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SpaceX’s first high-altitude Starship a week away from completion, says Elon Musk

Starship SN8 (center right) is on track to become the first high-altitude prototype after flap, nosecone, and Raptor installation. (NASASpaceflight - bocachicagal)

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CEO Elon Musk says that SpaceX’s first high-altitude Starship prototype – built entirely out of a new steel alloy – will be fully assembled “about a week” from now.

On August 4th, SpaceX successfully hopped a full-scale Starship prototype (serial number 5 or SN5) for the first time, reaching the same 150m (~500 ft) apogee Starhopper soared to just shy of one year prior. On September 3rd, just 30 days later, Starship SN6 – an entirely different full-scale prototype with a different Raptor engine – completed an identical 150m hop, though Musk noted that it was “a much smoother & faster operation.” Indeed, the whole purpose of performing the same hop with two nearly identical ships was to develop and optimize the nascent process of Starship flight testing.

Musk’s indication that “several” short hops would be performed strongly implied that SN5, SN6, or both ships would fly a second time. Now, though, Musk – supported by a NASASpaceflight.com report – appears to be suggesting that the first high-altitude Starship (SN8) is up next on the docket.

Technicians prepare to install functional flaps on a Starship prototype for the first time ever. (NASASpaceflight – bocachicagal)

According to NASASpaceflight, SpaceX is now working towards the first high-altitude launch of Starship SN8 as early as October. Prior to that ambitious test flight, though, several critical milestones stand in the way. Unmentioned, Starship test tank SN7.1 may be hours away from kicking off a cryogenic stress test crucial to the future of Starship SN8 and several of its successors. Built out of a steel alloy that is somewhat more ductile and pliable at cryogenic temperatures, a successful SN7.1 stress test would open the door for SN8 – the first full-scale prototype built out of the same new alloy – to begin testing immediately thereafter.

As with all tests, though, failure is a strong possibility and would likely require more analysis of the new steel alloy and some level of redesign for several affected Starship components. In that event, Starship SN8 would likely serve as a test tank instead of becoming the first high-altitude flight article. SN7.1’s trials are set to begin no earlier than (NET) 9pm CDT (UTC-5) on September 14th and could continue all the way up to September 23rd.

New and improved Starship flaps first arrived in Texas all the way back in June and were recently joined by several more to complete two full sets of four. (NASASpaceflight – bocachicagal)

Meanwhile, SpaceX is working around the clock to outfit Starship SN8 and prepare the ship for the installation of a nosecone section and four aerodynamic control surfaces known as flaps. Unlike Starship Mk1, which was temporarily outfitted with flaps and a nosecone more as a full-size mockup than a flight article, there is a very real chance that Starship SN8 will actually perform a flight test with its nose and flaps installed.

Unlike the Space Shuttle or other proposed spaceplanes, SpaceX’s current Starship design incorporates flaps to ensure aerodynamic stability while free-falling belly-first through the atmosphere, akin to a skydiver using arms and legs to steer through the air.

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If Musk’s schedule is accurate, Starship SN8 could be fully outfitted with a nosecone and flaps and ready to roll to the launch pad for testing as early as next week. Prior to the first 20 km (~12.5 mi) hop and skydiver-style landing attempt, Musk says that SpaceX will put SN8 through a static fire test (possibly the first with three Raptor engines). If it survives, the rocket will be carefully inspected before performing a second static fire test. If that second test is successful, SN8 will finally be cleared for Starship’s first high-altitude launch and landing attempt.

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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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Tesla says it denied Musk CEO replacement report before it was published

Tesla says it responded to the WSJ’s request for comment, denying that it was in search of a new CEO to replace Elon Musk.

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(Credit: Tesla)

Tesla said that it denied seeking a replacement for CEO Elon Musk before a report was published claiming the company was considering a new frontman.

Last night, The Wall Street Journal reported that Tesla’s Board of Directors was looking for Musk’s replacement after he had devoted too much time to his role within the government. The publication revised its headline to the report no fewer than five times, initially stating the company was still seeking a replacement.

By the time the headline revisions were complete, it had outlined that Tesla had looked for a replacement a month ago, but had stopped its search following Musk’s commitment to Tesla during the company’s earnings call last month.

Shortly after the report surfaced, Board of Directors chairwoman Robyn Denholm officially issued a statement on behalf of Tesla:

“Earlier today, there was a media report erroneously claiming that the Tesla Board had contacted recruitment firms to initiate a CEO search at the company. This is absolutely false (and this was communicated to the media before the report was published). The CEO of Tesla is Elon Musk and the Board is highly confident in his ability to continue executing on the exciting growth plan ahead.  – Robyn Denholm.”

