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SpaceX nails reused booster launch, Falcon Heavy’s maiden flight days away
Despite a brief 24-hour delay due to weather and minor mechanical issues, SpaceX recycled the launch opportunity and completed the mission on Wednesday afternoon, January 31. Tasked with carrying GovSat-1 to orbit, the reused Falcon 9 rocket (Booster 1032) performed flawlessly and as expected, although the stage was expended. Launch directors confirmed just before the end of the live webcast that the communications satellite, a public-private partnership between SES and Luxembourg, was placed into a good orbit a few minutes before it separated from Falcon 9’s second stage. The mission marks SpaceX’s second successful launch of 2018, its first reused flight of the year, and the last launch before Falcon Heavy’s inaugural flight – currently scheduled for Tuesday, February 6.
Perhaps most intriguingly (or at least uniquely), the to-be-expended booster was still seen outfitted with both grid fins and landing legs at the launch pad, the new legs a stark white against the dark and sooty backdrop of the Falcon 9’s recycled booster. While SpaceX’s webcast host very explicitly stated at least three times that the first stage was not going to be recovered, careful listeners may have still caught snippets of the launch and recovery directors announcing different milestones as Falcon 9 S1 landed softly in the Atlantic Ocean. Similar to the recovery operations after the launch of Iridium-4 in December 2018, S1 flew as if it were landing aboard a drone ship, although in the case of this launch that theatricality extended even to landing legs.
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- Falcon 9 venting before liftoff. (Tom Cross)
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- We have liftoff! (Tom Cross)
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- (Tom Cross)
While it may seem quite odd that SpaceX would choose to expend an entire, recoverable rocket, it is presumed that SpaceX is simply choosing to rid itself of a stock of older boosters incapable of flying more than once or twice – preparing for the introduction of the highly reusable Block 5 of Falcon 9, in other words. As stated by the webcast host, a SpaceX engineer, the company’s goal is for boosters to last “tens of launches in the short term, and hundreds or thousands of launches in the long term.” It is worth remembering that expending rocket boosters in the ocean (or even over land for Russia and China) is the status quo of all non-SpaceX rockets, and SpaceX has only just begun to perfect booster recovery and reuse – the first successful ocean recovery was completed less than two years ago. The very fact that it already feels odd or even wrong to “throw away” hardware into the ocean after launch is a testament to just how rapidly SpaceX have changed both the figurative and literal paradigms of orbital rocketry, and it is only a matter of time before the eminently persistent company ends the practice of expendable launches internally, if not globally.
Up next, Falcon Heavy
After yet another successful mission for SpaceX, the company’s Florida efforts will now briefly focus on the imminent inaugural launch of Falcon Heavy, the company’s newest and largest rocket. Loosely penciled in for liftoff on Tuesday, February 6, the massive vehicle will become the most powerful and capable operational rocket in the world, comparable only to the likes of NASA’s Saturn V and Space Shuttle, as well as the Soviet Union’s short-lived Energia. Regardless of its place against a historical backdrop of massive state-funded rockets, Falcon Heavy will by default become the most powerful commercial launch vehicle ever developed, and that title will almost certainly remain uncontested until 2020 at the absolute earliest. If or when the first and smallest version of NASA’s SLS rocket launches, likely also no earlier than 2020, the space agency may well take the crown back for a brief year or so. Regardless, SpaceX will likely be regularly launching Falcon Heavies and nearing the tail end of the development and testing of its much larger BFR rocket and spaceship.
Falcon Heavy will be the clearest progress yet towards such a massive rocket, and will provide SpaceX with invaluable experience and expertise as the only private company to ever operate a super heavy-lift launch vehicle (SHLLV). After a solid four weeks of near-constant testing, bug-fixing, and retesting, Falcon Heavy just days ago completed its first static fire, marking the first point in its history that all 27 of its first stage engines were simultaneously ignited. The data produced by that crucial test was apparently satisfactory, and Elon Musk just yesterday reiterated that the vehicle’s first launch was still targeting February 6.
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- Paper rocket, meet the real deal. (SpaceX)
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- Falcon Heavy and Falcon 9 in the distance, a tour de force of SpaceX’s breadth of accomplishment. (SpaceX)
Follow along live as launch photographer Tom Cross and your intrepid author cover these groundbreaking events live.
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Tom Cross – Instagram
Eric Ralph – Twitter
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News
Tesla Cybertruck welcomed with open arms in South Korea
The event featured interactive demos, a light show with the full Tesla lineup, and announcements including FSD Supervised’s planned rollout to Cybertruck by the end of 2025.
Tesla Korea handed over its first 30 Cybertrucks to owners on Thursday during a ceremonial event at the Cultural Reserve Base in Seoul, marking the all-electric pickup truck’s official debut outside North America.
The event featured interactive demos, a light show with the full Tesla lineup, and announcements including FSD Supervised’s planned rollout to Cybertruck by the end of 2025.
A historic delivery event
The November 27 event transformed a former oil reserve warehouse into a symbolic launchpad for electric mobility. Attended by 30 new owners, the event included hands-on activities such as hammer-strike durability tests, accessory sales, a lucky draw, and group photos. It culminated in a synchronized light show featuring the 30 Cybertrucks alongside Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y vehicles, which drew cheers from attendees.
Yvonne Chan, Tesla APAC Regional Director, joined as a special guest to celebrate the delivery milestone. Tesla Korea President Seo Young-deuk was also in attendance, and shared his optimism for the company’s momentum in the country.
