News
SpaceX launches fourth Starlink mission in 16 days
Update: SpaceX has officially completed its fifth Falcon 9 launch and landing in three weeks and delivered its fourth batch of Starlink satellites to orbit in 16 days.
Following a rare ‘leapfrog’ likely due to the presence of third-party rideshare payloads from Capella Space and Tyvak, Starlink-26 successfully lifted off on May 15th, six days after a flawless Starlink-27 launch that also marked the first tenth flight of a Falcon booster. Starlink-26 is SpaceX’s fourth Starlink rideshare and fifth self-managed rideshare overall, as well as the company’s 15th launch of 2021. With more than six months to go until 2022, SpaceX could complete upwards of 40 orbital launches this year if it maintains that cadence.
Up next, Starlink-28 is already scheduled to launch as early as the afternoon of May 26th.
On the heels of a two-week April hiatus as SpaceX switched its focus to a crucial astronaut launch, the company has begun churning through an unending backlog of Starlink missions.
Crew Dragon and Falcon 9 became the first crewed space capsule and liquid rocket booster to launch astronauts twice on April 23rd, acing NASA’s Crew-2 mission with four international astronauts. Less than a week later, SpaceX jumped back to the grind with Starlink-24 on April 29th. On May 4th, Falcon 9 B1049 aced its ninth launch and landing and delivered the booster’s seventh batch of 60 Starlink satellites to orbit with Starlink-25.
Less than five days after that, Falcon 9 booster B1051 successfully lifted off on SpaceX’s Starlink-27 mission, becoming the first liquid rocket booster ever to complete ten orbital-class launches (and landings). Hours later, Starlink-25 Falcon 9 booster B1049 sailed back to port on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY). Amidst that flurry of launches, landings, and booster returns, SpaceX has already scheduled its next Starlink launch – Starlink-26 – less than a week after Starlink-27.
According to Spaceflight Now, Next Spaceflight, and launch photographer Ben Cooper, Starlink-26 – leapfrogged by Starlink-27 for unknown reasons – is scheduled to launch as early as 6:58 pm EDT (00:58 UTC) on Saturday, May 15th, less than a week after Starlink-27. Next Spaceflight reports that SpaceX has assigned Falcon 9 booster B1058 to launch Starlink-26 – its eighth orbital-class launch – 38 days after the same rocket launched Starlink-23.
There are some signs that Starlink-26 will carry rideshare payloads for one or several other companies, which could explain why the mission was leapfrogged by Starlink-27. The only other instance of a leapfrog happened last year when Falcon 9 booster B1049 was beset by repeated delays while trying to launch Starlink-15, which could also have delayed Starlink-26.
Either way, if SpaceX manages to launch Starlink-26 on time, it will be the fourth Starlink launch in 16 days and third in 11 days, setting up May 2021 to be one of the busiest months in the company’s history. Beyond Starlink missions, SpaceX recovered Crew Dragon and four astronauts for the first time after a record-breaking long-duration spaceflight on May 2nd, followed by Starship SN15 becoming the first full-size Mars rocket prototype to survive a high-altitude launch and landing on May 5th.
Less than two weeks prior, SpaceX launched four international astronauts to orbit in a flight-proven Dragon capsule and on a flight-proven Falcon 9 booster, representing a truly historic validation of the company’s reusable rockets and spacecraft. Accompanied by the symbolic but still historic tenth flight of a Falcon booster weeks later, it’s hard to say that SpaceX’s future has ever looked brighter.
Elon Musk
SpaceX’s newest logo confirms everything about what it’s become
SpaceX officially absorbed xAI under the SpaceXAI brand, completing the largest private merger in history.
SpaceX made its corporate transformation official in May 2026 when Elon Musk posted on X that xAI would cease to exist as a standalone company. “xAI will be dissolved as a separate company, so it will just be SpaceXAI, the AI products from SpaceX,” he wrote.
A new SpaceXAI logo was announced today, visually embedding the xAI letters inside the SpaceX identity, which can be seen as a deliberate design choice that signals the merger is not a partnership but a full absorption and XAi a core function of the same company. The same way Starlink is not a separate brand but a SpaceX product. The announcement closed the loop on a process that began February 2, 2026, when SpaceX acquired xAI in the largest private merger in history, valued at $1.25 trillion. SpaceX at $1 trillion and xAI at $250 billion.
We are now @SpaceXAI. pic.twitter.com/ema66xDWC9
— SpaceXAI (@SpaceXAI) July 6, 2026
The reason SpaceX bought xAI was stated plainly by Musk at the time of the deal: to build orbital data centers. SpaceX had simultaneously filed with the FCC to launch up to one million satellites designed to function as AI compute nodes in low Earth orbit, escaping what Musk described as the energy constraints limiting AI development on Earth.
xAI provided the AI software stack, with Grok, the X platform, and the Colossus supercomputer infrastructure in Memphis with over 220,000 NVIDIA GPUs, while SpaceX provided the rockets, Starlink, and the capital base to fund it. The two companies needed each other. xAI was burning $2.5 billion in losses on $250 million in revenue. SpaceX was generating an estimated $8 billion in profit on $15 billion in revenue and needed an AI narrative to command the valuation it was targeting for its IPO.
