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SpaceX GPS satellite launch, landing opens door for first US military Falcon 9 reuse

SpaceX confirmed that tonight's successful Falcon 9 launch and landing will open the door for the US military's first operational use of a flight-proven booster. (SpaceX)

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SpaceX has successfully launched its third GPS III navigation satellite and simultaneously confirmed that the now once-flown Falcon 9 booster responsible will soon support the US military’s first operational launch on a flight-proven commercial rocket.

Known as GPS III Space Vehicle 04 (SV04), the ~3700 kg (~8150 lb) navigation satellite will join three other upgraded spacecraft launched since December 2018 – two of which flew on SpaceX Falcon 9 rockets. Of the six GPS III launch contracts the US military has thus far awarded, SpaceX has secured all but one, netting a total of $474 million for an average per-launch cost just shy of $95 million – likely saving more than $50 million per launch relative to comparable ULA contracts.

In June 2020, US Air Force Space and Missile Systems Center (USAF SMC) took the next step towards even more affordable launches by allowing SpaceX to recover its Falcon 9 booster after future military missions. A mere three months after that milestone and Falcon 9 booster B1060’s successful post-GPS III SV03 landing, SMC took the most important step yet, announcing that it had reached an agreement with SpaceX to reuse Falcon 9 boosters on two upcoming GPS III launches.

SpaceX confirmed that tonight’s successful Falcon 9 launch and landing will open the door for the US military’s first operational use of a flight-proven booster. (SpaceX)

SMC announced the contract modification in late September, revealing that the Falcon 9 booster (B1062) assigned to launch GPS III SV04 no earlier than September 30th, 2020 would be reused on future GPS III SV05 and SV06 missions, ultimately cutting almost $53 million of the cost to launch GPS III satellites SV03 through SV06.

Unfortunately for B1062, the SpaceX rocket’s GPS III SV04 launch debut was initially delayed by competitor ULA’s own unrelated launch delays, followed by a last-second abort on October 2nd after the rocket detected anomalous behavior in two of its nine Merlin 1D engines. SpaceX ultimately traced the issue back to faulty quality assurance and a blocked vent line, replaced both engines (and several more on different boosters), and completed a second static fire on October 31st.

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Falcon 9 B1062 streaks towards orbit. (Richard Angle)

On November 5th, things finally came together for the company and Falcon 9 B1062, a new upper stage and payload fairing, an GPS III SV04 lifted off from SpaceX’s Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) LC-40 launch pad. The previously unflown booster performed perfectly, ultimately completing a soft landing on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) after sending the satellite and upper stage on their way to orbit. A brisk eight or so minutes after liftoff, Falcon 9’s second stage shut off, coasted in orbit for 55 minutes, reignited for 45 seconds, and coasted another 25 minutes before finally releasing GPS III SV04 to complete the mission.

Mission complete and Falcon 9 B1062 intact and soon to be secured aboard drone ship OCISLY, SpaceX has now fully opened the door to reuse the same booster to launch GPS III SV05 and SV06. Over the course of its announcement, SMC did not that SpaceX’s GPS III SV05 mission had been delayed from January to July 2021 to allow extra time for the extremely conservative customer to “validate” SpaceX’s reuse process. If successful, SpaceX will then likely fly the same booster – B1062 – a third time to launch GPS III SV06 no earlier than (NET) Q3 2021.

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 Full Self-Driving is getting a major parking upgrade, Elon Musk says

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Full Self-Driving is going to be getting a major parking upgrade. That’s according to CEO Elon Musk, who detailed a crafty new feature that will improve parking preferences, removing a layer of human input.

Musk said that upcoming releases of Full Self-Driving will “remember your parking preferences.” It will go to the location you prefer, based on where you’ve parked in the past, instead of taking the first spot available, which is where the suite is currently.

The CEO went on to explain that destination parking is “by far” the biggest reason for intervention during FSD operation. We’d have to believe this is true; many takeovers in my Model Y, which runs the latest version of FSD as it is in the Early Access Program, are due to parking because it chooses a spot I do not want to be in.

Many times, as soon as I enter a parking lot, I take over and park manually. I prefer to park away from the entrance of wherever I am, away from cars. Too many lessons learned over the years from people with free-swinging doors.

We’d imagine these new updates will also solve things like parking orientation. Let’s say when you arrive at work, you always park in the third spot in the third row, and you prefer to back in. It seems as if Musk is implying that your car will now do this, learning from takeovers and aiming to eliminate the need to manually park whenever possible.

This is a major upgrade because parking is a major shortcoming of FSD currently. We’ve requested things like manual input of parking preferences, choosing to park far away, first available, or away from cars, for example.

However, some have used the option of dropping a pin at the location you’d like to park at your destination. This has worked some of the time, but FSD will still choose to park in whatever it sees first.

