously responded with vague internal studies that conclude that changing their ways is counterproductive. Often, somewhat arbitrary figures arise, with ULA executives frequently falling back on the excuse that SpaceX-style reusability only makes financial sense if a booster fleet averages at least ten flights each.
Arianespace executives have echoed similar sentiments over the years and more recently implied that it would only ever make sense to invest in SpaceX-style reusability if the conglomerate could guarantee at least 30 launch contracts annually.
Instead of complaining and splitting theoretical hairs for the better part of a decade, SpaceX simply started working. After many tries, the first successful Falcon 9 booster landing came in December 2015. ~15 months later, SpaceX reused an orbital-class rocket booster on a commercial mission for the first time ever. Another 14 months after that, Falcon 9 Block 5 debuted with a bevy of upgrades focused on reusability and reliability, and that same Falcon 9 booster became the first to launch on three orbital-class missions just seven months later.
Falcon 9 B1049 debuted in September 2018. 26 months later, the rocket has completed its seventh successful launch and landing, averaging one orbital satellite launch every ~110 days – an impressive feat for the fourth Block 5 booster ever built. Newer boosters like Falcon 9 B1058 are already improving on the records of their predecessors, managing an average of one launch every 60-80 days.
Even if ten flights were to inexplicably become a permanent design limit for all Falcon operations, SpaceX’s current fleet of eight flight-proven Falcon 9 boosters would still be capable of singlehandedly supporting at least 54 more launches, with another 16 on top of that if two dormant Falcon Heavy side boosters are converted for single-core use. SpaceX is unlikely to stop producing Falcon boosters for at least another year or two, adding at least 6-10 more first stages to the fleet to support dozens of crucial Falcon 9 and Falcon Heavy launches over the next 5-10 years.
In simpler terms, it’s almost time for SpaceX’s competitors to move their goalposts again. If B1049 can mirror its 2020 average of one launch every ~80 days, the Falcon 9 booster could be ready for its tenth flight as early as Q3 2021 (with B1051 not far behind it).
News
Tesla seeks approval to test FSD Supervised in new Swedish city
Tesla has applied to conduct local Full Self-Driving (Supervised) testing in the city of Jönköping, Sweden.
Tesla has applied to conduct local Full Self-Driving (Supervised) testing in the city of Jönköping, Sweden.
As per local outlet Jönköpings-Posten, Tesla has contacted the municipality with a request to begin FSD (Supervised) tests in the city. The company has already received approval to test its Full Self-Driving (Supervised) software in several Swedish municipalities, as well as on the national road network.
Sofia Bennerstål, Tesla’s Head of Public Policy for Northern Europe, confirmed that an application has been submitted for FSD’s potential tests in Jönköping.
“I can confirm that we have submitted an application, but I cannot say much more about it,” Bennerstål told the news outlet. She also stated that Tesla is “satisfied with the tests” in the region so far.
The planned tests in Jönköping would involve a limited number of Tesla-owned vehicles. Trained Tesla safety drivers would remain behind the wheel and be prepared to intervene if necessary.
Tesla previously began testing in Nacka municipality after receiving local approval. At the time, the company stated that cooperation between authorities, municipalities, and industry enables technological progress and helps integrate future transport systems into real-world traffic conditions, as noted in an Allt Om Elbil report.
If approved, Jönköping would become the latest Swedish municipality to allow local Full Self-Driving (Supervised) testing.
Tesla’s Swedish testing program is part of the company’s efforts to validate its supervised autonomous driving software in everyday traffic environments. Municipal approvals allow Tesla to gather data in urban settings that include roundabouts, complex intersections, and mixed traffic conditions.
Sweden has become an increasingly active testing ground for Tesla’s driver-assistance software in Europe, with regulatory coordination between local authorities and national agencies enabling structured pilot programs.
Elon Musk
Microsoft partners with Starlink to expand rural internet access worldwide
The update was shared ahead of Mobile World Congress.
Microsoft has announced a new collaboration with Starlink as part of its expanding digital access strategy, following the company’s claim that it has extended internet connectivity coverage to more than 299 million people worldwide.
The update was shared ahead of Mobile World Congress, where Microsoft detailed how it surpassed its original goal of bringing internet access to 250 million people by the end of 2025.
In a blog post, Microsoft confirmed that it is now working with Starlink to expand connectivity in rural and hard-to-reach regions.
“Through our collaboration with Starlink, Microsoft is combining low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity with community-based deployment models and local ecosystem partnerships,” the company wrote.
The partnership is designed to complement Microsoft’s existing work with local internet providers and infrastructure companies across Africa, Latin America, and India, among other areas. Microsoft noted that traditional infrastructure alone cannot meet demand in some regions, making low-Earth orbit satellite connectivity an important addition.
Kenya was cited as an early example. Working with Starlink and local provider Mawingu Networks, Microsoft is supporting connectivity for 450 community hubs in rural and underserved areas. These hubs include farmer cooperatives, aggregation centers, and digital access facilities intended to support agricultural productivity and AI-enabled services.
Microsoft stated that 2.2 billion people globally remain offline, and that connectivity gaps risk widening as AI adoption accelerates.
Starlink’s expanding constellation, now numbering more than 9,700 satellites in orbit, provides near-global coverage, making it one of the few systems capable of delivering broadband to remote regions without relying on terrestrial infrastructure.
Starlink is expected to grow even more in the coming years as well, especially as SpaceX transitions its fleet to Starship, which is capable of carrying significantly larger payloads compared to its current workhorse, the Falcon 9.
Elon Musk
Tesla expands US LFP battery supply with LG Energy Solution deal: report
The report was initially published by TheElec, citing industry sources.
LG Energy Solution (LGES) will manufacture lithium iron phosphate (LFP) energy storage system (ESS) batteries for Tesla at its Lansing, Michigan facility.
The report was initially published by TheElec, citing industry sources.
LG Energy Solution’s Lansing plant, formerly known as Ultium Cells 3, was previously operated as a joint venture with General Motors. LGES acquired GM’s stake in May 2025 and now fully owns the site. With a production capacity of 50 GWh per year, it is one of the company’s largest facilities in North America.
LG Energy Solution is converting part of the Lansing factory to produce LFP batteries for energy storage systems. Equipment orders for the new lines have already been placed, and mass production is reportedly expected to begin in the second half of next year.
Last July, LG Energy Solution disclosed a 5.94 trillion won battery supply agreement running from August 2027 to July 2030. While the company did not name the customer, industry sources pointed to Tesla as the buyer.
Tesla has primarily used CATL’s prismatic batteries for its Megapack systems. The move to source prismatic LFP cells from LG Energy Solution’s U.S. plant could then be seen as part of Tesla’s efforts to bolster its North American supply base for its energy storage business.
For the Lansing conversion, LG Energy Solution reportedly plans to use electrode equipment originally ordered under its Ultium Cells venture with General Motors. Suppliers reportedly include CIS and Hirano Tecseed for electrode systems, TSI for mixing equipment, CK Solution for heat exhaust systems, A-Pro for formation equipment, and Shinjin Mtech for assembly kits.
Tesla currently manufactures energy storage products at facilities in California and Shanghai, though another Megafactory that produces the Megapack is also expected to be built in Texas. As per recent reports, the Texas Megafactory recently advanced with a major property sale.
Tesla seeks approval to test FSD Supervised in new Swedish city
Microsoft partners with Starlink to expand rural internet access worldwide
