NASA says that its mission to the asteroid 16 Psyche will no longer be able to launch in 2022 after engineers were unable to verify the readiness of the spacecraft’s software.
What could amount to being a few weeks or months behind schedule will have major ramifications for the mission, extending its cruise phase – the time between launch and arrival at Psyche – by years. On top of significantly increasing Psyche’s overall cost, the delay means that yet another payload meant to launch on SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket in 2022 (or earlier will) has slipped to 2023.
For years before its debut, Falcon Heavy itself was indefinitely delayed as SpaceX priorities and technology constantly shifted around it. Even after the first version of Falcon Heavy finally debuted in February 2018, SpaceX chose to immediately upgrade the rocket to use the latest Falcon Block 5 variant, which again experienced months of delays.
A bit less than a year behind schedule, the first upgraded Falcon Heavy successfully completed the rocket’s first commercial mission – Arabsat 6A – in April 2019. The second Falcon Heavy Block 5 followed suit in June 2019 with a rideshare mission that doubled as a complex test flight that ultimately allowed the US military to certify the rocket to launch its most valuable satellites. The rocket has not launched once since. As previously discussed on Teslarati, virtually every spacecraft manifested on Falcon Heavy since the rocket’s first three launches has experienced major delays.
“For unknown reasons, virtually every near-term Falcon Heavy payload has slipped significantly from its original launch target. Within the last few weeks, USSF-44 – meant to launch as early as June 2022 after years of delays – was “delayed indefinitely.” Delayed from Q3 2020, USSF-52 is now scheduled to launch in October 2022. ViaSat-3, once meant to launch on Falcon Heavy in 2020, is now NET September 2022. Jupiter-3, a record-breaking communications satellite that wasn’t actually confirmed to be a Falcon Heavy launch contract until a few weeks ago, recently slipped from 2021 and 2022 to early 2023.”
Teslarati.com – May 26th, 2022
Just a month later, USSF-44 is now NET December 2022, USSF-52 has reportedly slipped to April 2023, and Psyche has slid to July 2023. At least for now, ViaSat-3, USSF-67, and USSF-44 are still targeting 2022 launches, but it will take a minor miracle and the abrupt end of patterns of delays for even one of those missions to avoid slipping into 2023 over the next 3-6 months.
As a result, SpaceX continues to accumulate an increasingly absurd fleet of unflown Falcon Heavy boosters that were manufactured and tested for launch targets that are now years behind schedule. The company is now storing nine different Falcon Heavy side and center cores, one of which supported Falcon Heavy Block 5’s first two 2019 launches and the other eight of which are qualified for flight but have never flown. The grounded fleet may soon grow to 10 boosters, compared to the 11 or fewer active Falcon 9 boosters SpaceX will likely end the year with.
Due to the nature of interplanetary launch windows and destinations, Psyche will be a particularly painful delay for NASA. The August to October 2022 window NASA was recently targeting would have allowed the 2.6 ton (~5700 lb) spacecraft to enter orbit around 16 Psyche in early 2026. According to NASA, the best possible backup launch window in 2023 will now delay orbital insertion to 2029 or even 2030, effectively doubling the Psyche spacecraft’s cruise time. According to a 2022 decadal survey, the cruise phases of missions of a similar class have cost at least $30 million per year, meaning that Psyche’s 2022 to 2023 launch delay could easily cost NASA an extra $100 million.
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Tesla is building a massive Cybercab car wash in Las Vegas
Tesla quietly filed plans to build the Cybercab car wash, and on May 12, the company submitted a permit to begin renovating the “Tesla Center Cybercab Phase 2 Car Wash,” documents show.
Tesla is beginning to construct what will be an incredibly unique project, as it is now building a 36,000-square-foot car wash just for the Cybercab in Clark County, Nevada, near Las Vegas.
Tesla quietly filed plans to build the Cybercab car wash, and on May 12, the company submitted a permit to begin renovating the “Tesla Center Cybercab Phase 2 Car Wash,” documents show.
This is not just some ordinary car wash. Instead, it’s a dedicated, high-tech maintenance hub built specifically for Tesla’s ride-hailing vehicle and the many units that will be in the fleet.
According to the permit documents, which were first spotted by MarcoRP, a Supercharger observer on X, the work involves upgrading and updating the interior and exterior of an existing 36,000-square-foot facility. Crews will construct a full car-wash enclosure, relocate tire-service equipment, and install new power raceways.
Tesla has reportedly submitted plans for a carwash dedicated for Robotaxis in Las Vegas. The permit, filed with Clark County on May 12th, describes “Tesla Center Cybercab Phase 2 Car Wash.”
According to the project description, the work involves interior and exterior… pic.twitter.com/BayBYP7kSv
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) May 14, 2026
Every camera on a Tesla Cybercab must stay clean, and without a human driver to perform manual maintenance on the vehicle, this Cybercab-specific car wash will be crucial in keeping the fleet operational, safe, and effective.
Tesla has spent years perfecting unsupervised FSD, and the Cybercab – unveiled last year as a driverless, two-seater purpose-built for ride-hailing – is the physical embodiment of that vision. Industry skeptics have long questioned how a massive Robotaxi network could scale without drivers handling basic upkeep.
Tesla just answered them with a permit filing. Sources close to the project suggest this could be the first of several such hubs, with whispers of similar plans already surfacing in Texas.
A purpose-built Robotaxi wash station means fleets can cycle vehicles through cleaning, charging, and minor servicing at lightning speed with almost no human intervention. Optimus robots could eventually handle the physical work, turning the entire operation into a lights-out, 24/7 machine.
