Connect with us

News

SpaceX Falcon 9 launch up next after ULA spy satellite mission hits snag

The United Launch Alliance Atlas V 531 is pictured on the launchpad of SLC-41 ahead of a scrubbed launch attempt. (Richard Angle)

Published

on

On Wednesday, November 3, a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Atlas V 531 rocket was set to launch the NROL-101 mission – a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO) of the United States government – from Space Launch Complex 41 (SLC-41) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. At neighboring Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) a SpaceX Falcon 9 stood ready and waiting to launch a US military GPS satellite just a day later.

Ultimately, due to an anomaly with launchpad ground support equipment, the ULA launch attempt of the Atlas V NROL-101 mission was scrubbed Wednesday evening. Admittedly, the weather did not look promising either with ground winds remaining a concern throughout the countdown window.

With an hour and forty-seven minutes to go – just five seconds after a planned fifteen-minute hold was released – the launch teams announced that an anomaly had been discovered with “a ground valve issue with the liquid oxygen system for the Atlas V first stage.” The discovery initiated an immediate stop to the countdown and launch teams entered into an unplanned hold that would delay the targeted launch time.

At first, ULA conducted remote troubleshooting, but the anomaly was not remedied and a return-to-pad team would be required to enter the secured launchpad to physically investigate.

Advertisement
The United Launch Alliance Atlas V 531 rocket is stacked with the classified NROL-101 payload for the National Reconnaissance Office and the United States Space Force at Space Launch Complex 41 of the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. (Richard Angle)

An anomaly team was deployed to investigate the valve that was restricting the flow of liquid oxygen (LOx) to the first stage of the Atlas V rocket. The hold remained for over an hour allowing the propellant lines to warm to a temperature that would be needed to be re-cooled prior to resuming the countdown.

Eventually, the return-to-pad team was able to evacuate the pad securing it for launch once again. Chill-down procedures to return the propellant lines back to an operational temperature began but were halted almost immediately. The anomaly had not been completely rectified and not enough time remained in the launch window to re-address it and re-chill the propellant lines. This led to the scrubbed launch attempt.

Typically, a scrubbed ULA mission for the NRO means that a neighboring SpaceX mission has to wait until the problem is fixed and ULA gets its rocket off of the nearby launchpad. However, that was not the case with Wednesday’s scrub. ULA stood down for a 48 hour recycle – rather than a typical 24 hour recycle – to attempt to launch the Atlas V 531 again on Friday, November 6.

This cleared the way for SpaceX to keep its targeted launch date of Thursday, November 5 during a launch window that extends approximately fifteen minutes from 6:24 – 6:39 p.m. EST (2324-2339 UTC) from SLC-40.

The payload fairing of the SpaceX Falcon 9 sports the mission artwork of the previous GPSIII-SV03 mission from June 30, 2020. (Richard Angle)

Following a successful static fire test of all nine Merlin 1D engines, SpaceX will attempt to launch the GPSIII-SV04 satellite for the United States military for a second time on Thursday, November 5.

The previous launch attempt on Friday, October 2 was thwarted at T-2 seconds due to anomalous engine start-up behavior. The unexplained early start-up of two Merlin 1D engines was eventually determined to be caused by “unexpected pressure rise in the turbomachinery gas generator” as explained by SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.

Advertisement

The engine anomaly prompted a thorough investigation of all Merlin 1D engines on the launch vehicle, as well as, a thorough investigation of the engines on two Falcon 9 launch vehicles designated for future NASA missions – the first operational rotation mission of the Commercial Crew Program, Crew-1, and the launch of the NASA and European Space Agency Earth-observation satellite, the Micheal Freilich Sentinel-6. Engines were eventually replaced on all three Falcon 9 launch vehicles.

A live hosted webcast of Thursday’s launch attempt will be provided on the company website and is expected to be available for viewing approximately fifteen minuted before liftoff.

Check out Teslarati’s Marketplace! We offer Tesla accessories, including for the Tesla Cybertruck and Tesla Model 3.

