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SpaceX nears Falcon 9’s first commercial interplanetary launch: a private Moon lander
Israeli aerospace company SpaceIL has reportedly completed the world’s first private Moon lander at the same time as the primary payload it will be tagging along with – Indonesia’s PSN-6 communications satellite – arrived in Cape Canaveral, Florida, where engineers will now prepare the spacecraft for a launch NET February 13th, 2019 atop SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket.
Recently crowned Beresheet (Hebrew for “Genesis”), the small ~600 kg (1300 lb) lunar lander will also be joined by an innovative new rideshare technology managed this time around by Spaceflight Industries, potentially giving small satellite (under 100 kg) customers the ability to tag along with a large geostationary communications satellite like PSN-6 to reach orbits far higher than those routinely accessible with rideshares and even dedicated launches.
The Indonesian satellite Nusantara Satu (PSN VI) has arrived at the Cape for its February launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 (SSL Release: https://t.co/usuBQeq9Uz).
This is a shared launch with Spaceflight GTO-1/SpaceIL (Israel’s first mission to the moon): https://t.co/OvyNAc9qfP pic.twitter.com/Z8HDFDUCdX
— NSF – NASASpaceflight.com (@NASASpaceflight) December 20, 2018
While SpaceX is unaffiliated with SpaceIL, this mission will technically mark the first time that SpaceX has conducted a commercially-procured interplanetary launch, hopefully placing Beresheet (nicknamed “Berrie” by SpaceIL) on a direct trajectory to the Moon after sending PSN-6 on its way to geostationary orbit. The actual logistics of this unprecedented rideshare mission are unclear, but the most logical setup would see PSN-6 somehow integrated on top of SpaceIL’s Moon lander, allowing the communications satellite to be deployed into a geostationary transfer orbit before Falcon 9’s upper stage reignites to send Beresheet on an escape trajectory.
Assuming that is the case, this mission may also become the second time that SpaceX has utilized its Falcon 9 upper stage’s long coast capabilities on a commercial mission, as the rocket would need to remain operational at least several hours after deploying PSN-6 in order to reignite for Beresheet. It’s also possible that the PSN-6 satellite itself will play a role in sending Beresheet to the Moon or that the lunar lander will bring along its own boost stage to journey from GTO to lunar orbit, but both alternatives are improbable. Just last week, on December 22nd, SpaceX conducted its first true operational long-coast during the launch of the USAF’s first new GPS satellite, coasting for around 60 minutes between Merlin Vacuum (MVac) ignitions.
In February 2018, Falcon Heavy also demonstrated an even longer coast of ~6 hours during the heavy-lift rocket’s launch debut, allowing SpaceX to send Starman and his Tesla Roadster into an elliptical orbit around the sun, one end stretching out past the orbit of Mars.
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- An overview of SSL’s PODS rideshare concept, showing the many possible locations where smallsat dispensers can potentially be attached to commsats. (SSL)
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- Spaceflight’s SSO-A Upper Free Flyer visualized deploying cubesats shortly after launch on Falcon 9. PODS would be quite similar, albeit on a smaller scale. (Spaceflight)
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- Beresheet is seen here prior to the spacecraft’s flight from Israel to Florida. (SpaceIL/IAI)
Aside from the already-unprecedented rideshare combo of a commercial communications satellite and an interplanetary spacecraft, the PSN-6 mission will further include an innovative new approach to satellite rideshare launches, potentially allowing unrelated smallsat operators the opportunity to piggyback on the commercial geostationary satellite missions that serve as a backbone of the private launch market. By piggybacking on larger satellites headed to geostationary orbit (35,786 km or 22,236 mi), smallsats may be able to reach truly unprecedented orbital heights – useful for science, commerce, and exploration – that could ultimately pave the way for independent interplanetary smallsat missions, leapfrogging off of high-energy geostationary orbits to head to nearby bodies like asteroids, Mars, Venus, and more.
There is also a chance that PSN-6 could launch on a flight-proven Falcon 9 rocket, an event that would mark the first time in history that a commercial interplanetary spacecraft reached orbit on a reused commercial rocket. Either way, FCC filings have already confirmed that Falcon 9 will attempt to land on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) roughly 650 km (410 mi) off the Florida coast.
For prompt updates, on-the-ground perspectives, and unique glimpses of SpaceX’s rocket recovery fleet check out our brand new LaunchPad and LandingZone newsletters!
Tesla has officially launched the Model Y L in the United States and Puerto Rico for $61,990. It is the longer-wheelbase version of the Model Y, and has been available in China since last year.
Tesla brings the Model Y L to the U.S. just months after it phased out the only pure SUV in its lineup, the Model X. It is slightly longer than the Model Y configurations that are already available in the U.S., and features a three-row, six-seat setup with Captain’s Chairs being among the many features that make this a truly fantastic offering.
The Model Y L is priced competitively at $61,990, and features 325 miles of range and a 0-60 MPH in just 4.4 seconds.