Las Vegas, with its endless tourist traffic and wide-open roads, is the perfect proving ground. Imagine stepping out of a gleaming Cybercab after a night on the Strip, knowing the same vehicle will be sparkling clean and ready for the next rider within minutes.
California hits Tesla Cybercab and Robotaxi driverless cars with new law
Critics who claimed Robotaxis would get filthy and unreliable now look shortsighted. However, it will be interesting to see how many of these types of facilities the company establishes, especially as it plans for the Robotaxi fleet to be available everywhere.
If the permit moves forward as expected, Las Vegas could witness the first large-scale, fully autonomous taxi operation complete with its own cleaning infrastructure. As soon as Tesla solves wireless charging, we’re looking at a very capable and potentially fully autonomous ride-sharing business from A to Z.
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Tesla puts Giga Berlin in Plaid Mode with new massive investment
The facility, Tesla’s first in Europe, opened in 2022 and has become a cornerstone for Model Y production and, increasingly, in-house battery manufacturing. Recent announcements highlight a dual focus on scaling vehicle output and advancing vertical integration through 4680 battery cells.
Tesla is pushing forward with significant upgrades at its Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg in Grünheide, Germany, signaling renewed confidence in its European operations despite past market challenges.
The facility, Tesla’s first in Europe, opened in 2022 and has become a cornerstone for Model Y production and, increasingly, in-house battery manufacturing. Recent announcements highlight a dual focus on scaling vehicle output and advancing vertical integration through 4680 battery cells.
In April, plant manager André Thierig announced a 20 percent increase in Model Y production starting in July, following a record Q1 output of more than 61,000 vehicles. To support the ramp-up, Tesla plans to hire approximately 1,000 new employees beginning in May and convert 500 temporary workers to permanent positions.
The move is expected to lift weekly production significantly, addressing rebounding demand in Europe after a challenging 2025.
Today, we announced a $ 250m investment for our Giga Berlin Cell factory. This will enable 18GWh of annual 4680 cell production and create more than 1500 new jobs. Good news during challenging times for the German industry. pic.twitter.com/ou4SWMfWh9
— André Thierig (@AndrThie) May 12, 2026
The expansion builds on earlier progress. In 2025, Tesla secured partial approvals to add roughly 2 million square feet of factory space, raising potential annual vehicle capacity from around 500,000 toward 800,000 units, with longer-term ambitions approaching one million vehicles per year. Logistical improvements, new infrastructure, and battery-related facilities are already underway on company-owned land.
Battery production is the latest major focus. On May 12, Thierig revealed an additional $250 million investment in the on-site cell factory. This more than doubles the planned 4680 battery cell capacity to 18 gigawatt-hours annually—up from the 8 GWh target set in December 2025—while creating over 1,500 new battery-related jobs.
Total cell investments at the site now exceed previous figures, bringing the factory closer to full vertical integration: cells, packs, and vehicles produced under one roof. Tesla describes this as unique in Europe and a step toward stronger supply chain resilience.
The plans come amid regulatory and community hurdles. Earlier expansion proposals faced protests over environmental concerns and water usage, leading to phased approvals beginning in 2024. Tesla has navigated these by emphasizing sustainable practices and economic benefits, including thousands of local jobs in Brandenburg.
With nearly 12,000 employees already on site and production steadily climbing, Gigafactory Berlin is poised for growth. The combined vehicle and battery expansions position the plant as a key hub for Tesla’s European ambitions, potentially making it one of the continent’s largest manufacturing complexes if local support continues.
As EV demand recovers, these investments underscore Tesla’s commitment to scaling efficiently in Germany while addressing regional supply chain needs.
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Honda gives up on all-EV future: ‘Not realistic’
Mibe believes the demand for its gas vehicles is certainly strong enough and has changed “beyond expectations.” As many drivers went for EVs a few years back, hybrids are becoming more popular for consumers as they offer the best of both worlds.
Honda has given up on a previous plan to completely changeover to EVs by 2040, a new report states. The company’s CEO, Toshihiro Mibe, said that the idea is “not realistic.”
Mibe believes the demand for its gas vehicles is certainly strong enough and has changed “beyond expectations.” As many drivers went for EVs a few years back, hybrids are becoming more popular for consumers as they offer the best of both worlds.
Mibe said (via Motor1):
“Because of the uncertainty in the business environment and also the customer demand, is changing beyond our expectation and, therefore, we have judged that it’ll be difficult to achieve. That ratio [100-percent electric in 2040] is not realistic as of now. We have withdrawn this target.”
Instead of going all-electric, Honda still wants to oblige by its hopes to be net carbon neutral by 2050. It will do this by focusing on those popular hybrid powertrains, planning to launch 15 of them by March 2030.
Honda will invest 4.4 trillion yen, or almost $28 billion, to build hybrid powertrains built around four and six-cylinder gas engines.
There are so many companies abandoning their all-electric ambitions or even slowing their roll on building them so quickly. Ford, General Motors, Mercedes, and Nissan have all retreated from aggressive EV targets by either cancelling, delaying, or pausing the development of electric models.
Hyundai’s 2030 targets rely on mixed offerings of electric, hybrid & hydrogen vehicles
Early-decade pledges from multiple brands proved overly ambitious as infrastructure lags, battery costs remain high in some markets, and many buyers prefer hybrids for their convenience and range. Toyota has long championed hybrids, while others have quietly extended internal-combustion timelines.
For Honda—historically known for reliable gasoline engines—this shift leverages its core strengths while buying time to refine electric technology. Whether the hybrid-heavy strategy will protect market share in an increasingly competitive landscape remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: the gas engine is far from dead at Honda, unfortunately.
Tesla is building a massive Cybercab car wash in Las Vegas
Tesla puts Giga Berlin in Plaid Mode with new massive investment
