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SpaceX Falcon 9 nears NASA’s first flight-proven Block 5 launch after static fire delays
After multiple days of delays, many a finger is crossed that SpaceX will be able to perform a critical static fire test of Falcon 9 booster B1056.1 on Friday morning (July 19th).
Falcon 9 B1056 and a fresh upper stage are scheduled to launch Cargo Dragon mission CRS-18 no earlier than 7:35 pm EDT (23:35 UTC), July 21st. As always, SpaceX requires each Falcon 9 rocket to successfully perform a static fire ignition test prior to declaring launch readiness, and B1056 was originally planned to be loaded with propellant and fire its nine Merin 1D engines on Wednesday, July 16th.
After a solid handful of slips, the test has most recently been rescheduled on Friday morning, a delay of 48 hours. SpaceX has demonstrated a three-day turnaround between static fire and launch with Falcon 9 Block 5, but a static fire delay beyond Friday – perhaps even beyond early Friday afternoon – will almost certainly push CRS-18’s launch back a day or two. If not, SpaceX is certainly cutting it close to make the current July 21st date.
In support of Cargo Dragon Commercial Resupply Mission-17 (CRS-17), Falcon 9 B1056 launched for the first time on May 4th, roughly 11 weeks (76 days) ago and 78 days before its planned return to flight. For both SpaceX and NASA, CRS-18 will be a fairly significant launch for a variety of reasons
Falcon2
First and foremost, Falcon 9 B1056 previously supported a NASA Cargo Dragon mission, as described above. Even before the booster successfully landed and returned to port, plans were already in order to essentially keep the booster “in family”, reusing it for NASA launches only. Discussed on Teslarati immediately after the subject was broached during a post-launch press conference, NASA manager Kenny Todd didn’t split hairs.
“Quite frankly, [NASA] had a vested interest in this particular booster. We were gonna require it – the intent is to [reuse B1056 on SpaceX’s upcoming CRS-18 launch] and – potentially – CRS-19.”
Kenny Todd, ISS Operations and Integration Manager, NASA Johnson
Not only will NASA fly Cargo Dragon’s CRS-18 mission on B1056, but the agency is already actively considering reusing the same Falcon 9 booster – assuming a successful launch and landing next week – on CRS-19, SpaceX’s second-to-last Dragon 1 (i.e. Cargo Dragon) launch. If all goes well with CRS-18, CRS-19 could come as early as December 2019, while CRS-20 – likely Dragon 1’s last launch ever – is scheduled no earlier than March 2020 and could certainly make use of B1056.3 if NASA is interested.
Dragon3
Meanwhile, although neither SpaceX or NASA have confirmed it, the Cargo Dragon capsule flight-proven Falcon 9 B1056 will itself be flight-proven – although that’s nothing shocking after a full half-dozen successful launches of reused capsules. What will be exceptional, however, is the likely event that CRS-18 will mark the first time that SpaceX has launched the same Cargo Dragon capsule on its third orbital mission.
Speaking all the way back in summer 2017, now two years distant, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk revealed that Cargo Dragon (Dragon 1) was designed at the outset to be reused three times. Almost exactly 24 months later, SpaceX is likely to prove that that is the case. Based on a list of known Dragon 1 capsules and their serial numbers, SpaceX has already launch and reused all but one of the last seven capsules built and successfully recovered. Capsule 107 (C107) supported CRS-5 in January 2015 and was successfully recovered one month later.

Aside from CRS-7 capsule C109, destroyed in June 2015 during Falcon 9’s first and only in-flight failure, all other capsules (C108-C113) have been successfully launched, recovered, and relaunched. As such, it seems extremely improbable that CRS-5 capsule C107 will be supporting CRS-18. Instead, one of SpaceX’s six twice-flight-proven orbital spacecraft has likely been refurbished for the final time, preparing to become the first orbital-class commercial spacecraft to be reused twice.
Thy Holy Stripe
Finally, it also appears that CRS-18 will mark the debut some sort of on-orbit Falcon upper stage test, hinted at by a grey ring wrapping what looks like just a portion of its fuel (RP-1/kerosene) tank. The objective of this modification is unclear, although chances are good that either NASASpaceflight.com or SpaceX itself will provide at least a bit more information in the coming days.
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Elon Musk
Tesla owners doxxed by controversial anti-DOGE website in clear intimidation tactic