Advertisement

Space Reporter.

Advertisement
Comments

News

Tesla Q2 delivery consensus confirms this long-standing theory

Published

on

Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer/X

Tesla released what analysts believe the company will report in terms of deliveries and energy deployments for Q2, but the figures seem to confirm a long-standing theory on the company’s vehicle division.

For years, Tesla was just looked at as a car company. Now that it has established itself as a powerhouse in energy, AI, and tech as a whole, the company is now less hellbent on achieving quarterly growth, on a sequential basis, at least from a major standpoint.

Tesla topped out its annual deliveries in 2023 at 1.81 million, and in the two years since, the company has reported a decrease in deliveries for the entire 12-month term both times.

With Tesla delivering 358,023 cars in Q1, a 6.3 percent increase over Q1 2025, but falling short of Wall Street expectations at 365,000-370,000 units, the narrative around vehicle deliveries and their importance continued to change earlier this year. Some might say it is convenient, but others might say it is the typical evolution of a company that continues to change over time.

For Q2, Tesla’s delivery consensus estimates sit at 406,024 units, analysts believe. They were surveyed from Daiwa, DB, Wedbush, Cowen, Canaccord, Baird, Wolfe, BMP Paribas, Goldman Sachs, RBC, Evercore ISI, Barclays, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, Morgan Stanley, Truist, UBS, Jefferies, JPM, Needham & Co., HSBC, and William Blair.

Credit: Tesla

Tesla is also expected to report deployments of 13.8 GWh this quarter.

The change to Tesla’s overall narrative now leans less on vehicle deliveries and more on its other projects. Most notably, Tesla’s Robotaxi project has taken the priority over most of its other business ventures, and investors and the public are more concerned about the deployment of vehicles into the fleet, the operation of a driverless ride-hailing service, Cybercab production and operation, and expansion into new cities.

Tesla analyst realizes one big thing about the stock: deliveries are losing importance

This big narrative switch happened when Tesla indicated it was looking at making transportation a service by launching a ride-hailing service that will operate using Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite. Once unsupervised operation begins, Robotaxi could be a new way for people to get around, all without a driver in their car.

Instead, they will rely on the billions of miles Tesla has accumulated from its real-world fleet.

It is important to note that Tesla remains significant in the automotive sector, and deliveries must continue as they have for years. Tesla still has a strong automotive business and needs to execute further on all facets to keep its investors happy.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla looks keen to bring larger Model Y L to the U.S.

Published

on

Credit: Tesla

Tesla launched the slightly larger Model Y L in China last year, and it became a hit in no time. The longer wheelbase, larger interior, and slightly more forgiving legroom area in the Model Y L became a sought-after possibility for U.S. buyers, who have been begging the company for a larger SUV.

Now, Tesla needs it more than ever, especially considering the Model X was discontinued alongside its Model S sibling earlier this year. It looks to be more likely than ever, and based on recent reports, it will fall in line with CEO Elon Musk’s prediction that it would arrive in the United States in late 2026.

Recent reports from Forbes and Not a Tesla App both have indicated Tesla plans to bring the Model Y L to the U.S. this year. The reports cite “credible sources,” and an analyst from AutoForecast Solutions named Sam Fiorani stated that the car would enter production later this year.

Fiorani said:

“China, Australia, and India are supplied by the factory in China, which will not supply vehicles to the U.S. Production of the Model Y L is expected to begin in the U.S. in September, which will lead to sales beginning before the end of 2026.”

Production would take place at Gigafactory Texas.

Additionally, a few Model Y L units have been spotted under wraps in the United States, giving more indication that Tesla plans to bring the vehicle to the U.S. When Tesla is close to launching a vehicle in the U.S., it is not uncommon to see these models with the exact car covers that you see below:

It makes sense, especially considering Musk hinted the Model Y L would make it to the U.S. in late 2026, but it was up in the air. The CEO said the advent of self-driving might not warrant a larger SUV coming to the U.S. market specifically.

