SpaceX
SpaceX fires up Falcon Heavy Block 5 for the first time, launch date announced
SpaceX has successfully ignited a Block 5 variant of its Falcon Heavy rocket for the first time ever, also marking the second-ever integrated static fire of the heavy-lift launch vehicle. According to SpaceX, the company will aim for an extraordinary four-day turnaround from static fire to launch, targeting liftoff as early as 6:36 pm EDT (22:36), April 9th.
Captured in a spectacular 4K video from a few miles away, it appears that the giant rocket managed to ignite all 27 Merlin 1D engines for no more than 3-4 seconds, an average length for Falcon 9 but quite a bit shorter than the 7-10 seconds Falcon Heavy fired for during its Flight 1 preparations.
During the Block 5 rocket’s first-ever integrated ignition test, all 27 Merlin 1D engines were (nominally) ignited in sequence, albeit just a handful of milliseconds apart from each other. During Falcon Heavy’s inaugural static fire and launch, CEO Elon Musk indicated that performance was capped at ~92% – 4.7 million pounds (~2115 metric tons) of thrust – for unspecified reasons. Assuming SpaceX has decided to uncap Falcon Heavy’s performance this time around, the rocket could have produced upwards of 5.6 million pounds (2550 metric tons) of thrust and will – again, according to Musk – have “way more performance than last year’s vehicle.” On top of the 8% increase from uncapping the rocket’s performance, Falcon 9 Block 5 introduced an additional 10% thrust increase for Merlin 1D engines, ultimately raising Falcon Heavy’s max thrust by a spectacular 20% in just one year.
With three times as many boosters as a single core Falcon 9 rocket, a Falcon Heavy static fire fundamentally produces as much as 100% more (2X as much) data as Falcon 9 during, requiring a fair bit more time to have engineers comb through it to verify vehicle health. The ultimate goal is for the vast majority of this work to be done by the rocket itself, which is actually what ends up shining through during what is known as the ‘quick-look review’ that shortly follows static fires, but Falcon Heavy is likely too new of a rocket for that just yet.
To temper expectations for this highly-anticipated launch, SpaceX took more than eight days to take Falcon Heavy Flight 1 from a planned static fire attempt to actual ignition, with an additional 13 days separating the successful static fire and the first official launch window. The consequences of sidestepping caution with Falcon Heavy could reach as high as the near-complete destruction of SpaceX’s Launch Complex 39A pad facilities, an absolutely mission-critical foundation for the first attempted crew launch of Crew Dragon and future astronaut launches to the International Space Station (ISS). As such, any unnecessary risk itself risks raising the ire of NASA and the US government in general, as it would also fundamentally be a conscious decision to risk the stability of US access to the Space Station for the sake of shaving a few days or weeks off of a commercial launch schedule.
SpaceX typically provides an update via Twitter 15-60 minutes after a Falcon preflight static fire test to announce whether the data generally looks good or if additional time is needed to analyze the rocket’s performance. According to a since-deleted USAF 45th Space Wing tweet, a healthy-looking static fire from Falcon Heavy Flight 2 would pave the way for a launch attempt no earlier than 6:36 pm EDT (22:36 UTC), April 9th.
This article will be updated with any additional information about Falcon Heavy’s health and launch date targets as soon as it becomes available.
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Elon Musk
California city weighs banning Elon Musk companies like Tesla and SpaceX
A resolution draft titled, “Resolution Ending Engagement With Elon Musk-Controlled Companies and To Encourage CalPERS To Divest Stock In These Companies,” alleges that Musk “has engaged in business practices that are alleged to include violations of labor laws, environmental regulations, workplace safety standards, and regulatory noncompliance.”
A California City Council is planning to weigh whether it would adopt a resolution that would place a ban on its engagement with Elon Musk companies, like Tesla and SpaceX.
The City of Davis, California, will have its City Council weigh a new proposal that would adopt a resolution “to divest from companies owned and/or controlled by Elon Musk.”
This would include a divestment proposal to encourage CalPERS, the California Public Employees Retirement System, to divest from stock in any Musk company.
A resolution draft titled, “Resolution Ending Engagement With Elon Musk-Controlled Companies and To Encourage CalPERS To Divest Stock In These Companies,” alleges that Musk “has engaged in business practices that are alleged to include violations of labor laws, environmental regulations, workplace safety standards, and regulatory noncompliance.”
It claims that Musk “has used his influence and corporate platforms to promote political ideologies and activities that threaten democratic norms and institutions, including campaign finance activities that raise ethical and legal concerns.”
