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SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket spied at Pad 39A as December launch quartet aligns

Set to launch NET December 4, SpaceX will soon attempt its first Block 5 RTLS landing on the East Coast. (SpaceX)

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Photographer Tom McCool lucked upon an open hangar door at Pad 39A on November 27, catching a fresh Falcon 9 Block 5 booster in the late stages of pre-launch integration.

Likely to launch one of two particularly important payloads sometime in the next 4-8 weeks, this booster spotting aligns with what is anticipated to be a fairly busy December for SpaceX, marked by four possible launches and preparations for the imminent inaugural test flight of Crew Dragon.

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At the moment, SpaceX is the juggling shipment, integration, and preflight checkouts of at least three shiny new Falcon 9 Block 5 rockets ahead of critical US Air Force and NASA launches in December and January. In order of anticipated launch date, those boosters are B1050, B1054, and B1051 for CRS-16 (Cargo Dragon), an upgraded GPS III satellite, and DM-1 (Crew Dragon), respectively.

CRS-16 

On the East Coast, SpaceX’s next launch is the 16th operational resupply mission for Cargo Dragon, scheduled to deliver several tons of critical supplies to the International Space Station no earlier than (NET) December 4th. Set to launch from SpaceX’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) Launch Complex 40 (LC-40), the new Block 5 booster B1050 is already integrated and at the ready inside the company’s LC-40 hangar, awaiting the arrival and attachment of a flight-proven Cargo Dragon.

A Cargo Dragon nears the ISS. (Oleg Artemyev)

While it’s unknown which Dragon capsule that will be, SpaceX has anywhere from 4-8 recovered spacecraft to choose from, although expendable trunks (a detachable aft section adorned with solar arrays and storage space) must still be built for each future resupply mission. According to CEO Elon Musk and other SpaceX executives, Cargo Dragon was designed from the start to be capable of at least three orbital missions with refurbishment, and it’s possible that CRS-16 could be the third launch for one such capsule.

After sending Cargo Dragon and the upper stage on their way, Falcon 9 B1050 will likely perform the first Block 5 Return To Launch Site (RTLS) recovery, performing a 180 degree flip and burning back towards the Florida coast to land just a few miles away from the launch site.

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GPS III-01 (the first of many)

Of the five launch contracts thus competed for the first ten GPS III satellite launches, SpaceX has won all five, while ULA’s Delta IV was awarded a launch contract for one of those satellites, leaving four more up for grabs in the next several years. The first ‘Space Vehicle’, GPS III serial number 01 (GPS III-01), is now ready for launch, pending the completion of certain USAF reviews of SpaceX’s recently-debuted Block 5 Falcon 9 upgrade.

Now targeting NET December 18, perhaps the most curious aspect of Falcon 9’s first GPS launch is the glaring reality that most signs currently point toward an intentionally expendable configuration of the new Falcon 9 Block 5 booster. Given that SpaceX has made it abundantly clear that Block 5 boosters at least aspire to be able to perform 10 launches with little to no refurbishment, expending a fresh booster without even a single reuse would carry a potentially immense opportunity cost.

By all reasonable estimation, Falcon 9 Block 5 should be able to place the ~3900 kg (8600 lb) GPS III satellite into a medium Earth orbit with plenty of margin left over for a drone ship recovery in the Atlantic. Likely to launch aboard Falcon 9 B1054, the only possible explanation for an expendable mission would be a request (or demand) from SpaceX’s customer, the USAF.

Crew Dragon’s orbital debut (DM-1)

Finally, SpaceX and NASA have – perhaps for the first time in the history of the Commercial Crew Program (CCP) – set an actual date for the first orbital launch of a spacecraft developed under the program’s purview, in this case SpaceX’s Crew Dragon atop a Falcon 9 Block 5 rocket. NET January 7 2019, that date is certainly tenuous, but it effectively indicates that SpaceX is certain the hardware, software, and general operations side of things is all good to go. SpaceX is now more or less waiting on NASA’s dreadfully slow bureaucracy to perform the far more mundane duties of completing paperwork, coordinating ISS schedules to fit Crew Dragon in, and other miscellaneous tasks.

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Time will tell, but COO and President Gwynne Shotwell stated in October 2018 that she fully expected Falcon 9 and the first orbit-ready Crew Dragon to be vertical at Pad 39A before the month of December is out, basically ready to launch as soon as NASA and ISS scheduling are ready to allow it. It’s nearly impossible to know for sure, but the rocket spotted on Tuesday inside Pad 39A’s hangar could very well be Falcon 9 B1051 and a crew-ready upper stage preparing for Crew Dragon’s first autonomous test flight, or it could be B1054 (unconfirmed) in the late stages of preparation for SpaceX’s imminent GPS III launch.

All will be made clear in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, SpaceX’s next launch – SSO-A on the West Coast – has slipped into the first few days of December thanks to some unusually harsh weather conditions above the launch pad.

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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 Cybercab launch is imminent after latest sighting at Giga Texas

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Credit: Joe Tegtmeyer | X

Tesla just gave what is perhaps its biggest signal yet that the launch of the Cybercab, its autonomous ride-hailing-geared car, is imminent.

The Cybercab has been spotted outside of Gigafactory Texas in massive numbers over the past few days, with hundreds of units being stored on property just days after the vehicle received a Certificate of Conformity from the EPA.

Today, things were a bit different.

Cybercabs spotted on Giga Texas property today had an addition: a Cybercab decal on the side, reminiscent of the “Robotaxi” ones that were placed on Model Ys just as the company launched its ride-sharing platform about a year ago.

