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SpaceX is about to crush the record for most satellites launched on one rocket

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While delayed from Friday to Saturday, SpaceX’s next Falcon 9 launch still appears to be on track to obliterate the world’s current record for most satellites launched on a single rocket.

Currently set at 104 satellites by an Indian PSLV rocket launch in 2017, all signs point to SpaceX beating that record by almost 50% on its very first dedicated Smallsat Rideshare Program launch. Kicked off in 2019, not long after SpaceX completed its first dedicated rideshare launch for company Spaceflight Industries in December 2018, the Smallsat Program aimed to offer exceptionally affordable prices to companies and institutions open to rideshare arrangements.

While primarily centered around more frequent but mass and volume-limited Starlink tag-a-longs, three of which SpaceX has already completed, executives also promised regular bus-like Falcon 9 launches entirely dedicated to rideshare payloads. SpaceX’s first such mission, known as Transporter-1, is now scheduled to launch no earlier than 9:40 am EST (14:40 UTC) on Saturday, January 22nd.

In a surprising but welcome development, SpaceX continues to work closely with Celestrak – an extensive space-tracking catalog – and provided prelaunch data estimating the number of satellites and their positions shortly after deploying from Falcon 9’s upper stage. Notably, the data offers the first unofficial but likely reliable way to determine the number of spacecraft set to be deployed on SpaceX’s first dedicated Smallsat Program launch.

It’s extremely difficult to determine exactly how many satellites are aboard without an official account due to the fact that no less than four companies – Exolaunch, Spaceflight, Nanoracks, and SpaceX itself – are simultaneously operating as payload integrators with their own separate deployment systems (and even spacecraft). Uncertainty aside, based on unofficial analysis of the numbers provided to Celestrak by SpaceX, Transporter-1 will likely be carrying anywhere from 133 to 155+ small satellites come liftoff. In other words, SpaceX is set to beat the current record of 104 satellites by 25-49%.

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An artist rendering of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket launching a batch of small satellites. (SpaceX)

While adding complexity, SpaceX’s willingness to effectively subcontract large portions of rideshare launch service management to other companies also gives prospective customers ways to get their satellites into orbit at prices far lower than what SpaceX directly offers. Per SpaceX.com, the company continues to require a minimum order of $1 million for 200 kg to sun-synchronous orbit (SSO) and customers can choose to buy additional mass for $5,000 per kilogram. Those prices may sound expensive but are actually extremely competitive relative to the rest of the space launch market.

However, $1 million would be about as expensive as it gets for average nanosatellites (~1-10 kg). Instead, intermediaries like Exolaunch and Spaceflight work to win and wrangle multiple customers into a certain timeframe and then purchase necessary space aboard one or more optimal rideshare launch opportunities. In the case of SpaceX, for example, an intermediary can pay SpaceX $2 million for two docking ports and 400 kg of payload capacity, find 20 customers in need of launch, and charge each customer an average of $200,000 per satellite while still making a profit.

Transporter-1 launch delays aren’t exactly shocking when one considers the fact that SpaceX is attempting to manage the needs of multiple different launch servicers and several dozen customers. To an extent, every customer satellite is unique and has unique requirements. In several cases, some of the mission’s payloads are quite literally experimental, adding even more challenges and uncertainty.

With any luck, the stars will align and allow Falcon 9 to launch Transporter-1 this Saturday. Stay tuned for updates and webcast details.

Eric Ralph is Teslarati's senior spaceflight reporter and has been covering the industry in some capacity for almost half a decade, largely spurred in 2016 by a trip to Mexico to watch Elon Musk reveal SpaceX's plans for Mars in person. Aside from spreading interest and excitement about spaceflight far and wide, his primary goal is to cover humanity's ongoing efforts to expand beyond Earth to the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere.

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Tesla bull, ARK head Cathie Wood says brand damage is not long-term

Cathie Wood of ARK Invest does not believe Tesla brand damage is a long-term problem.

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Tesla bull and head of ARK Invest, Cathie Wood, admitted during an interview with Bloomberg that she does believe the company has experienced some brand damage due to CEO Elon Musk’s political involvement. However, she does not believe it is a long-term issue.

Over the past eight months, Musk’s involvement in the U.S. political landscape has swayed some to stop supporting Tesla, others to ditch their cars, and some to boycott the brand altogether. Inversely, others have started supporting Musk, Tesla, and its products as a nod of support for what he’s done for government efficiency.

The perspective on how Musk’s involvement has impacted Tesla truly varies. Its impact has been noticeable, especially in Europe, as some countries have seen some pretty drastic declines in deliveries since the start of the year.

However, some of this can be attributed to the company’s switchover to new production lines for the updated Model Y. Some can also be blamed on economic issues, as the cost of living is still relatively high. There is no denying that at least some of the impact has come from those who simply disagree with Musk and are choosing not to buy his companies’ products.

