

News
SpaceX’s first Falcon 9 Block 5 reuse will also be its quickest drone ship turnaround
According to observations of SpaceX booster movements at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station on July 24, it appears that the company will reuse a Falcon 9 Block 5 booster for the first time ever on August 4, just over a week from today.
Independent of the booster flying, SpaceX will also break their internal record for drone ship recovery turnaround if they manage to launch and land another rocket on the 4th, just 14 days after Of Course I Still Love You’s July 21 (EDT) booster recovery.
The Telkom 4 (Merah Putih) communications satellite will be sent by SpaceX to a geostationary transfer orbit and will become the second heaviest satellite ever launched by the company while still recovering the Falcon 9 booster, weighing in at around 5800 kg. While SpaceX’s launch and landing for the record-breaking 7080 kg Telstar 19V mission may appear more impressive at face value, it’s likely that Telkom 4 will be even more taxing for the rocket, thanks to the much higher geostationary transfer orbit the satellite will most likely be placed in.
Block 5 booster to be reused for a third launch in two weeks
This will be SpaceX’s third Falcon 9 Block 5 launch in less than two weeks if the schedule holds. More important than the schedule, perhaps, is the fact that it would appear that SpaceX intends to reuse the first Block 5 booster (B1046) for this particular launch. To lay out the foundation of this claim, it’s known that SpaceX’s CCAFS Pad 40 integration facilities are only capable of fitting one booster and the strongback (transporter/erector/launcher, TEL) at a time, evidenced both by sourced comments and views inside the hangar.
- Soon after, B1046 was spotted on its way to a refurbishment facility around a week after its May 11 launch debut. (Instagram /u/tersco)
- The second Block 5 booster, B1047, debuted at LC-40 on July 21. (Tom Cross)
Meanwhile, an unmistakeable Block 5 booster – with black interstage and octaweb coverings – was spotted being transported through Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) earlier this week, just after Falcon 9 B1047 launched (July 21 EDT) and freed up space for another booster inside the horizontal integration facility (HIF) at Pad 40. Given that only one Block 5 booster has been recovered on the East Coast and that B1047 was still out at sea earlier this week, the sooty booster traveling through CCAFS thus has to have been B1046, and it was making a beeline for LC-40.
Just one week before Telkom 4’s scheduled prelaunch static fire (July 31), there is no conceivable reason that SpaceX would bring a booster not immediately needed for launch into Pad 40’s HIF. As such, it can be all but guaranteed that Falcon 9 B1046 will be reflying for the first time, marking the first critical reuse of a Block 5 booster and hopefully the first of many dozens or even hundreds of reflights for the Block 5 fleet over the next several years.
Autonomous drone ship Of Course I Still Love You arrived at Port Canaveral with Falcon booster B1047 in tow around dawn, July 25. Since then, the booster has been offloaded onto SpaceX’s Port Canaveral berth space and is perched atop its stand while crews of technicians and engineers have focused on its legs. It appears that they may be removing them outright, but the fact that nothing has been visibly removed at this point suggests that there is still a chance of leg retraction, an important Block 5 upgrade required for truly rapid reusability. It also appears to be the debut of a brand new connection apparatus at the top of the interstage, purpose likely related in some way to leg retraction.
Duo of cherry pickers loaded w/techs attaching guidewires atop #Falcon9 booster w completely newfangled hoisting cap/rectangular brace installed in place.1st use above sleek black Ti grid fins-on 2nd ever @SpaceX #Block5 for #Telstar19V launch. @ken_kremer https://t.co/G4fyocB13Q pic.twitter.com/qhnYcugWxb
— Ken Kremer🇺🇦🇩🇪🇺🇸🚀🧪 (@ken_kremer) July 27, 2018
Stay tuned for more updates and official visual confirmation as SpaceX tracks towards a July 31/Aug 1 static fire for the booster and a Telkom 4 launch date of no earlier than August 4, 1:19 am EDT/05:19 UTC.
For prompt info, on-the-ground perspectives, and unique glimpses of SpaceX’s rocket recovery fleet (including fairing catcher Mr Steven) check out our brand new LaunchPad and LandingZone newsletters!
Lifestyle
Tesla Semi futuristic sci-fi acceleration sound will never get old
Videos that capture the Semi moving at speed are most notable due to their sheer cool factor.

The Tesla Semi is not yet in mass production, but the company has accumulated over 7.9 million miles across its test fleet. With Tesla using the Semi for its operations, it is no surprise that sightings of the Class 8 all-electric truck have been abounding.
These sightings from Tesla enthusiasts vary, but those that capture the the Class 8 all-electric truck moving at speed are most notable, possibly due to their sheer cool factor.
Tesla Semi’s Roar
There is something that just stands out with the Semi, particularly on the road. While the Semi does not have the Cybertruck’s brutalist, angular design, it is still very striking because it’s such a massive machine that moves far too quietly for its size. This is, of course, one of the reasons why the vehicle also becomes extra noteworthy when it fires up its electric motors and accelerates.
Take this video from Tesla Owners Silicon Valley, for example, which shows the all-electric hauler accelerating while pulling what appears to be a full load. In these situations, the Tesla Semi actually becomes audible, but unlike traditional diesel-powered truck, the Class 8 all-electric truck “roars” with its own, unique futuristic, sci-fi sound. In such situations, one could feel the Semi’s raw power, which comes from its three independent motors on its rear axles.
Tesla Semi Ramp
Tesla has been promoting the Semi quite a bit as of late, and recent reports have suggested that the company is putting in a lot of effort to prepare the vehicle for its production in Nevada. Tesla’s Careers website has gone live with over 80 Semi-related job openings recently as well, and a recent report has suggested that Tesla has ramped the Semi’s factory workers in Nevada to over 1,000 employees.
The company has even shared an update video of the Semi factory’s progress near Giga Nevada, as well as the design of the vehicle’s new logo. The Semi’s updated logo is quite interesting as it features elements from the Tesla Model 3’s first logo, which was unveiled way back in 2016.
News
Robots like Tesla Optimus are a $5 trillion opportunity: analyst
This massive opportunity could be tapped by Tesla, thanks to its Optimus humanoid robot.