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Giga Texas drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer noticed the change today:

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Tesla could be signaling that the Cybercab is preparing to enter the Robotaxi fleet in the coming weeks or months with this move. It seems more symbolic than anything; Tesla is ready to throw Cybercabs in the ride-hailing platform just as it did with Model Ys last year.

The addition of the Certificate of Conformity awarded to the Cybercab is another major factor working to Tesla’s advantage. The company now has permission from the EPA to allow the vehicle to operate on public roads and enter the chain of commerce. It’s officially street legal.

Tesla Cybercab specs revealed: range, curb weight, range ratings, and more

The big question that remains is whether Tesla will be able to operate the car without a safety monitor, especially considering it plans to put the car out there without a steering wheel or pedals. With the Cybercab only having a seating capacity of two, it is hard to believe Tesla will even consider putting a Safety Monitor in the car.

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It did recently self-certify as Level 4 and has the ability to operate driverless vehicles in the State of Texas under a law that took effect on May 28. You can read more about that here:

Tesla’s Robotaxi dreams just took a massive step toward reality

We’d imagine Cybercabs will be on the roads as soon as July, but August will likely be a better estimate of when the car will be entered into the Cybercab fleet. It all depends at where Tesla is, as they’ve truly prioritized safety with the rollout of the Robotaxi platform.

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Elon Musk says this part of Tesla ‘makes no sense’

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Justin Pacheco, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Elon Musk has publicly questioned Moody’s credit assessments following the rating agency’s decision to assign SpaceX a Baa1 investment-grade rating, two notches above Tesla’s Baa3. The comments came amid discussions comparing the two companies’ financial profiles.

SpaceX earned its first-time Baa1 rating with a stable outlook from Moody’s. The agency highlighted the company’s leadership in orbital launches, the growing recurring revenue from its Starlink satellite network, strong vertical integration, U.S. government contracts, and emerging opportunities in AI infrastructure.

These factors were cited as supporting robust cash flows, margin expansion, and financial flexibility.

Musk responded directly: “Tesla’s credit rating is ridiculously low tbh,” and added, “Yeah, makes no sense. Tesla has over $40B in cash, no debt, and is consistently profitable!” His remarks underscored Tesla’s balance sheet strength and profitability at a time when many traditional automakers continue to report losses in the shift to electric vehicles.

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Tesla maintains a leading position in the global EV market, with diversification into energy and storage, battery technology, and robotics through projects like Optimus. Recent financial updates show the company generated positive free cash flow of $1.4 billion in Q1 2026, supported by operating cash flow of $3.9 billion. Cash and short-term investments stood at approximately $44.7 billion.

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Moody’s has affirmed Tesla’s Baa3 issuer rating with a stable outlook in periodic reviews, acknowledging the company’s EV leadership, technology strengths, including AI for autonomous vehicles, solid profitability, and strong liquidity.

Tesla (TSLA) scores Baa3 Moody’s rating for ‘stable’ outlook

However, the agency has also noted challenges in the automotive segment and expectations for margin pressures.

Musk’s critique highlights a common debate about how traditional rating methodologies apply to high-growth, capital-intensive technology companies. SpaceX benefits from long-term government-backed contracts and diversified, recurring revenue streams, while Tesla’s valuation reflects heavy investment in future technologies such as autonomy and robotics.

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Both ratings remain investment-grade, yet the one-notch difference has fueled online discussion about potential inconsistencies in evaluating innovative firms.

The exchange comes as SpaceX explores financing options following its recent valuation milestones, while Tesla continues executing on its multi-year roadmap. Musk’s pointed response serves as a reminder that credit ratings, though influential for borrowing costs, represent one lens through which markets assess corporate strength—and that company leaders often view their financial positions through the lens of long-term innovation and cash generation rather than short-term risk metrics alone.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving faces major pushback in Europe

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Credit: Tesla

A new report from Reuters claims that a transport authority in Sweden is pushing back against the approval of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite because it will travel over speed limits.

The report says the Swedish Transport Administration (TRV) recommends the European Union votes against FSD’s approval. TRV believes it should not be approved until Tesla disables FSD’s ability to speed.

TRV sent a letter to the European Union’s Technical Committee on Motor Vehicles (TCMV), which is set to meet on June 30 to discuss the potential approval of the Tesla FSD suite in the country. Tesla, which has received various approvals in Europe over the past two months, has not provided a comment.

Tesla Full Self-Driving gets first-ever European approval

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Teslas operating on FSD do travel over the speed limit, depending on the Speed Profile that is chosen. Drivers have the ability to disengage FSD at any point; Tesla specifically states that those supervising the suite are responsible for its actions.

Let’s cut to the chase: humans operating any vehicle speed almost daily in the United States. Realistically, speed limits in the U.S. are more frequently treated as speed minimums. However, other countries are different, and driving behaviors are less aggressive.

TRV believes that “allowing automated systems to systematically exceed legal speed limits…risks undermining both the legal framework and the expected safety benefits of ​vehicle automation,” the report stated. It’s surprising that Tesla has not received this claim from other countries previously.

This could be a good argument to bring Max Speed back, the setting that previously allowed the driver to choose the absolute fastest the car would travel.

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This would still put the responsibility of supervision in the hands of the driver. It would allow the driver to choose whether the car would travel over the speed limit or not, acknowledging that they set the speed, and if they get pulled over, there would be no ability to argue it.

However, it does not seem as if this is something Tesla will do, especially considering many U.S. drivers have requested the feature in an effort to eliminate speeding or at least tone it down. The company has not shown any interest in bringing it back.

Tesla has approvals for FSD in Europe in Estonia, Lithuania, Denmark, the Netherlands, and Belgium.

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