What SpaceX has done, regardless of how the orbital AI vision ultimately plays out, is walk into a public market as something no company has been before: a rocket manufacturer, satellite internet provider, AI software company, social media platform, and supercomputer operator under one ticker. Whether that combination is worth $2 trillion depends entirely on which of those businesses you believe in most.
Tesla brought its innovative Cybercab robotaxi to the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Annual Convention in Austin, Texas, on July 3 at the JW Marriott Austin.
The hands-on demonstration highlighted the vehicle’s thoughtful design for blind and visually impaired users, underscoring Tesla’s commitment to inclusive autonomous mobility. Attendees, many using white canes or accompanied by service dogs, experienced the steering-wheel-free Cybercab firsthand.
Cybercab at the National Federation of the Blind’s Annual Convention in Austin for a hands-on experience of its accessibility features for blind or visually impaired customers⁰⁰For example:⁰– Braille lettering on physical controls
– Space for service animals & assistive… pic.twitter.com/8wrJcDHkw7— Tesla Robotaxi (@robotaxi) July 6, 2026
The showcase emphasized practical features tailored to the needs of the blind community. Braille lettering appears on physical controls, including door releases and emergency buttons, allowing users to navigate interfaces independently through touch. Generous interior space accommodates service animals and assistive devices such as canes, guide dogs, or mobility aids without compromising comfort.
Wheelchair-height seating facilitates easier transfers for users with additional mobility challenges. Photos from the event captured blind attendees approaching the vehicle confidently, service dogs relaxing inside, and hands exploring Braille-equipped handles.
Tesla Robotaxi’s official account detailed these elements, noting the Cybercab’s focus on accessibility, especially noting the Braille lettering and additional space for service animals.
How Tesla Will Transform Mobility for the Blind
Autonomous vehicles like the Cybercab promise revolutionary independence for the roughly 2.2 million visually impaired Americans. Traditional barriers—reliance on sighted drivers, costly paratransit, or limited public transit—often restrict spontaneous travel. Tesla Full Self-Driving aims to eliminate the need for a human operator, enabling on-demand, door-to-door rides via simple app hailing with voice guidance.
Users gain freedom to work, socialize, shop, or attend events anytime without scheduling hassles or safety concerns. This reduces isolation, boosts employment opportunities, and enhances quality of life, turning mobility from a dependency into true personal autonomy.
The NFB demonstration not only gathered valuable feedback but also generated excitement about a future where technology levels the playing field. By prioritizing inclusive design, Tesla advances a vision of transportation that serves everyone, potentially reshaping daily life for blind individuals and setting a standard for the autonomous industry.
As Cybercab deployment scales, these accessibility innovations could mark a significant step toward equitable mobility.
Investor's Corner
Tesla challenges startups to score a gig inside its most advanced European factory
Tesla is challenging startups to bring their best battery tech directly to Gigafactory Berlin.
Tesla has issued an open challenge to startups across Europe, inviting them to bring their best battery technology directly to the floor of Gigafactory Berlin. The program, called the JUNI x Tesla Battery Cell Giga Challenge, opened applications this month with a deadline of July 24, 2026, and is targeting startups with solutions that can make battery cell manufacturing faster, cheaper, safer, and more scalable at an industrial level.
The timing of the challenge is directly tied to Tesla’s most aggressive European battery investment yet. On May 12, 2026, Giga Berlin plant manager André Thierig announced a $250 million investment to scale the factory’s annual 4680 cell production capacity from 8 GWh to 18 GWh, more than doubling the previous target set just months earlier in December 2025. Thierig confirmed the expansion on X, saying the investment “will enable 18 GWh of annual 4680 cell production and create more than 1,500 new jobs.” Combined with a previously announced battery investment at the Grunheide site now approaches $1.2 billion.
Today, we announced a $ 250m investment for our Giga Berlin Cell factory. This will enable 18GWh of annual 4680 cell production and create more than 1500 new jobs. Good news during challenging times for the German industry. pic.twitter.com/ou4SWMfWh9
— André Thierig (@AndrThie) May 12, 2026
The challenge is looking specifically for startups with proven solutions across five categories: materials, equipment, operations, automation, and artificial intelligence. Applications are screened directly by Tesla’s cell manufacturing team in Grunheide, and the strongest submissions move through technical discussions, a pitch day in front of Tesla stakeholders, and potentially a paid pilot project with the cell team. Tesla is not looking for ideas at concept stage. The program requires applicants to demonstrate working prototypes, test data, or prior pilots before being considered.
The historical context matters here. Elon Musk first announced plans for what he called the world’s largest battery cell production facility alongside the Giga Berlin car factory back in 2020, targeting up to 250 GWh of annual capacity. Those plans were shelved in 2022 when Tesla shifted its battery investment focus to the United States to take advantage of Inflation Reduction Act incentives. The revival of cell production at Giga Berlin, now backed by over $1 billion in committed capital, represents a return to an ambition that was set aside for three years. As Teslarati has reported, the 4680 format is central to Tesla’s long-term cost reduction strategy across vehicles, energy storage, including the Tesla Semi and Cybercab.
By opening the challenge to outside startups, Tesla is acknowledging that reaching 18 GWh at Grunheide will require technology it does not currently have in-house, and it is willing to pay for the right solutions. For a startup in the battery supply chain, a paid pilot with Tesla’s European cell team is as close to a direct commercial path as the industry offers.
SpaceX’s newest logo confirms everything about what it’s become
Tesla flexes how it will help the blind with Cybercab
