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SpaceX’s first high-altitude Starship gets ready to prove itself

SpaceX has begun installing functional aerodynamic control surfaces on a Starship prototype for the first time. (NASASpaceflight - bocachicagal)

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SpaceX has begun outfitting its first high-altitude Starship prototype with the basis of functional aerodynamic flaps, potentially paving the way for the ship’s first crucial proof test(s) in the near future.

Unsurprisingly, the first real attempt to install the functional ‘flaps’ Starships will use to fall back to Earth and land has been (relatively) slow going. The tank and engine section of Starship serial number 8 (SN8) – the high-altitude prototype-to-be – was stacked to its full height around August 27th. Shorthand for curved steel sections meant to make Starships more aerodynamic and protect sensitive mechanisms, the first signs of functional ‘aerocovers’ arrived in Boca Chica a few days later on August 31st.

Aerocover ‘caps’ arrived in Boca Chica in mid-August. (NASASpaceflight – bocachicagal)
Long shrouds arrived in mid-September. (NASASpaceflight – bocachicagal)
A possible aerocover installation jig or flap frame. In the foreground, SpaceX already has several pairs of flaps on hand whenever SN8 is ready for them. (NASASpaceflight – bocachicagal)

A much longer aerocover appeared on September 11th and SpaceX appeared to begin installing it on Starship SN8 around September 14th, temporarily tack-welding it to the rocket’s hull. SpaceX may be using a sort of alignment jig (bottom photo above) to ensure that the extremely thin and flexible steel covers are easily installed in a uniform fashion where they’re supposed to be.

If not, the LEGO-esque structure could also be a rudimentary frame for Starship’s aft flaps – heavy and inefficient but extremely cheap and easy to build and tweak. Most of that work is being done inside SpaceX’s Starship assembly building, largely hidden from sight from public perspectives, so it’s hard to say anything with certainty until SN8 rolls out for the first time.

A closer view of the Starship SN8’s first aerocover. (NASASpaceflight – bocachicagal)
Starship SN7.1 is still awaiting its destructive end. (NASASpaceflight – bocachicagal)
SpaceX is already preparing for what comes after SN7.1, however. (NASASpaceflight – bocachicagal)

When that milestone will come is unclear, likely to the extent that even SpaceX isn’t sure. Currently, it’s unknown if SpaceX will fully outfit Starship SN8 with a nosecone and all four flaps before putting the prototype through its first proof tests – possibly up to and including the first static fire test with three Raptor engines. Starship SN8 is the first full-size prototype built out of a new steel alloy and while that alloy is currently being tested to its limits by test tank SN7.1, proving SN8’s integrity first would save a lot of time and effort in the event that SpaceX has more to learn about the limits of 304L steel and the ship fails during basic testing.

If SpaceX chooses to perform a cryogenic proof test prior to fully installing flaps and a nosecone, Starship SN8 could feasibly roll to the launch pad well before the end of the month. In fact, SpaceX moved a hydraulic ram used to simulate Raptor thrust back to the main test stand – where SN8 will likely undergo its first tests – on September 19th. Typically, that ram has been installed just days before a Starship is transported from factory to launch pad.

In the event that SpaceX chooses to perform a cryo proof test and/or static fire prior to fully integrating Starship SN8, the ship could likely be easily moved back to the factory to have its nosecone and flaps installed. Either way, chances are good that SN8 will be ready to head to the launch pad for its first test campaign within the next two weeks.

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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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Investor's Corner

X clarifies xAI prediction market rumors, hints at future plans

Musk’s AI firm denied rumors of a Kalshi deal but left the door open. Prediction markets + AI could change how we forecast everything.

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Credit: xAI

X dismissed rumors of xAI entering prediction market partnerships. In a recent X post, Elon Musk’s company clarified that xAI had not yet entered formal partnerships in the prediction market.

However, xAI clarification hinted at future exploration in the prediction market, aligning with X’s goal to become an “everything app.” The speculation underscores AI’s potential to reshape predictive analytics.

“Recent speculation about xAI’s involvement in the prediction market space has been circulating. While we’re enthusiastic about the potential of this industry and engaged in various discussions, no formal partnerships have been confirmed to date. Stay tuned!” noted the X team.

X’s statement followed a Tuesday post by Kalshi, hinting at a collaboration with xAI, which was deleted hours later. Kalshi suggested that xAI could leverage AI to analyze X’s news and social media data, enhancing betting decisions on political and economic events.

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Bloomberg reported Kalshi aims to use xAI for tailored insights, enabling users to wager on outcomes like Federal Reserve rate changes or elections through derivative contracts.

