News
SpaceX on track for last Cargo Dragon launch, first Falcon 9 land landing in months
SpaceX is hours away from its Cargo Dragon (Dragon 1) spacecraft’s last space station resupply mission, a historic launch that will also include a Falcon 9 booster’s first land landing attempt in more than half a year.
Scheduled to lift off no earlier than 11:50 pm EST (04:50 UTC) on March 6th (March 7th UTC), flight-proven Falcon 9 booster B1059 rolled out to SpaceX Launch Complex 40 (LC-40) – part of Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) – on Thursday afternoon. Carrying twice-flown Dragon capsule C112, set to smash SpaceX’s orbital spacecraft turnaround record, tonight’s launch will mark SpaceX’s last International Space Station (ISS) mission under its first NASA Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract – awarded in 2008.
Aside from Cargo Dragon’s historic final launch and record spacecraft turnaround time, CRS-20 will also mark SpaceX’s first attempted land landing – meaning a Falcon 9 booster landing at LZ-1 or LZ-2 – since July 2019. Thanks in part to SpaceX’s Starlink launch priorities and Falcon Heavy’s intermittent launch cadence, the sonic booms of Falcon booster reentries have been a relative rarity at Landing Zones for the last half-year. CRS-20 will thankfully end that faux-drought and may even be followed just weeks later by a second Falcon booster return to LZ-1.
A decade of success in orbit
Over Dragon 1’s decade of service, the spacecraft has successfully delivered more than 40 metric tons (90,000 lb) of cargo to the International Space Station (ISS) and returned almost as much from the station to Earth – still the only operational spacecraft capable of doing so since the Space Shuttle’s 2011 retirement.
If CRS-20 goes as planned, NASA will have awarded SpaceX a total of $3.1B for its finished CRS Phase 1 contract, translating to an average of $147M apiece for 21 missions (including the CRS-7 failure and Dragon’s first space station demo mission) to the ISS.
In other words, each kilogram of cargo Falcon 9 and Dragon delivered to the space station wound up costing NASA a bit less than $80,000, admittedly eye-watering but quite favorable compared to the Space Shuttle’s ~$340,000/kg (assuming program cost of $240B (c. 2020) and STS-135’s ~5300 kg of cargo).
Small steps towards full reusability
SpaceX’s CRS Phase 1 successes have also helped NASA cautiously accept flight-proven commercial rockets and spacecraft as the company has gradually introduced Falcon 9 booster and Cargo Dragon capsule reusability. Now, more than two years since SpaceX’s first capsule (June 2017) and booster reuses (December 2017) on NASA CRS missions, the company has launched two Dragon capsules to the space station for the third time and flown Dragons on flight-proven boosters four times.
CRS-20 will mark the third time a Cargo Dragon capsule (C112) flies a third orbital resupply mission, as well as the fifth time a CRS mission will launch on a flight-proven booster (B1059). Compared to the sheer scale and ambition of SpaceX’s next-generation, fully-reusable Starship and Super Heavy launch system, Dragon and Falcon 9 may seem rather diminutive. However, it’s hard to exaggerate just how much reusability expertise SpaceX has gained through their development.
Set to take over resupply missions and ferry astronauts to and from the space station, SpaceX and CEO Elon Musk already considered Dragon 2 (Crew Dragon) to be dramatically simpler, faster, and cheaper to reuse. Starship will ultimately build off those significant improvements, enabling another leap (or several) forward. Perhaps just as importantly, Falcon and Dragon reuse will likely continue to make profound political and bureaucratic inroads over the next 5-10 years, gradually eroding and reshaping the status quo. Their progress will thus hopefully set both the technical and societal stages for widespread success and acceptance by the time Starship can be declared operational.
Weather is currently 60% GO for CRS-20, and the rocket and spacecraft are likely just hours from going vertical at the LC-40 launch pad. As always, tune into SpaceX’s official webcast approximately 15 minutes before liftoff to catch the Falcon 9 launch and landing live.
Check out Teslarati’s Marketplace! We offer Tesla accessories, including for the Tesla Cybertruck and Tesla Model 3.
Elon Musk
GM CEO Mary Barra says she told Biden to give Tesla and Musk EV credit
“He was crediting me, and I said, ‘Actually, I think a lot of that credit goes to Elon and Tesla…You know me, Andrew. I don’t want to take credit for things.”
General Motors CEO Mary Barra said in a new interview on Wednesday that she told President Joe Biden to credit Tesla and its CEO, Elon Musk, for the widespread electric vehicle transition.
She said she told Biden this after the former President credited her and GM for leading EV efforts in the United States.
During an interview at the New York Times Dealbook Summit with Andrew Ross Sorkin, Barra said she told Biden that crediting her was essentially a mistake, and that Musk and Tesla should have been explicitly mentioned (via Business Insider):
“He was crediting me, and I said, ‘Actually, I think a lot of that credit goes to Elon and Tesla…You know me, Andrew. I don’t want to take credit for things.”
GM CEO Mary Barra said to Andrew Sorkin at the New York Times Dealbook Summit that she pulled President Biden aside and said Tesla CEO @elonmusk deserved the credit for EVs:
“He was crediting me, and I said, ‘Actually, I think a lot of that credit goes to Elon and Tesla,'” Barra… pic.twitter.com/OHBTG1QfbJ
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) December 3, 2025
Back in 2021, President Biden visited GM’s “Factory Zero” plant in Detroit, which was the centerpiece of the company’s massive transition to EVs. The former President went on to discuss the EV industry, and claimed that GM and Barra were the true leaders who caused the change:
“In the auto industry, Detroit is leading the world in electric vehicles. You know how critical it is? Mary, I remember talking to you way back in January about the need for America to lead in electric vehicles. I can remember your dramatic announcement that by 2035, GM would be 100% electric. You changed the whole story, Mary. You did, Mary. You electrified the entire automotive industry. I’m serious. You led, and it matters.”