Tesla also added a handful of new features that are not available in even the Premium Model Y. Here’s a full list of its features:
- Heated/Ventilated Front Seats with Powered Thigh Cushion
- Heated/Ventilated Captain’s Seats in Second Row with Powered Armrests & One-Touch Fold
- Heated Third-Row Seats with Power Recline, One-Touch Fold & Child Seat Anchors
- Improved Airflow, Increased Efficiency, More Range
- 89 cubic feet of trunk space
- Upgraded Acoustic Glass and Suspension to Minimize Road Noise
- Adaptive Damping for a Smooth, Stable Ride
- Staggered Tires for Enhanced Grip
- Larger Tailgate for Better Rear Visibility and Bigger Windows Overall
- 16″ First Row and 8″ Second Row Touchscreens
- 19-Speaker Immersive Tesla Audio
- 50W Wireless Charging Pads with Active Cooling and Charging Ports for All Other Seats
- FSD Supervised and Integrated Grok AI
Tesla is also delivering these first units as a “Launch Series,” which comes with additional features, such as:
- Door Trim Puddle Lights
- Suede Dashboard Wing
- Exterior and Interior Badging
- Floor Mats
- Sill Plates
The launch of the Model Y L in the U.S. marks a huge offering from Tesla to U.S. consumers. People have been calling for Tesla to bring a larger car to the U.S., and it needed it more than ever now that the Model X is gone.
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- Credit: Tesla
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- Credit: Tesla
It is a huge accomplishment for Tesla to get the Model Y L to the U.S., and after reporting strong deliveries today, it will be interesting to see how this car impacts future quarterly delivery reports.
Deliveries for the Model Y L “Launch Series” are slated for September or October of this year.
Tesla just told us twice that the Model Y L is coming to the U.S., and two social media posts definitely just tipped the company’s hand, as if they wanted it to be any other way.
The two social media posts basically confirm that the slightly longer version of the Model Y will be heading to the United States soon, and many have speculated that the company could launch the vehicle as soon as this weekend.
The first post was directly from Tesla, and it showed an incredibly long Dachshund, with words above that said, “Looking forward to the long weekend.”
Looking forward to the long weekend pic.twitter.com/URzH6zOUdn
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 1, 2026
Anyone who knows Tesla knows the company loves to troll its fans and have fun, and this is a perfect example of that. While not a direct acknowledgement, Tesla is very involved on social media, especially CEO Elon Musk’s platform X, and the company is well aware of what is being discussed within the community.
With recent sightings of Model Y L test mules in California, peeks of the vehicle at Giga Texas, and a large call for the car to come to the U.S., Tesla is simply stoking conversation with this.
However, the company also made another move that was recognized on social media. Tesla has a large gallery that includes photos of its products so media and others can use them. This gallery applies to the U.S. market specifically, unless otherwise specified.
Tesla uploaded a Model Y L to the Gallery last night:
This looks like a Model Y L https://t.co/TpnBwrLmH9
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 2, 2026
This seems to be another indication that the Model Y L is coming to the United States.
Musk said last year that the Model Y L could make its way to the United States late this year, but it was not something that was set in stone by Tesla. The company definitely needs to establish something in the SUV market that is larger than the Model Y, and the Model Y L might be the answer.
Even still, there are consumers out there who would love Tesla to develop something even larger, like a competitor to the Tahoe or Expedition. Tesla has not really given much of an indication that it will go in that direction.
Tesla is using the vehicles’ internal microphones to improve build quality, Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy revealed recently.
It’s no secret that Tesla is always finding ways to make its manufacturing operations more efficient, accurate, and valuable. Constantly trying to make its cars better, the company has never placed any restrictions on what it will do to improve everything from panel gaps to paint.
As Teslas have been driving autonomously on the property of the Gigafactory Texas plant for a while now, Moravy revealed to Herbert Ong in a new interview that cars rolling off production lines now autonomously navigate themselves through a bumps, squeaks, and rattles (BSR) portion of the line. This helps to identify any loose or improperly installed internal parts.
The cabin’s microphones, which are used for a variety of things in ownership, simultaneously monitor any noises inside the vehicle while it rolls through the BSR portion of the production line. Moravy actually revealed that Tesla is trying to build “Full Self-Hearing,” an AI system that will detect minor imperfections so they can be corrected before delivery.
It’s no secret that build quality is something that Tesla struggled with as it scaled to a fully massive production operation that manufactures over 1.6 million vehicles per year. However, in recent years, especially, there have not been as many complaints. Tesla has truly improved upon its build quality and paint quality over the past several years, especially in the U.S.
Tesla’s ‘megacasts’ are key to massive build quality improvements
While those improvements have been evident, there are still some complaints; no automaker is perfect with this. But this step will now ensure that every single car that rolls off the production lines at Gigafactory Texas will be void of any creaks, squeaks, or squeals when it leaves the factory.
This measure is one of the most unique we’ve seen in terms of a strategy to avoid build quality issues, but it is not exclusive to Tesla.
Ford uses acoustic analysis AI to find abnormalities in seat motors, climate control units, and other components. Suppliers and OEMs will also use microphone arrays or particle velocity sensors in end-of-line stations.
The full interview with Lars Moravy is available below:
🚨 If you’re a Tesla investor, this is one interview you don’t want to skip. The full video posted below.
Jeff Lutz @thejefflutz and I sat down with Tesla VP of Engineering Lars Moravy, and it was packed with insights!
A few of the biggest takeaways:
• Cybercab is expected to… pic.twitter.com/fhYSr2dCqP
— Herbert Ong (@herbertong) July 1, 2026
Tesla brings Model Y L ‘Launch Series’ to the U.S. at $61,990
Tesla just told us twice that Model Y L is coming to the U.S.