Musk did not give a timetable for when the improvements would be released, but it is likely to come soon. Tesla has been releasing a new FSD version every few weeks, so we may not have to wait long to test it.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving and App Connectivity save life in medical emergency

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Credit: Tesla

In a remarkable demonstration of how advanced vehicle technology can intersect with family care and rapid response, a Tesla Model Y equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised helped save a driver’s life during a severe heart attack. The incident, which occurred on November 15, 2025, highlights the life-saving potential of Tesla’s connected ecosystem.

John Brandt, 55, was driving his new 2026 Model Y Launch Edition on Interstate 20 from Atlanta toward Birmingham early that morning. He had recently received the FSD v14.1.3 update. Around 3:50 a.m., he began experiencing severe chest pain. Barely conscious and unable to safely control the vehicle, John managed to call his son, Jack Brandt.

FSD Supervised remained engaged, keeping the car steadily on course while John reached out for help.

As an authorized driver on his father’s Tesla account, Jack quickly sprang into action from his own phone. He located Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Georgia—a facility equipped for cardiac emergencies—via Google Maps and shared the destination directly through the Tesla app.

The Model Y responded immediately, rerouting: it took the next exit, turned around on I-20, navigated local roads, and pulled directly up to the emergency room entrance. Jack also alerted hospital staff that a heart attack patient was en route in a Tesla.

Doctors diagnosed John with a massive STEMI heart attack, requiring immediate intervention on three blocked arteries. They later confirmed that without the swift reroute, John likely would not have survived—whether he had pulled over to wait for an ambulance or attempted to continue driving. He received life-saving treatment and is now recovering fully.

Tesla shared the story on X, including an interview video featuring John and Jack reflecting on the event. John described the terrifying onset of symptoms, while Jack detailed the ease of remote intervention thanks to the app’s features. Only authorized users with vehicle access can change navigation destinations, adding a layer of security and family coordination.

This case underscores Tesla’s emphasis on connectivity and supervised autonomy. Features like remote navigation allow loved ones to assist in real-time emergencies, while FSD handles complex driving tasks reliably. Tesla notes that FSD Supervised requires active driver supervision and is not fully autonomous; this was a specific incident, not a general emergency protocol.

The story has resonated widely, with many praising Tesla’s technology for bridging gaps in critical moments. Jack previously shared details on social media in February 2026, and Tesla’s recent post has amplified its reach. As vehicles become smarter and more connected, such integrations could redefine personal safety on the road—turning cars into proactive partners in health crises.

For Tesla owners, the incident serves as a powerful reminder to add trusted family members as authorized drivers and explore FSD capabilities. While no technology replaces professional medical care, this blend of AI-assisted driving and seamless app control proved invaluable. John’s survival stands as a testament to innovation that prioritizes human life.

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Elon Musk predicts Grok will start to challenge Hollywood by the end of 2026

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Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

In a bold declaration on X, xAI CEO Elon Musk announced that its model will be capable of creating full movies by the end of the year. Quoting an xAI post showcasing a stunning AI-generated trailer for Homer’s The Odyssey, Musk simply stated: “Full movies by the end of the year.”

The quoted video, created entirely with the newly released Grok Imagine Video 1.5, demonstrates the rapid strides in AI video generation. Crafted by creator David Thompson, the 2-minute-plus trailer reimagines the ancient epic in the style of a 1970s classical Hollywood blockbuster. It features 36 meticulously consistent shots that form a cohesive narrative world.

Its realistic nature is truly mind-blowing, and it’s pretty amazing to think that it cool to think it could create an entire movie soon.

The trailer reimagines The Odyssey as a whole, and opens with a concept board outlining the vision: a retelling of the story using 35mm film aesthetics, classical framing, and other elements.

There are a handful of things that truly outline Grok’s capabilities:

  • Scale and Physics: A bloodied Spartan helmet rests on a sandy battlefield amid smoke, marching armies, and flocks of birds. Horses gallop, chariots charge, and warriors clash with believable weight and motion.
  • Emotional Depth and Dialogue: Close-ups capture intense expressions, as characters deliver lines like a warrior’s grief-stricken speech on a rocking ship.
  • Cinematic Workflow: It’s hard to believe AI created this trailer, as editing and suspense are clearly detailed in this trailer

Now, why is this a big deal? AI has been a real threat to the way movies have been made over the past several decades. It’s no secret that the various AI platforms out there are becoming more capable, but Musk has said that he believes things would be “watchable” by the end of this year, and by the end of 2027, Grok would be able to create “really good” movies.

There are several issues that remain, most notably the ability to remain cohesive throughout the length of a film, energy requirements, copyright questions for training data, and artistic intent. Hollywood has created some of the greatest cinematic masterpieces over the past 100 years, but 2026 could be the year AI not only assists but also independently authors cinema.

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