“Korea is currently the third-largest market for Tesla sales worldwide, and this year, for the first time, it has achieved the No. 1 spot in imported car brand sales volume, Tesla Korea is growing at an incredibly rapid pace,” he said. “To repay this love from our customers, Tesla plans to continue investing in the Korean market and enhancing the customer experience.”
-->FSD Supervised launches in Korea
Seo announced the official introduction of Full Self-Driving (Supervised) in Korea, with Cybertrucks slated for inclusion by the end of 2025, which promoted applause from the event’s attendees. With even the Cybertruck expected to receive FSD this year, Tesla Korea’s fleet could very well become the country’s most advanced vehicles overnight.
Infrastructure growth remains a priority to support Tesla Korea’s expanding fleet. Tesla Korea’s Supercharger network currently includes 166 sites with 1,133 stalls, with V4 units planned for nationwide highway rest areas to boost long-distance travel. The company also operates seven stores and 15 service centers, though plans are underway to double both by 2027. A new store in Incheon’s Songdo district is scheduled to open by December 2025, enhancing accessibility for western Seoul-area customers.
Seo concluded, “Through all-encompassing investments spanning products, charging infrastructure, and service networks, Tesla Korea will deliver the most refined electric vehicle experience to Korean customers.”
News
Tesla China delivery centers packed as Q4 2025 enters its final month
Fresh photos from delivery centers in the country show rows upon rows of Model Ys and Model 3s.
Tesla’s delivery centers in China are filled with vehicles as the company ramps up for its final push in Q4 2025. Fresh photos from delivery centers in the country show rows upon rows of Model Ys and Model 3s, signaling strong end-of-quarter momentum.
A delivery push for Q4 2025
A recent aerial shot from a Tesla delivery center in China captures the company’s efforts to deliver as many vehicles as possible as the year comes to a close. As could be seen in the image, which was posted by on X by Tesla enthusiast Nic Cruz Patane, the facility was filled with numerous Model Y and Model 3 units, each vehicle seemingly ready to be handed over to customers.
Echoing the scene, another post, reportedly from two weeks prior, showed a similar scene in a Shanghai location, which was packed with Model Y units. X user Roberto Nores shared the photo, noting that the image also shows multiple Model Y Ls, a six-seat extended wheelbase version of the popular all-electric crossover.
Towards a strong Q4 finish
China remains Tesla’s volume powerhouse, accounting for a good portion of the company’s global deliveries in recent quarters. That being said, reports did emerge in early November stating that the company only reached 26,006 retail sales during October, as noted in a CNEV Post report. The reasons for this remain to be seen, though a focus on exports could have been a contributing factor.
Tesla China does seem to be hinting at some momentum this November. Just recently, Tesla watchers observed that the order page for the Model Y in China shows a message informing customers that those who wish to guarantee delivery by the end of the year should purchase an inventory unit. This was despite the Model Y RWD and Model Y L showing an estimated delivery timeline of 4-8 weeks, and the Model Y Long Range RWD and Model Y Long Range AWD showing 4-13 weeks.
-->Elon Musk
SpaceX’s Starship FL launch site will witness scenes once reserved for sci-fi films
A Starship that launches from the Florida site could touch down on the same site years later.
The Department of the Air Force (DAF) has released its Final Environmental Impact Statement for SpaceX’s efforts to launch and land Starship and its Super Heavy booster at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station’s SLC-37.
According to the Impact Statement, Starship could launch up to 76 times per year on the site, with Super Heavy boosters returning within minutes of liftoff and Starship upper stages landing back on the same pad in a timeframe that was once only possible in sci-fi movies.
Booster in Minutes, Ship in (possibly) years
The EIS explicitly referenced a never-before-seen operational concept: Super Heavy boosters will launch, reach orbit, and be caught by the tower chopsticks roughly seven minutes after liftoff. Meanwhile, the Starship upper stage will complete its mission, whether a short orbital test, lunar landing, or a multi-year Mars cargo run, and return to the exact same SLC-37 pad upon mission completion.
“The Super Heavy booster landings would occur within a few minutes of launch, while the Starship landings would occur upon completion of the Starship missions, which could last hours or years,” the EIS read.
This means a Starship that departs the Florida site in, say, 2027, could touch down on the same site in 2030 or later, right beside a brand-new stack preparing for its own journey, as noted in a Talk Of Titusville report. The 214-page document treats these multi-year round trips as standard procedure, effectively turning the location into one of the world’s first true interplanetary spaceports.
-->Noise and emissions flagged but deemed manageable
While the project received a clean bill of health overall, the EIS identified two areas requiring ongoing mitigation. Sonic booms from Super Heavy booster and Starship returns will cause significant community annoyance” particularly during nighttime operations, though structural damage is not expected. Nitrogen oxide emissions during launches will also exceed federal de minimis thresholds, prompting an adaptive management plan with real-time monitoring.
Other impacts, such as traffic, wildlife (including southeastern beach mouse and Florida scrub-jay), wetlands, and historic sites, were deemed manageable under existing permits and mitigation strategies. The Air Force is expected to issue its Record of Decision within weeks, followed by FAA concurrence, setting the stage for rapid redevelopment of the former site into a dual-tower Starship complex.
SpaceX Starship Environmental Impact Statement by Simon Alvarez
Tesla Cybertruck welcomed with open arms in South Korea
Tesla China delivery centers packed as Q4 2025 enters its final month