Morgan Stanley analysts have estimated that the humanoid robot market could offer a $5 trillion opportunity by the middle of the century. This massive opportunity could be tapped by Tesla, thanks to its Optimus humanoid robot.
The analysts, however, noted that the humanoid robots will likely be mostly used in industrial and commercial deployments.
The Estimates
Estimates from Morgan Stanley analysts point to humanoid robots hitting $5 trillion in global revenue by 2050. This, the analysts noted, would be about double the total revenue of the 20 largest automakers in 2024. In 2050, Morgan Stanley analysts estimated that there might be about 1 billion humanoid robots deployed.
As noted in a report from Investing.com, the shift to humanoid robots would be gradual. By 2035, the analysts estimated that just about 13 million humanoid robots will be in use, most of which will be used in industrial and commercial settings. Even in 2050, when the analysts estimated that 1 billion humanoid robots will be in use, an estimated 90% might still be used in industrial and commercial settings.
The advent of humanoid robots will likely be felt in the labor sector, Morgan Stanley analysts noted. By 2030, the analysts noted that humanoid robots could replace about 40,000 jobs. Just ten years later, in 2040, the number of jobs that robots could take over could balloon to 8.4 million. By 2050, the analysts noted that 62.7 million humans may end up watching humanoid robots do their jobs.
Tesla Potential
Morgan Stanley noted that companies like Tesla, which control the “brains, bodies, branding and ecosystems” of the humanoid robots, would be able to offer the highest value. This is good news for Tesla’s Optimus program, as it is a product that is designed to be produced at an extreme scale. During the Q1 2025 All Hands meeting, Elon Musk reiterated the idea that Optimus could very well become the biggest product of all time.
Most importantly, Musk also stated that Tesla is internally aiming to acquire enough resources to produce 10,000 to 12,000 Optimus robots this year. But even if Tesla just manages half of this number, or about 5,000 Optimus robots this year, it would already be impressive.
“Even 5,000 robots, that’s the size of a Roman legion, FYI, which is like a little scary thought. Like a whole legion of robots, I’ll be like ‘whoa.’ But I think we will literally build a legion, at least one legion of robots this year, and then probably 10 legions next year. I think it’s kind of a cool unit, you know? Units of legion. So probably 50,000-ish next year,” Musk stated.
News
SpaceX set to launch Axiom’s mission for diabetes research on the ISS
Axiom’s Ax-4 will test CGMs & insulin stability in microgravity—potentially reshaping diabetes care for Earth & future astronauts.

Axiom Space’s Ax-4 mission is set to launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Ax-4 will advance diabetes research in microgravity, marking a milestone for astronaut health.
Axiom Space’s fourth crewed mission is scheduled to launch with SpaceX on May 29 from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The Ax-4 mission will carry a diverse crew and a record-breaking scientific payload to the International Space Station (ISS).
The Ax-4 crew is led by Axiom’s Peggy Whitson and includes Shubhanshu Shukla from India, Sławosz Uznański from the European Space Agency, and Tibor Kapu from Hungary. The mission represents firsts for India, Hungary, and Poland, with Uznański being Poland’s first astronaut in over 40 years.
Ax-4 will conduct nearly 60 science investigations from 31 countries during its two-week ISS stay. A key focus is the “Suite Ride” initiative, a collaboration with Burjeel Holdings to study diabetes management in microgravity.
“The effort marks a significant milestone in the long-term goal of supporting future astronauts with insulin-dependent diabetes (IDDM), a condition historically deemed disqualifying for spaceflight,” Axiom noted. The mission will test Continuous Glucose Monitors (CGMs) and insulin stability to assess their performance in space.
Axiom explained that testing the behavior of CGMs and insulin delivery technologies in microgravity and observing circadian rhythm disruption could help diabetes experts understand how CGMs and insulin pens can improve diabetes monitoring and care in remote or underserved areas on Earth. The research could benefit diabetes management in isolated regions like oil rigs or rural areas.
The mission’s findings on insulin exposure and CGM performance could pave the way for astronauts with diabetes to safely participate in spaceflight. As Axiom and SpaceX push boundaries, Ax-4’s diabetes research underscores the potential for space-based innovations to transform healthcare on Earth and beyond.
-
News1 week ago
Tesla’s Hollywood Diner is finally getting close to opening
-
Elon Musk2 weeks ago
Tesla doubles down on Robotaxi launch date, putting a big bet on its timeline
-
News5 days ago
Tesla is trying to make a statement with its Q2 delivery numbers
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla’s top investor questions ahead of the Q1 2025 earnings call
-
Investor's Corner1 week ago
LIVE BLOG: Tesla (TSLA) Q1 2025 Company Update and earnings call
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla police fleet saves nearly half a million in upkeep and repair costs
-
Elon Musk2 weeks ago
Tesla reportedly suspended Cybercab and Semi parts order amid tariff war: Reuters
-
Elon Musk2 weeks ago
Elon Musk continues to push optimistic goal for Tesla Full Self-Driving