Tesla Board Chair slams Wall Street Journal over alleged CEO search report

Interestingly, Denholm’s statement indicates it had responded to a request for comment from the Wall Street Journal before the report was published. This is especially interesting because Tesla does not typically respond to media outreach, as it dissolved its media department several years ago.

Tesla typically makes its statements publicly on X.

Musk also responded to the report, indicating that the WSJ had committed an “extremely bad breach of ethics” by publishing a “deliberately false article” that did not include Tesla’s “unequivocal denial beforehand.”

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Robotaxis are already making roads safer, Waymo report reveals

Waymo Driver is already reducing severe crashes and enhancing the safety of vulnerable road users.

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Waymo hires former Tesla Executive 
(Credit: Waymo)

Industry leaders such as Elon Musk have always maintained that autonomous robotaxis will make roads safer. A recent blog post from Waymo about the safety of its self-driving cars suggests that Musk’s sentiments are on point.

Way More Safety

Waymo Driver is already reducing severe crashes and enhancing the safety of vulnerable road users. As per a new research paper set for publication in the Traffic Injury Prevention Journal, Waymo Driver had outperformed human drivers in safety, particularly for vulnerable road users (VRUs).

Over 56.7 million miles, compared to human drivers, Waymo Driver achieved a 92% reduction in pedestrian injury crashes. It also saw 82% fewer crashes with injuries with cyclists and 82% fewer crashes with injuries with motorcyclists. Waymo Driver also slashed injury-involving intersection crashes by 96%, which are a leading cause of severe road harm for human drivers. Waymo Driver saw 85% fewer crashes with suspected serious or worse injuries as well.

What They Are Saying

Mauricio Peña, Waymo’s Chief Safety Officer, was optimistic about Waymo Driver’s results so far. “It’s exciting to see the real positive impact that Waymo is making on the streets of America as we continue to expand. This research reinforces the growing evidence that the Waymo Driver is playing a crucial role in reducing serious crashes and protecting all road users,” the Chief Safety Officer noted.

Jonathan Adkins, Chief Executive Officer at Governors Highway Safety Association, also noted that Waymo’s results are very encouraging. “It’s encouraging to see real-world data showing Waymo outperforming human drivers when it comes to safety. Fewer crashes and fewer injuries — especially for people walking and biking — is exactly the kind of progress we want to see from autonomous vehicles,” Adkins stated.

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Tesla hints at June 1 launch of Robotaxi platform in Austin

Tesla has hinted at a potential launch date for the Robotaxi service in Austin, Texas.

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tesla robotaxi app on phone
Credit: Tesla

Tesla just dropped its biggest hint yet about the potential launch date of its Robotaxi ride-hailing platform in Austin, Texas, shedding more light on when to expect it to take off.

In preparation for the ride-hailing service to launch, Tesla has been in talks with the City of Austin for months. It has also spent recent months bolstering its Full Self-Driving suite, aiming for it to handle initially supervised rides with the use of teleoperators to keep things safe and dependable, at least early on.

The company has also said that it expects the Robotaxi service, which will drive passengers in Tesla Model Y vehicles to start, to launch in Austin in June. However, Tesla has not given an exact date.

Now, Tesla is hinting that Robotaxi could launch on June 1, based on a very vague X post it published on May 1:

Of course, this is extremely speculative. However, it’s the first time Tesla has made any suggestions about a potential launch date, so it’s worth taking it seriously.

While the automaker has often missed timelines in the past, most notably the launch of a “feature-complete” Full Self-Driving platform, this is the first time we’ve seen Tesla be so adamant and truly reiterate a target date.

Tesla has not shied away from this June date for the Robotaxi launch yet, something that is worth noting as we move closer to June. All signs point toward Tesla being able to come through on this timeline, and it could be one of its biggest accomplishments yet on the grand scheme of things. The Robotaxi rollout will be controlled and small to start, the company noted on its most recent Earnings Call.

CEO Elon Musk said:

“The team and I are laser-focused on bringing robotaxi to Austin in June. Unsupervised autonomy will first be solved for the Model Y in Austin.”

At first, it also seems as if the first Robotaxi rides will be available to a select group, as Musk said the ability to order one will not be available to the general public until later in the month. He also said the initial fleet will be between 10 and 20 vehicles:

“Yeah. We’re still debating the exact number to start off on day one, but it’s, like, I don’t know, maybe 10 or 20 vehicles on day one. And watch it carefully. They scale it up rapidly after that. So, we want to make sure that you’re paying very close attention the first time this happens. But, yeah, you will be able to — end of end of June or July, just go to Austin and order a Tesla for autonomous drive.”

While the June 1st date of the Robotaxi launch is extremely speculative, Tesla seems convinced that its vehicles could already handle this task. It would be something to see them come through on this date, especially on the first day of the month.

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