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SpaceX transports fifth Starship prototype to the launch pad
SpaceX has at long last transported its fifth full-scale Starship prototype to a nearby launch pad, kicking off a week of busy pre-test preparations while the sixth rocket is already nipping at its heels.
Starship SN5’s move to the pad ends the longest gap between full-scale prototype testing since Starship Mk1 was destroyed in November 2019, a partially-expected failure that began a more than three-month period of infrastructure upgrades. The first upgraded Starship (SN1) rolled to the pad on February 25th, followed by SN3 on March 29th and SN4 on April 23rd, indicative of a fairly consistent monthly cadence of Starship production (and destruction).
Almost exactly two months after its predecessor headed from the factory to SpaceX’s Boca Chica, Texas launch facilities, Starship SN5 has taken its place on a brand new launch mount. The cause of that month-long delay is fairly simple. When Starship SN4 exploded on May 29th, it damaged the existing launch mount and some additional ground support equipment (GSE), forcing SpaceX to scrap the destroyed mount and build a new one from scratch. In a matter of weeks, SpaceX’s crack team of pad engineers and technicians have done exactly that.
While, judging from several sets of canceled road closure days, the new mount wasn’t built quite as quickly as someone high up in SpaceX would have hoped, the speed of the recovery from SN4’s destructive demise is still extremely impressive. For full-scale operations, SpaceX needs a strong metal structure capable of providing a Starship prototype the propellant, power, and communications links it needs to perform tests, as well as standing up to the weight of a full-loaded Starship (>1000 metric tons) and preventing the rocket from flying away during static Raptor engine tests. Additionally, the launch mount will eventually need to survive the fury of one and even three Raptor engines once Starships graduated to flight testing.
As of June 3rd, the replacement launch mount was partially-completed steel skeleton.
Barely two weeks later, SpaceX had flipped that skeleton, installed it on the actual launch mount table, finished all structural work, installed a conical frame to enable hydraulic ram testing to simulate Raptor engine thrust, and outfitted the mount with a wide variety of complex plumbing, wiring, and fixtures. The current design is about as simple as it can get but is still relatively complicated, with a wide range of systems that must work perfectly together throughout an equally wide range of temperatures and other stressful conditions.
Starship SN5’s installation on that replacement mount serves as a final confirmation that the new structure is more or less complete. Now SpaceX will be faced with the different challenges of christening the new launch mount and ensuring that it’s functioning as planned at the same time as Starship SN5 is attempting to do the same thing. The company also appears to have taken the previous launch mount’s demise as an opportunity to implement some minor design changes, all of which will also need to be tested and verified.
Delays are quite likely but Starship SN5 is currently scheduled to kick off its first test campaign as early as June 29th. SpaceX will likely begin with an ambient pressure test to check for leaks, followed by a cryogenic proof test with liquid nitrogen to confirm that SN5 performs as expected while subjected to the ultra-cold temperatures its liquid methane and oxygen propellant will be kept at. SN5 would then move into wet dress rehearsals (WDR) with live propellant and one or several static fires with a single Raptor engine. Finally, if that complex series of tests goes a little bit better than it did with SN4, Starship SN5 will become the first full-scale prototype to attempt controlled flight, hopping to at least 150m (~500 ft).
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Tesla launches amazing new feature for shared vehicles
Tesla has quietly introduced one of its most practical software features yet in update 2026.8: real-time visibility of the active driver profile directly in the Tesla mobile app. Available under the Security & Drivers section, this new tool lets owners see exactly who is behind the wheel or who last drove the vehicle.
Tesla is launching an amazing new feature for shared vehicles, giving owners more transparency when they choose to have a Tesla ownership experience with another driver.
This is one of the many advantages of having a Tesla. New features are constantly rolled out through software updates and Over-the-Air fixes, which download directly to the car with an internet connection.
Tesla has quietly introduced one of its most practical software features yet in update 2026.8: real-time visibility of the active driver profile directly in the Tesla mobile app. Available under the Security & Drivers section, this new tool lets owners see exactly who is behind the wheel or who last drove the vehicle.
