

News
SpaceX launches the second Integrated Flight Test of Starship
Following a brief hold at t minus 40 seconds, Starship took to the morning skies just after 7 a.m. CT from Starbase, Texas.
The countdown flowed smoothly as the SpaceX team filled the gigantic rocket in the pre-dawn hours, working no issues outside, making sure there were no wayward boats downrange.
After the hold was lifted, the clock counted down. Once t-minus 3 seconds, the 33 Raptor engines roared to life and began ramping their thrust levels up, and at t+ 2 seconds, Booster 9 and Ship 25 thundered away from the orbital launch mount, clearing the launch tower in a matter of seconds.
Congratulations to the entire SpaceX team on an exciting second integrated flight test of Starship!
Starship successfully lifted off under the power of all 33 Raptor engines on the Super Heavy Booster and made it through stage separation pic.twitter.com/JnCvLAJXPi
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 18, 2023
The first phase of flight was perfect, with all 33 Raptor engines performing nominally, a marked improvement over the first test flight. Ship 25 and Booster 9 cleared Max Q just over a minute into the flight per the call out on the SpaceX launch stream.
At t+ 2 minutes and 50 seconds, 30 Raptor engines shut down on Booster 9, and Starship lit all 6 Raptor engines to pull away, the first-ever successful hot staging for SpaceX.
Booster 9 then began its flip to prepare for the boost backburn, but based on the stream, it appeared to possibly over-rotate, and the flight termination system destroyed the rocket.
Stage separation! pic.twitter.com/PipaCW1PDT
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) November 18, 2023
For just over the next 5 minutes, all 6 Raptor engines on Ship 25 were firing nominally until SpaceX seemingly lost signal with the vehicle, possibly being the reason the automated flight termination system activated. This has yet to be confirmed by SpaceX. Based on the stream, engine shutdown appears to occur t+ 8 minutes and 4 seconds, followed by flight termination at t+ 8 minutes and 7 seconds.
Overall, this was a huge improvement over the first test flight. SpaceX showed much greater reliability in the Raptor engines, with none of the 33 Raptor engines malfunctioning during the first stage burn, a flawless hot stage, and a very smooth Ship 25 burn until SpaceX lost signal.
The launch pad seemingly faired much better this time around as well. Various live streams from the launch pad did not show giant chunks of debris flying after lift-off, which can help set SpaceX up for a much faster return to flight for Starship following their mishap investigation.
How do you think SpaceX did the 2nd time around? Vast improvements, or do you think they need a lot more work first?
Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.
News
Tesla Model Y Juniper deliveries could boost S Korea sales in Q2

Tesla Model Y Juniper deliveries started in South Korea recently. The Model Y Juniper is poised to drive Tesla’s sales growth in South Korea.
Tesla’s strong performance in the country’s import market underscores its growing dominance in South Korea. In 2024, Tesla sold 29,750 vehicles in South Korea, defying challenges in the broader auto sector.
The company’s momentum carried into 2025. The Tesla Model Y led South Korea’s imported car market in February with 2,038 unit registrations, according to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA). South Korea’s total imported passenger car registrations rose 24.4% to 21,199 units. Tesla ranked third with 2,222 unit registrations, trailing behind BMW’s 6,274 units and Mercedes-Benz’s 4,663 car registrations.
The Model Y Rear Wheel Drive has been a key driver of Tesla’s appeal in South Korea. The classic Model Y was South Korea’s top performer in February 2025. The Model Y Juniper variant is expected to build Tesla’s success in the country.
In the first quarter, Tesla was focused on retooling and upgrading its gigafactories worldwide for the Model Y Juniper. Tesla’s results in the second quarter will reveal how much of an impact the retooling and upgrades had on the company in the first quarter.
Tesla is still facing a few headwinds in Q2 2025, including Trump’s auto tariffs and attacks on customer vehicles related to Elon Musk. While Tesla is predicted to be the best-positioned American automaker for Trump’s auto tariffs, it will still be affected. As for the Tesla attacks, Elon Musk has announced a renewed focus on his duties to the EV automaker and plans to significantly reduce his time to DOGE next month.
News
Tesla Model Y with three rows and extended wheelbase rumored to start production in China
Tesla may be starting the production of a three-row, extended wheelbase variant of the new Model Y starting next month.