“There’s deep alignment between prediction markets, social media, and AI. Prediction markets capture what people know — AI scales what people can know,” said Kalshi CEO Tarek Mansour. “This is just the beginning of a long collaboration to unlock the full potential of prediction markets.”

The prediction market industry fits X’s vision to evolve into a comprehensive platform, capitalizing on its trend and news leader role. While xAI’s denial quashes immediate partnership claims, its openness to discussions signals potential interest in prediction markets, where AI could amplify real-time insights.

xAI’s cautious stance reflects its focus on strategic AI development while navigating speculative buzz. As X pursues its “everything app” ambition, prediction markets could enhance its ecosystem, blending social media’s pulse with AI-driven analytics. With no partnerships confirmed, xAI’s future moves may yet redefine how users engage with event-based predictions, positioning it at the forefront of AI innovation.

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Elon Musk

Elon Musk sends stern warning to Tesla vandals, doubters

Elon Musk sent another warning to vandals that have attacked Tesla for political reasons.

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NORAD and USNORTHCOM Public Affairs, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Elon Musk has sent a stern warning to Tesla vandals, doubters, and attackers, who have subjected the company and its owners to political violence through arson and other modes of retaliation.

Over the past few months, Tesla showrooms and vehicles have been hit with numerous attacks from those who have opposed Musk and his political involvement with the Trump Administration. Although Musk has stepped back from his role within government significantly since the start of May, the company is still looked at as a political target.

While the White House has put a clear-cut line on the acts, calling them domestic terrorism and holding those responsible for the damage they have done, there are still numerous and daily instances of keying cars or worse.

Yesterday, Musk continued to send stern warnings to those who oppose Tesla and choose to handle their distaste for the company with violence and vandalism. In a Bloomberg interview at the Qatar Economic Forum, Musk was asked if he took what has happened to Tesla “over the past few months personally.”

Musk replied simply but sternly: “Yes.”

He went on to say that not only will those who vandalized the company and its products owned by consumers be held to the fullest extent of the law, but also those who fund it.

Musk also said during a CNBC interview yesterday that very few people buy a company’s products because of the CEO’s political beliefs, and many people do not even know where those CEOs stand on various social issues.

Although Musk has gone out of his way to be transparent about his beliefs, he has a valid point. He obviously felt that, because of his influence, he held a duty to uphold American values and protect what he felt was an attack on free speech and human rights.

Disagreeing with Musk and his political stances is totally reasonable, but damaging products that consumers bought from his companies is not impacting him directly. Instead, it is making consumers’ lives more difficult.

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Tesla Model 3 gets perfect 5-star Euro NCAP safety rating

Tesla prides itself on producing some of the safest vehicles on the road today.

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Credit: Tesla Singapore/X

Tesla prides itself on producing some of the safest vehicles on the road today. Based on recent findings from the Euro NCAP, the 2025 Model 3 sedan continues this tradition, with the vehicle earning a 5-star overall safety rating from the agency.

Standout Safety Features

As could be seen on the Euro NCAP’s official website, the 2025 Model 3 achieved an overall score of 90% for Adult Occupants, 93% for Child Occupants, 89% for Vulnerable Road Users, and 87% for Safety Assist. This rating, as per the Euro NCAP, applies to the Model 3 Rear Wheel Drive, Long Range Rear Wheel Drive, Long Range All Wheel Drive, and Performance All Wheel Drive.

The Euro NCAP highlighted a number of the Model 3’s safety features, such as its Active Hood, which automatically lifts during collisions to mitigate injury risks to vulnerable road users, and Automatic Emergency Braking System, which now detects motorcycles through an upgraded algorithm. The Euro NCAP also mentioned the Model 3’s feature that prevents initial door opening if someone is approaching the vehicle’s blind spot.

Standout Safety Features

In a post on its official Tesla Europe & Middle East account, Tesla noted that the company is also introducing new features that make the Model 3 even safer than it is today. These include functions like head-on collision avoidance and crossing traffic AEB, as well as Child Left Alone Detection, among other safety features.

“We also introduced new features to improve Safety Assist functionality even further – like head-on collision avoidance & crossing traffic AEB – to detect & respond to potential hazards faster, helping avoid accidents in the first place. 

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“Lastly, we released Child Left Alone Detection – if an unattended child is detected, the vehicle will turn on HVAC & alert caregivers via phone app & the vehicle itself (flashing lights/audible alert). Because we’re using novel in-cabin radar sensing, your Tesla is able to distinguish between adult vs child – reduced annoyance to adults, yet critical safety feature for kids,” Tesla wrote in its post on X.

Below is the Euro NCAP’s safety report on the 2025 Tesla Model 3 sedan.

Euroncap 2025 Tesla Model 3 Datasheet by Simon Alvarez on Scribd

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