Wood is among Tesla’s most outspoken bulls and has tremendously high expectations for the stock moving into the late 2020s and into the 2030s. In a recent interview, she highlighted the brand’s exceptional potential moving forward, but did address some of the short-term concerns, especially regarding Tesla’s perception amongst the public:

“I think he feels he has a duty to the country to make sure we don’t ‘blow ourselves up’ with these deficits. Brand damage? Yes. I do not believe [it is long-term]. Tesla, we believe, will have a lock on the Robotaxi business in the U.S., and we believe they are going to proliferate through the United States, especially if we remove regulation from a state level to a federal level, which we believe will happen.”

Musk announced during the company’s most recent Earnings Call that he would step back from his government duties and return to Tesla in a more consistent role, as his work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) seemed to be winding down to a certain extent.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirms time spent with DOGE will drop ‘significantly’

It was a big win for Tesla investors, as many were interested in Musk returning his focus to the automaker, especially as 2025 is expected to be a year of many catalysts between the Robotaxi launch, affordable models coming into play, production of the Semi starting at the tail-end of the year, and the Optimus robot continuing consistent development.

Wood was quick to point out that Tesla is not the only car company that was suffering with lagging sales, as a macro-level perspective on the automotive industry proves that many automakers are looking for ways to avert disaster due to the ongoing tariff war.

Tesla is still the highest-valued automaker in the world, and it has plenty of bullish points to look forward to as the year nears the halfway point.

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Tesla offers interesting promo to future ride-hailing rival’s drivers

Lyft drivers will get $1,000 in vehicle credits if they complete 100 rides by the cutoff date for the promo.

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(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla has offered an interesting promotion for its vehicles to the drivers of one of its future ride-hailing rivals as it continues to work toward the launch of its autonomous Robotaxi platform.

This morning, Tesla launched a $1,000 off promotion to Lyft drivers who plan to utilize one of the company’s EVs for ride-hailing purposes. The promo applies to all five Tesla models: the Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, and Cybertruck.

It is not offered at the point of sale. Instead, to ensure the vehicle is properly utilized for ride-hailing purposes and to prove the discount, Tesla will offer $1,000 in vehicle credits to the Lyft driver after they complete 100 trips on or before July 13, 2025. Delivery must be taken by June 30.

It is an interesting move by Tesla because Lyft, along with Uber, will become a rival in the coming years as the companies continue to develop driverless ride-hailing platforms of their own. Lyft has partnered with May Mobility and Mobileye to develop driverless, fully autonomous vehicles purpose-built for ride-hailing.

Tesla plans to launch its Robotaxi platform next month in Austin, Texas.

Tesla hints at June 1 launch of Robotaxi platform in Austin

Meanwhile, Lyft’s plans are more down the road. Earlier this year, the company said it would launch autonomous rides sometime next year.

For now, the move seems to be just another way Tesla is incentivizing consumers to buy one of their vehicles. Earlier this week, it also launched another $1,000 off promo for teachers, students, retirees, active-duty members, their spouses, and surviving spouses.

Previously, Tesla only offered that discount to military members.

It is unclear why Tesla would be offering these discounts, but it could be more of a thank you or an act of recognition, more than anything. If it were a measure that was taken to increase demand, it would be substantially more of a discount. For example, when Tesla was trying to rid its inventory of legacy Model Y units as the new, updated vehicle was set to be released, discounts were over $5,000.

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Tesla Giga Berlin seems to be using FSD Unsupervised to move Model Y units

Tesla may be doing something quite special in the Giga Berlin-Brandenburg complex.

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Tesla FSD Unsupervised Giga Texas

Tesla may be doing something quite special in the Giga Berlin-Brandenburg complex. Based on observations from a recent drone flyover of the site, it appears that Tesla may also be using FSD Unsupervised to move freshly produced Model Y vehicles to the factory’s staging area.

New Drone Footage

Recent footage of the Giga Berlin complex from longtime Tesla watcher Tobias Lindh included several interesting updates around the Model Y factory. These include a new warehouse that is currently being built, as well as a tunnel is currently being constructed. More interestingly, the drone operator observed that some cars now seem to be moving to Giga Berlin’s distribution area without human drivers.

If the drone operator’s observations prove accurate, it would be quite an impressive accomplishment for Tesla. FSD Unsupervised, after all, has only been confirmed in vehicles that are produced at the Fremont Factory and Gigafactory Texas.

https://twitter.com/NicklasNilsso14/status/1922799362511376892

Potential Next Steps

If Giga Berlin is now using FSD Unsupervised to transport some Model Y units from the factory building to the site’s staging area, it might only be a matter of time before Tesla also implements a similar system for Gigafactory Shanghai. The Shanghai-based Tesla plant, after all, is the company’s largest factory by volume, and it also serves as a primary vehicle export hub. FSD Unsupervised could then pave the way for Giga Shanghai to operate in an even more optimal manner. 

FSD Unsupervised is the cornerstone of Tesla’s robotaxi business, which is expected to start rolling out in Austin, Texas, next month. Previous reports have suggested that Tesla is pushing hard in its preparations to roll out its robotaxi service this June. Tesla has reportedly even worked and trained with Austin’s first responders from the fire and police departments as part of its robotaxi service preparations.

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Check out a recent flyover of the Tesla Giga Berlin complex in the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9RFgOiFiU0
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