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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 Semi expands pilot program to Texas logistics firm: here’s what they said

Mone said the Tesla Semi it put into its fleet for this test recorded 1.64 kWh per mile efficiency, beating Tesla’s official 1.7 kWh per mile target and delivering a massive leap over conventional diesel trucks.

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Credit: Mone Transport

Tesla has expanded its Semi pilot program to a new region, as it has made it to Texas to be tested by logistics from Mone Transport. With the Semi entering production this year, Tesla is getting even more valuable data regarding the vehicle and its efficiency, which will help companies cut expenditures.

Mone Transport operates in Texas and on the Southern border, and it specializes in cross-border U.S.-Mexico freight operations. After completing some rigorous testing, Mone shared public results, which stand out when compared to efficiency metrics offered by diesel vehicles.

“Mone Transport recently had the opportunity to put the Tesla Semi to the test, and we’re thrilled with the results! Over 4,700 miles of operations at 1.64 kWh/mile in our Texas operation. We’re committed to providing zero-emission transportation to our customers!” the company said in a post on X.

Mone said the Tesla Semi it put into its fleet for this test recorded 1.64 kWh per mile efficiency, beating Tesla’s official 1.7 kWh per mile target and delivering a massive leap over conventional diesel trucks.

Comparable Class 8 diesel semis, typically achieving 6-7 miles per gallon, consume roughly 5.5 kWh per mile in energy-equivalent terms, meaning the Semi uses three to four times less energy while also producing zero tailpipe emissions.

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Tesla Semi undergoes major redesign as dedicated factory preps for deliveries

The performance of the Tesla Semi in Mone Transport’s testing aligns with data from other participants in the pilot program. ArcBest’s ABF Freight Division logged 4,494 miles over three weeks in 2025, averaging 1.55 kWh per mile across varied routes, including a grueling 7,200-foot Donner Pass climb. The truck “generally matched the performance of its diesel counterparts,” the carrier said.

PepsiCo, which operates the largest known Semi fleet, recorded 1.7 kWh per mile in North American Council for Freight Efficiency testing. Additional pilots showed similar gains: DHL hit 1.72 kWh per mile, and Saia achieved 1.73 kWh per mile.

These metrics underscore the Semi’s ability to slash operating costs through superior efficiency, lower maintenance, and zero-emission operation. As charging infrastructure scales and production ramps toward 2026 targets, participants like Mone Transport are proving electric semis can seamlessly integrate into freight networks, accelerating the industry’s shift to sustainable, high-performance trucking.

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Tesla continues to prep for a more widespread presence of the Semi in the coming months as it recently launched the first public Semi Megacharger site in Los Angeles. It is working on building out infrastructure for regional runs on the West Coast initially, with plans to expand this to the other end of the country in the coming years.

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SpaceX weighs Nasdaq listing as company explores early index entry: report

The company is reportedly seeking early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index.

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Credit: SpaceX/X

Elon Musk’s SpaceX is reportedly leaning toward listing its shares on the Nasdaq for a potential initial public offering (IPO) that could become the largest in history. 

As per a recent report, the company is reportedly seeking early inclusion in the Nasdaq-100 index. The update was reported by Reuters, citing people familiar with the matter.

According to the publication, SpaceX is considering Nasdaq as the venue for its eventual IPO, though the New York Stock Exchange is also competing for the listing. Neither exchange has reportedly been informed of a final decision.

Reuters has previously reported that SpaceX could pursue an IPO as early as June, though the company’s plans could still change.

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One of the publication’s sources also suggested that SpaceX is targeting a valuation of about $1.75 trillion for its IPO. At that level, the company would rank among the largest publicly traded firms in the United States by market capitalization.

Nasdaq has proposed a rule change that could accelerate the inclusion of newly listed megacap companies into the Nasdaq-100 index.

Under the proposed “Fast Entry” rule, a newly listed company could qualify for the index in less than a month if its market capitalization ranks among the top 40 companies already included in the Nasdaq-100.

If SpaceX is successful in achieving its target valuation of $1.75 trillion, it would become the sixth-largest company by market value in the United States, at least based on recent share prices. 

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Newly listed companies typically have to wait up to a year before becoming eligible for major indexes such as the Nasdaq-100 or S&P 500.

Inclusion in a major index can significantly broaden a company’s shareholder base because many institutional investors purchase shares through index-tracking funds.

According to Reuters, Nasdaq’s proposed fast-track rule is partly intended to attract highly valued private companies such as SpaceX, OpenAI, and Anthropic to list on the exchange.

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The Boring Company’s Prufrock-2 emerges after completing new Vegas Loop tunnel

The new tunnel measures 2.28 miles, making it the company’s longest single Vegas Loop tunnel to date.

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Credit: The Boring Company/X

The Boring Company announced that its Prufrock-2 tunnel boring machine (TBM) has completed another Vegas Loop tunnel in Las Vegas. The company shared the update in a post on social media platform X.

According to The Boring Company’s post, the new tunnel measures 2.28 miles, making it the company’s longest single Vegas Loop tunnel to date.

The new tunnel marks the fourth tunnel constructed near Westgate Las Vegas as the Vegas Loop network continues expanding across the city.

The Boring Company also noted that the new tunnel surpassed its previous internal record of 2.26 miles for a single Vegas Loop segment.

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Construction of the tunnel involved moving roughly 68,000 cubic yards of dirt. The excavation process also used about 4.8 miles of continuous conveyor belt, powered by six motors totaling 825 horsepower.

The Boring Company’s Prufrock-series all-electric tunnel boring machines are designed to support the rapid expansion of company’s underground transportation projects, including the growing Vegas Loop network. Prufrock machines are designed for reusability, thanks in no small part to their capability to be deployed and retrieved easily through their “porposing” feature.

The Vegas Loop, specifically the Las Vegas Convention Center (LVCC) Loop segment, has already been used during major events. Most recently, the LVCC Loop supported the 2026 CONEXPO-CON/AGG construction trade show, which was held from March 3-7, 2026. 

As per The Boring Company, the LVCC Loop transported roughly 82,000 passengers across the convention center campus during the event’s duration. 

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CONEXPO-CON/AGG is one of the largest construction trade shows in North America, drawing more than 140,000 construction professionals from 128 countries this year.

The LVCC Loop forms the initial segment of the broader Vegas Loop network, which remains under active development as The Boring Company continues building new tunnels throughout the city.

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