The feature works seamlessly. While the car is driving, the app displays the name of the currently selected driver profile in real time.
When the vehicle is parked or asleep, it shows the last active profile.
Requiring both the 2026.8 vehicle software and the latest Tesla app, the update brings this capability to every model in the lineup, including legacy Model S and Model X vehicles, which are unfortunately being phased out of the company lineup later this year.
Tesla makes latest move to remove Model S and Model X from its lineup
The feature was first reported on by Not a Tesla App.
Tesla driver profiles have always excelled at personalization, automatically adjusting seat positions, mirrors, steering wheel height, climate settings, navigation recents and favorites, and media preferences.
These profiles link to specific phone keys for automatic activation and support PIN protection for privacy and security. Restricted profiles for teens can also limit speed or features.
This feature shines brightest in single-car households with multiple drivers. Families, couples, and roommates frequently share one Tesla, leading to constant adjustments and questions about settings. Now, a quick app check reveals the current profile, allowing users to anticipate seat configurations or confirm usage without entering the vehicle.
Tesla’s cloud-synced driver profiles to bring custom settings across multiple cars
Parents particularly benefit: they can verify that teens are driving under their assigned (and possibly restricted) profiles, adding a layer of safety oversight and peace of mind. Teslas are already so incredibly safe that many parents dream of putting their kids in one.
Two kids around the same age could now share a Tesla, and this feature would make that effort, which is likely to be a difficult one at times, more seamless.
Beyond convenience, it promotes accountability and reduces everyday friction. No more manual profile switching or arguments over mirror positions. Before approaching the car, anyone can check the app and know exactly what to expect, no more wasted minutes readjusting everything.
In multi-driver setups, it transforms the shared EV into a truly intelligent, user-aware machine that respects individual preferences while keeping the primary owner informed.
Tesla’s commitment to over-the-air updates continues to enhance ownership value years after purchase.
This small but significant addition highlights how software can solve real-world problems in multi-user environments, making Tesla vehicles more family-friendly and practical than ever. For the millions of owners sharing a single car, the 2026.8 update delivers transparency, time savings, enhanced safety, and effortless personalization. It is a great new feature that is rolling out to vehicles now.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s TERAFAB project: Everything you need to know
The CEO has hinted heavily for several quarters that it would probably need to produce its own computing power to stay up to speed on the demand it is facing for its projects. It is now taking matters into its own hands.
On Sunday, Elon Musk formally made TERAFAB official—a groundbreaking $20-25 billion joint venture uniting Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, three of the world’s richest man’s most significant and powerful ventures.
Musk described the project as “the most epic chip building exercise in history by far.”
Elon Musk launches TERAFAB: The $25B Tesla-SpaceXAI chip factory that will rewire the AI industry
The initiative aims to produce over one terawatt of AI compute annually, dwarfing the global industry’s current output of roughly 20 gigawatts per year. Musk framed the effort as “the next step towards becoming a galactic civilization,” positioning it as essential for scaling humanity into a multi-planetary species.
The Need for TERAFAB
Existing chip suppliers such as TSMC, Samsung, and Micron cannot expand quickly enough to meet the explosive demand for AI hardware.
We’re building TERAFAB to close the gap between today’s chip production & the future’s demand – a future among the stars.
Join us → https://t.co/512DIlqNgY pic.twitter.com/ATr0e0pRDJ
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 22, 2026
Musk explained the situation clearly:
“We’re very grateful to our existing supply chain… but there’s a maximum rate at which they’re comfortable expanding. We either build the Terafab or we don’t have the chips, and we need the chips, so we build the Terafab.”
The CEO has hinted heavily for several quarters that it would probably need to produce its own computing power to stay up to speed on the demand it is facing for its projects. It is now taking matters into its own hands.
Chip Types and Production Goals
The facility will manufacture two specialized chip families, according to the presentation:
- Edge-inference AI5 and AI6 processors optimized for Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots and Full Self-Driving systems in vehicles and Robotaxis
- High-power D3 chips hardened for space environments
Musk outlined annual output targets, which are between 100 and 200 gigawatts of terrestrial compute for robotics, supporting Musk’s vision of producing 1-10 billion Optimus units per year, and the majority (80%) of chips dedicated to orbital AI data centers. Overall, TERAFAB aims to produce 100-200 billion custom AI and memory chips each year.