The problem is, consumers do not want to hear that. They love Tesla’s tech, FSD, and other features, but they need more space for growing families. The Model X is gone, and the most anyone can fit in a Tesla right now is seven people in the seven-seat Model Y. That back row is truly only large enough to fit small children comfortably.

Tesla fans have requested a full-size SUV, and the company has made some hints that it could be in the plans.

The Model Y and Model Y L differ noticeably in size, with the Model Y L being a stretched, six-seat variant designed for great interior room. The Standard Model Y measures approximately 4,790mm in length, 1,982 mm in width with the mirrors folded, 1,624mm in height, and 2,890mm in wheel base.

In contrast, the Model Y L extends to be about 4,969–4,976mm long (roughly 179mm or 7 inches longer), stands 1,668mm tall (+44mm), and features a significantly longer 3,040 mm wheelbase (+150mm), while maintaining the same width.

This elongation primarily benefits rear passenger space and enables a 2+2+2 seating layout with captain’s chairs, though it slightly reduces maximum cargo capacity behind the rearmost seats and adds a bit of overall mass and turning radius. The result is a more spacious family hauler that still shares the core footprint and agile character of the original Model Y.

Continue Reading

News

One of Tesla’s biggest threats just got banned in the U.S.

Published

on

In a major development that will inevitably strengthen Tesla’s dominant position in the American EV market, Polestar has been effectively banned from selling new vehicles in the United States, starting with the 2027 model year.

The U.S. Department of Commerce denied Polestar authorization under the Connected Vehicle Rule, which prohibits vehicles containing certain connected technologies (Cellular, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.) linked to China or Russia due to national security risks, including potential data collection on American drivers.

Polestar, which is majority-owned by China’s Geely Holding, could not obtain the required exemption despite producing some models domestically.

Polestar confirmed it will sell off any remaining inventory of the Polestar 3 and Polestar 4 models, while continuing service and warranty support for existing customers. No new models or major refreshes will reach U.S. buyers, and the company is pivoting its growth strategy to Europe, where it already generates the vast majority of its sales.

The outcome removes a direct premium EV competitor that had positioned itself as a stylish, performance-oriented alternative to Tesla’s lineup. The Polestar 2 challenged the Model 3, while the Polestar 3 and 4 targeted segments overlapping with the Model Y and upcoming Tesla offerings. Polestar’s U.S. sales had already been sluggish amid intense competition and slower demand, representing just 6 percent of its global volume in the first quarter of 2026.

While Polestar was not on Tesla’s level in the U.S., it still places a dent in the evergrowing field of Tesla competitors in the country, where it has long dominated EV sales.

Tesla faces none of these hurdles. As a U.S.-founded and U.S.-headquartered company with major manufacturing in Fremont, Austin, and Nevada, Tesla’s vehicles are built with compliant domestic and allied supply chains. Its Full Self-Driving technology, over-the-air software updates, and vertically integrated ecosystem were developed entirely in-house without foreign ownership entanglements that trigger national security reviews, at least in the U.S.

Of course, it did face a similar threat in China a few years back:

Elon Musk responds to reports of Tesla ban among China’s military over security concerns

The Connected Vehicle Rule, first advanced under the prior administration and upheld under the current one, is part of a broader U.S. effort to protect the domestic auto industry and critical technology from Chinese influence. High tariffs on Chinese-made EVs and related restrictions have already reshaped the market. Tesla benefits directly: it avoids these barriers while continuing to lead in U.S. EV sales volume, Supercharger network expansion, and energy storage integration.

By clearing Polestar from the new-vehicle playing field, the policy reduces competitive pressure in the premium and performance EV segments where Tesla has invested billions. American consumers seeking cutting-edge electric vehicles now have one fewer option tied to foreign adversaries — and one clearer path to the market leader that has driven the EV transition from the start.

For Tesla, this is more than regulatory relief. It is a strategic tailwind that reinforces its position as America’s premier EV innovator at a time when domestic manufacturing and technological independence matter most.

Continue Reading