People were baffled by the President’s decision to highlight GM and Barra, and not Tesla and Musk, who truly started the transition to EVs. GM, Ford, and many other companies only followed in the footsteps of Tesla after it started to take market share from them.
Elon Musk and Tesla try to save legacy automakers from Déjà vu
Musk would eventually go on to talk about Biden’s words later on:
“They have so much power over the White House that they can exclude Tesla from an EV Summit. And, in case the first thing, in case that wasn’t enough, then you have President Biden with Mary Barra at a subsequent event, congratulating Mary for having led the EV revolution.”
In Q4 2021, which was shortly after Biden’s comments, Tesla delivered 300,000 EVs. GM delivered just 26.
News
Tesla Full Self-Driving shows confident navigation in heavy snow
So far, from what we’ve seen, snow has not been a huge issue for the most recent Full Self-Driving release. It seems to be acting confidently and handling even snow-covered roads with relative ease.
Tesla Full Self-Driving is getting its first taste of Winter weather for late 2025, as snow is starting to fall all across the United States.
The suite has been vastly improved after Tesla released v14 to many owners with capable hardware, and driving performance, along with overall behavior, has really been something to admire. This is by far the best version of FSD Tesla has ever released, and although there are a handful of regressions with each subsequent release, they are usually cleared up within a week or two.
Tesla is releasing a modified version of FSD v14 for Hardware 3 owners: here’s when
However, adverse weather conditions are something that Tesla will have to confront, as heavy rain, snow, and other interesting situations are bound to occur. In order for the vehicles to be fully autonomous, they will have to go through these scenarios safely and accurately.
One big issue I’ve had, especially in heavy rain, is that the camera vision might be obstructed, which will display messages that certain features’ performance might be degraded.
So far, from what we’ve seen, snow has not been a huge issue for the most recent Full Self-Driving release. It seems to be acting confidently and handling even snow-covered roads with relative ease:
FSD 14.1.4 snow storm Ontario Canada pic.twitter.com/jwK1dLYT0w
— Everything AI (@mrteslaspace) November 17, 2025
I found the steepest, unplowed hill in my area and tested the following:
• FSD 14.2.1 on summer tires
• FSD 14.2.1 on winter tires
• Manual drivingBut I think the most impressive part was how FSD went DOWN the hill. FSD in the snow is sublime $TSLA pic.twitter.com/YMcN7Br3PU
— Dillon Loomis (@DillonLoomis) December 2, 2025
Well.. I couldn’t let the boys have all the fun!
Threw the GoPro up and decided to FSD v14.2.1 in the snow. Roads were not compacted like the other day, a little slippery, but overall doable at lower speeds. Enjoy the video and holiday music 🎶
Liked:
Took turns super slow… pic.twitter.com/rIAIeh3Zu3— 🦋Diana🦋 (@99_Colorado) December 3, 2025
Moving into the winter months, it will be very interesting to see how FSD handles even more concerning conditions, especially with black ice, freezing rain and snow mix, and other things that happen during colder conditions.
We are excited to test it ourselves, but I am waiting for heavy snowfall to make it to Pennsylvania so I can truly push it to the limit.
News
Tesla hosts Rome Mayor for first Italian FSD Supervised road demo
The event marked the first time an Italian mayor tested the advanced driver-assistance system in person in Rome’s urban streets.
Tesla definitely seems to be actively engaging European officials on FSD’s capabilities, with the company hosting Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Mobility Assessor Eugenio Patanè for a hands-on road demonstration.
The event marked the first time an Italian mayor tested the advanced driver-assistance system in person in Rome’s urban streets. This comes amid Tesla’s push for FSD’s EU regulatory approvals in the coming year.
Rome officials experience FSD Supervised
Tesla conducted the demo using a Model 3 equipped with Full Self-Driving (Supervised), tackling typical Roman traffic including complex intersections, roundabouts, pedestrian crossings and mixed users like cars, bikes and scooters.
The system showcased AI-based assisted driving, prioritizing safety while maintaining flow. FSD also handled overtakes and lane decisions, though with constant driver supervision.
Investor Andrea Stroppa detailed the event on X, noting the system’s potential to reduce severe collision risks by up to seven times compared to traditional driving, based on Tesla’s data from billions of global fleet miles. The session highlighted FSD’s role as an assistance tool in its Supervised form, not a replacement, with the driver fully responsible at all times.
Path to European rollout
Tesla has logged over 1 million kilometers of testing across 17 European countries, including Italy, to refine FSD for local conditions. The fact that Rome officials personally tested FSD Supervised bodes well for the program’s approval, as it suggests that key individuals are closely watching Tesla’s efforts and innovations.
Assessor Patanè also highlighted the administration’s interest in technologies that boost road safety and urban travel quality, viewing them as aids for both private and public transport while respecting rules.
Replies on X urged involving Italy’s Transport Ministry to speed approvals, with one user noting, “Great idea to involve the mayor! It would be necessary to involve components of the Ministry of Transport and the government as soon as possible: it’s they who can accelerate the approval of FSD in Italy.”
GM CEO Mary Barra says she told Biden to give Tesla and Musk EV credit
Tesla Full Self-Driving shows confident navigation in heavy snow