If adopted, Davis would bar the city from entering into any new contracts or purchasing agreements with any company owned or controlled by Elon Musk. It also says it will not consider utilizing Tesla Robotaxis.
Hotel owner tears down Tesla chargers in frustration over Musk’s politics
A staff report on the proposal claims there is “no immediate budgetary impact.” However, a move like this would only impact its residents, especially with Tesla, as the Supercharger Network is open to all electric vehicle manufacturers. It is also extremely reliable and widespread.
Regarding the divestment request to CalPERS, it would not be surprising to see the firm make the move. Although it voted against Musk’s compensation package last year, the firm has no issue continuing to make money off of Tesla’s performance on Wall Street.
The decision to avoid Musk companies will be considered this evening at the City Council meeting.
The report comes from Davis Vanguard.
It is no secret that Musk’s political involvement, especially during the most recent Presidential Election, ruffled some feathers. Other cities considered similar options, like the City of Baltimore, which “decided to go in another direction” after awarding Tesla a $5 million contract for a fleet of EVs for city employees.
Elon Musk
Starlink restrictions are hitting Russian battlefield comms: report
The restrictions have reportedly disrupted Moscow’s drone coordination and frontline communications.
SpaceX’s decision to disable unauthorized Starlink terminals in Ukraine is now being felt on the battlefield, with Ukrainian commanders reporting that Russian troops have struggled to maintain assault operations without access to the satellite network.
The restrictions have reportedly disrupted Moscow’s drone coordination and frontline communications.
Lt. Denis Yaroslavsky, who commands a special reconnaissance unit, stated that Russian assault activity noticeably declined for several days after the shutdown. “For three to four days after the shutdown, they really reduced the assault operations,” Yaroslavsky said.
Russian units had allegedly obtained Starlink terminals through black market channels and mounted them on drones and weapons systems, despite service terms prohibiting offensive military use. Once those terminals were blocked, commanders on the Ukrainian side reported improved battlefield ratios, as noted in a New York Post report.
A Ukrainian unit commander stated that casualty imbalances widened after the cutoff. “On any given day, depending on your scale of analysis, my sector was already achieving 20:1 (casuality rate) before the shutdown, and we are an elite unit. Regular units have no problem going 5:1 or 8:1. With Starlink down, 13:1 (casualty rate) for a regular unit is easy,” the unit commander said.
The restrictions come as Russia faces heavy challenges across multiple fronts. A late January report from the Center for Strategic and International Studies estimated that more than 1.2 million Russian troops have been killed, wounded, or gone missing since February 2022.
The Washington-based Institute for the Study of War also noted that activity from Russia’s Rubikon drone unit declined after Feb. 1, suggesting communications constraints from Starlink’s restrictions may be limiting operations. “I’m sure the Russians have (alternative options), but it takes time to maximize their implementation and this (would take) at least four to six months,” Yaroslavsky noted.
Elon Musk
SpaceX and xAI tapped by Pentagon for autonomous drone contest
The six-month competition was launched in January and is said to carry a $100 million award.
SpaceX and its AI subsidiary xAI are reportedly competing in a new Pentagon prize challenge focused on autonomous drone swarming technology, as per a report from Bloomberg News.
The six-month competition was launched in January and is said to carry a $100 million award.
Bloomberg reported that SpaceX and xAI are among a select group invited to participate in the Defense Department’s effort to develop advanced drone swarming capabilities. The goal is reportedly to create systems that can translate voice commands into digital instructions and manage fleets of autonomous drones.
Neither SpaceX, xAI, nor the Pentagon’s Defense Innovation Unit has commented on the report, and Reuters said it could not independently verify the details.
The development follows SpaceX’s recent acquisition of xAI, which pushed the valuation of the combined companies to an impressive $1.25 trillion. The reported competition comes as SpaceX prepares for a potential initial public offering later this year.
The Pentagon has been moving to speed up drone deployment and expand domestic manufacturing capacity, while also seeking tools to counter unauthorized drone activity around airports and major public events. Large-scale gatherings scheduled this year, including the FIFA World Cup and America250 celebrations, have heightened focus on aerial security.
The reported challenge aligns with broader Defense Department investments in artificial intelligence. Last year, OpenAI, Google, Anthropic, and xAI secured Pentagon contracts worth up to $200 million each to advance AI capabilities across defense applications.
Elon Musk previously joined AI and robotics researchers in signing a 2015 open letter calling for a ban on offensive autonomous weapons. In recent years, however, Musk has spoken on X about the strengths of drone technologies in combat situations.
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