Reports from China have suggested that Tesla may be starting the production of a three-row, extended wheelbase variant of the new Model Y starting next month.
The rumors were initially reported by prolific Chinese auto blogger @胖虎Shawn, who has long been tracking Tesla’s activities and programs in the country.
Recent Model Y Rumors
Over the weekend, rumors from China suggested that Tesla would reportedly be releasing a variant of the best-selling all-electric crossover internally dubbed as “E80.” The vehicle will reportedly be a stripped-down version of the new Model Y, similar to the Cybertruck Long Range Rear Wheel Drive, which is a stripped-out version of the Cybertruck All Wheel Drive.
As noted in a CNEV Post report, it remains to be seen if the recently rumored new Model Y “E80” variant would be a three-row vehicle. That being said, Reuters also hinted at a Model Y “E41” version in a report last month, though the publication claimed that the variant will reportedly start production at Giga Shanghai sometime in 2026. Giga Shanghai is Tesla’s largest factory by output, and it also serves as the company’s primary vehicle export hub.
Three Row Potential
While Tesla China has started deliveries of the new Model Y to domestic customers, the company only offers the vehicles in five-seat configurations. Even the rumored “E80” variant that made the rounds in the news and social media this weekend hinted at a Model Y with five seats instead of seven.
Tesla has released a seven-seat version of the Model Y during the vehicle’s previous generation. However, the three-row Model Y classic did not feature an extended wheelbase like what the recent rumors from China suggest. This resulted in the seven-seat Model Y’s third row being useful only for small passengers like children or adults with short stature.
If the recent rumors prove accurate and Tesla China is indeed poised to produce a seven-seat new Model Y variant with an extended wheelbase, the company would be able to offer a vehicle that has a comfortable third row. This should allow Tesla to compete in the MPV market, which is populated by vehicles from local manufacturers like BYD.
News
Starlink nears S Korea launch as satellite internet demand rises

Starlink is poised to launch in South Korea this year, pending regulatory approvals, as global demand for low-orbit satellite connectivity surges.
On April 27, South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT announced system improvements to facilitate low-orbit satellite communication services like Starlink and the U.K.’s OneWeb. Low-orbit satellites, operating at 300–1,500 km, enable high-speed internet without extensive ground infrastructure, serving remote areas, ships, and airplanes.
“If we start domestic services, high-speed Wi-Fi services will be available on airplanes, and we will be able to provide online video services (OTT) and video calls to crews on long-haul ships,” said Minister of Science and ICT Yoo Sang-im.
According to KMIB, OneWeb is awaiting approvals for cross-border supply agreements and terminal suitability assessments. SpaceX’s Starlink is also waiting for approval. In October 2024, South Korea’s Ministry of Science and ICT notified the public about amendments to technical standards that would prevent frequent interference. After 60 days of the notice’s publication, the South Korean government is estimated to take 3-4 months to approve Starlink’s cross-board supply agreement with SpaceX.
Kim Nam-cheol, director of the Radio Policy Bureau, noted, “It is certain that (the two companies) will launch services this year, but it is difficult to specify a date as changes may occur during the consultation process.”
Starlink and OneWeb’s pending approvals in S. Korea involve ensuring compliance with local regulations, including terminal assessments for new devices. The push for satellite internet reflects a broader global trend, with S. Korea positioning itself to bridge connectivity gaps in aviation, maritime, and remote regions.
Starlink’s global reach is evident, and its usefulness increases as it expands. In January, T-Mobile used Starlink Cellular to transmit emergency alerts during LA wildfires. Meanwhile, Hawaiian and United Airlines offer Starlink Aviation for in-flight video streaming and gaming.
As Starlink expands, new competitors enter the ever-growing lob-orbit satellite communications industry. For example, Amazon’s Kuiper established a corporation in South Korea last May.
Starlink’s involvement in the Ukriane-Russia war has also led world governments to consider establishing their own satellite communications network. South Korea aims to develop its own independent satellite technology by 2030. The Asian nation plans to invest 320 billion won over six years to launch two communication units via the Nuri rocket.
Ukraine is also exploring Starlink alternatives developed by the European Union. In addition, Germany’s military, Bundeswehr, plans to build its own satellite constellation to reduce dependence on foreign networks amid geopolitical tensions.
As Starlink expands, S Korea’s regulatory and technological efforts could shape its role in the global satellite communication market, balancing foreign services with ambitions for domestic innovation.
-
News7 days ago
Tesla’s Hollywood Diner is finally getting close to opening
-
Elon Musk1 week ago
Tesla doubles down on Robotaxi launch date, putting a big bet on its timeline
-
News3 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
-
News2 weeks ago
Underrated Tesla safety feature recognized by China Automotive Research Institute
-
News2 weeks ago
These were the best-selling EV brands in the U.S. in Q1
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla’s vehicles led U.S. EV sales again last quarter: report
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla reveals its Q1 Supercharger voting winners, opens next round