Scale and Strategy
The size of the TERAFAB project will be remarkable, as Musk indicated after the presentation that the entire Gigafactory Texas campus would not be large enough to fit the needs of the project. In fact, Musk said it would be around 100 million square feet in size, the equivalent of 15 Pentagons or three Central Parks.
Yes, the one in New York City.
Construction will begin with an “advanced technology fab” on the Giga Texas campus in Austin, enabling rapid iteration: design a chip, fabricate lithography masks, produce and test wafers, all within days.
However, the full-scale TERAFAB requires thousands of acres and over 10 gigawatts of power, far exceeding what Giga Texas can accommodate. Musk stated:
“We couldn’t possibly fit the Terafab on the GigaTexas campus. It will be far bigger than everything else combined there.”
Multiple large sites are currently under consideration, but this will need a sprawling land mass to get started.
The sheer scale of TERAFAB is going to be insane.
Elon said it wouldn’t be suitable for anywhere on Giga Texas property because it’s too big:“We couldn’t possibly fit the Terafab on the GigaTexas campus. It will be far bigger than everything else combined there.
Several… pic.twitter.com/79GbhNNuf4
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) March 23, 2026
Key Applications
TERAFAB will be a crucial part of the development of some of Tesla’s most valuable projects, including Optimus and data center development, especially from an orbital standpoint. For that reason, we will break this down into Terrestrial and Orbital applications:
- Terrestrial: Powers autonomous vehicle fleets and billions of Optimus robots performing physical labor
- Orbital: Starship will launch massive AI satellite constellations, starting with 100-kilowatt “Mini” units, and scaling to larger Megawatt models, creating the world’s largest data center in low-Earth orbit.
Space-based advantages include five times greater solar irradiance, efficient vacuum heat rejection, and freedom from terrestrial grid constraints (U.S. electricity generation totals just 0.5 terawatts). Musk emphasized the principle:
“Quantity has a quality all its own.”
We wrote about SpaceX’s recent filing with the FCC for 1 million orbital data center plans.
Strategic Vision
TERAFAB represents vertical integration at an unprecedented scale, combining AI hardware, robotics, and orbital infrastructure.
Musk described the project as “the final missing piece of the puzzle.” With production ramping toward 2027, TERAFAB is set to accelerate an era of abundance, transforming science fiction into reality and positioning Musk’s companies at the forefront of galactic-scale innovation.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk offers to pay TSA salaries as government shutdown leaves agents without paychecks
Elon Musk offered to personally cover TSA salaries as the DHS shutdown deepens travel chaos nationwide.
Elon Musk says that he is willing to personally cover the salaries of Transportation Security Administration (TSA) workers caught in the crossfire of a partial government shutdown that has now dragged on for over a month. “I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country,” Musk wrote.
I would like to offer to pay the salaries of TSA personnel during this funding impasse that is negatively affecting the lives of so many Americans at airports throughout the country
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 21, 2026
The offer arrives as Congress let funding expire for the Department of Homeland Security on February 14, amid a disagreement over immigration enforcement, leaving most TSA employees classified as essential and on duty but working without pay. The timing could not be more disruptive, as the shutdown is colliding directly with spring break travel season when millions of Americans are in the air.
This is not the first time TSA workers have endured this kind of hardship. TSA agents are being asked to work without pay until congressional action unblocks their paychecks, having previously held out through the longest government shutdown in U.S. history at 43 days. The pattern reveals a systemic failure in how Congress funds critical security infrastructure, and Musk’s offer shines a spotlight on that recurring failure at a moment when the public is directly feeling its effects through long lines and terminal closures.
Whether Musk can legally follow through remains unclear, as federal law generally prohibits government employees from receiving outside compensation related to their official duties.
Tesla launches amazing new feature for shared vehicles
Elon Musk’s TERAFAB project: Everything you need to know