Tesla owners are being doxxed by a controversial anti-DOGE website in what it called an act to “empower creative expressions of protest.”
Dogequest, a website that has been created with a clearly outlined use for intimidation against Tesla owners, posted the names, addresses, phone numbers, and other contact information of those who own vehicles made by the electric vehicle manufacturer.
It was spotted by 404 Media.
The site also claims to have the information of employees at the Department of Government Efficiency, as well as the addresses of Tesla dealerships and the locations of Tesla Superchargers. The latter two are public information.
However, the website is hoping to get Tesla owners to sell their vehicles in this evident intimidation tactic. However, the information on the website, while it was seen, was not verified to prove that it contained the information of real-world Tesla owners. The site was not accessible by Teslarati at the time of publication.
The creation of a site like Dogequest is just another level that anti-Elon Musk activists are taking to attempt to destroy a company like Tesla as its CEO works with the Trump Administration to eliminate excessive government spending through the work of DOGE.
It is also the latest attack on Tesla owners, who have seen their vehicles vandalized, damaged, and even destroyed by those who disagree with the actions of Musk.
Tesla as a company has also seen several acts of retaliation against it, as everything from the arson of its showrooms and vehicles to it being kicked from the popular Vancouver Auto Show have come as a result of the recent backlash against the company.
Moving forward, there are still questions surrounding how these attacks will be combatted. The Trump Administration has indicated that acts of vandalism against Tesla would be considered a federal crime, but the tricky part of locating the culprits has proven to be extremely difficult. Only a handful have been found and held accountable.
Elon Musk
Tesla gets an upgrade on ‘upcoming material catalysts’

Tesla (NASDAQ: TSLA) received an upgraded rating on its shares from Wall Street firm Cantor Fitzgerald, who recently took a trip to Austin to visit the company’s data centers and production lines ahead of several high-profile product launches set for this year.
It was a bold move, especially considering Tesla shares are under immense pressure currently, fending off negative news regarding the company’s sentiment and potentially lower-than-expected delivery figures due to the launch of a new version of its most popular vehicle, the Model Y.
However, the bulls on Wall Street are still considering Tesla to be a safe play, especially considering its robust presence in various industries, including automotive, energy, and AI/Robotics.
Cantor Fitzgerald analyst Andres Sheppard said in a note that, during a recent visit to Tesla’s Cortex AI data centers and the production line at Gigafactory Texas, it was clear there is a lot of potential and runway for Tesla in 2025:
“On 3/18, we visited Tesla’s Cortex AI data centers and the factory’s production lines ahead of the company’s introduction of its Robotaxi segment (targeted for June in Austin, followed by CA later in 2025). With Tesla’s shares now down ~45% YRD, we upgrade Tesla to Overweight (from Neutral) ahead of upcoming material catalysts. Our $425 12-month PT is unchanged. Our Thoughts: Attractive Entry Point Ahead of Material Catalysts.”
Sheppard went on to mention the catalysts, which he believes are the Robotaxi rollout in Austin in June, along with the continued rollout of Full Self-Driving in China, the eventual rollout of FSD in Europe, and the introduction of the affordable models in the first half of this year, and those were just on the automotive side.
There are several others, including Optimus, growth in the energy division, and in the longer term, the Semi.
In terms of potential weaknesses, Sheppard expects the likely removal of the EV tax credit and some of its growth to be offset by tariffs as the two big things that stand in the way of even more growth for the company.
Tesla is up over 5 percent on Wednesday, trading at $236.86.
Elon Musk
Tesla kicked from popular auto show as event succumbs to protest pressure

Tesla has been kicked from a popular automotive show as the organizers of the massive event have succumbed to the pressure of protestors and others who oppose the electric vehicle maker.
The Vancouver Auto Show in Canada announced that it would not allow Tesla to establish a presence at the event this year, citing concerns about potential disruption from protestors and others who have been vocal about their distaste for the company and its CEO, Elon Musk.
Eric Nicholl, executive director of the Vancouver Auto International Show, said (via The Hill):
“The Vancouver Auto Show’s primary concern is the safety of attendees, exhibitors, and staff. This decision will ensure all attendees can be solely focused on enjoying the many positive elements of the event.”
Tesla was reportedly given several opportunities to voluntarily withdraw from the Vancouver Auto Show. The company evidently declined these invitations. Reps of the event itself then took it into their own hands, stating that the company would not be welcome at the event any longer.
Musk’s involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) under the Trump Administration seems to be the main culprit for so much pushback from the opposition.
Protest groups and organizers have put together various acts of opposition against Tesla, some more reasonable than others, in an effort to show their distaste for the company and Musk. However, many of these acts have turned violent, resulting in the vandalism or even the total destruction of vehicles. It’s one thing to use your right to protest, and it’s another to destroy people’s personal vehicles or property that belongs to the automaker.
The decision by the Vancouver Auto Show sets a dangerous precedent that the violence and destruction tactics used by groups that oppose Tesla will work. Ultimately, people’s safety is most important, but there is the impression that shows will not take the proper precautions to ensure that all companies are able to show off their products and tech at the event.
This could have been resolved with other strategies, and axing Tesla from the show altogether could result in some fans boycotting the show altogether.
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