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NASA updates status of SpaceX’s next two astronaut launches
NASA has updated the status of SpaceX’s next two crewed Falcon 9 launches – one fully private and the other for the space agency.
According to NASA, SpaceX’s first all-private Crew Dragon mission to the International Space Station has been delayed a month to allow additional technical and scheduling issues. Mission customer Axiom Space has yet to confirm or comment on the delay. NASA Commercial Crew Program manager Steve Stich also says that SpaceX’s next NASA astronaut launch will break a record for crewed Falcon booster reusability.
According to Stich, Crew-4’s four astronauts will launch atop a thrice-flown rocket, making the mission the first time SpaceX will have launched humans on the fourth flight of a Falcon 9 booster. However, Axiom’s first Crew Dragon launch might beat the space agency to the punch.
Crew-4 will be SpaceX’s fourth operational astronaut launch for NASA and is scheduled to lift off no earlier than (NET) April 15th, 2022 with a new Crew Dragon capsule and thrice-flown Falcon 9 booster B1067. On January 18th, a NASA blog post also confirmed a delay for Axiom’s Ax-1 mission, pushing the mission’s liftoff from February 21st to no earlier than (NET) March 31st, 2022 – quite close to Crew-4. Ax-1 will be Crew Dragon’s first private astronaut launch to the International Space Station (ISS) and the world’s first fully-private spaceflight to a space station. Unlike all other missions with private citizens that have visited the ISS, no Roscosmos or NASA astronauts will be aboard the spacecraft when Dragon lifts off.
Instead, commanded by former NASA astronaut Michael LĂłpez-AlegrĂa, Ax-1 will only carry private citizens. Each paying $55 million for the privilege, the mission’s three customers are Larry Connor, Mark Pathy, and Eytan Stibbe – all businessmen who’ve respectively amassed multmillion-dollar fortunes in real estate; entertainment and shipping; and military equipment and venture capitalism.
Ax-1 will reuse Crew Dragon capsule C207, which previously launched Crew-1 in November 2020 and Inspiration4 in September 2021. If Ax-1 avoids further delays, the mission will be the first time SpaceX (or anyone) launches astronauts in a twice-flown orbital space capsule. By all appearances, Ax-1 will also have to launch on a Falcon 9 booster that’s flown three or even four times (B1062 or B1063). Again, if Ax-1 launches before Crew-4, it will likely be the first crewed SpaceX launch to use such an experienced Falcon 9 booster.
However, if Ax-1 slips even a few days to the right, it’s more likely than not that NASA’s Crew-4 mission will take precedence and delay Ax-1 to late April 2022 at the earliest. Cargo Dragon’s CRS-25 ISS resupply mission is then scheduled to launch as early as May 2022, potentially setting the stage for a salvo of Dragon launches. Pad 39A, which will be responsible for all three launches, has a turnaround record of 10 days and has never launched two Dragons less than 18 days apart. The latter record will have to be broken for the current Ax-1 – Crew-4 schedule to hold.
Elon Musk
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets.
Starlink wrapped up 2025 with impressive growth, adding more than 4.6 million new active customers and expanding service to 35 additional countries, territories, and markets. The company also completed deployment of its first-generation Direct to Cell constellation, launching over 650 satellites in just 18 months to enable cellular connectivity.
SpaceX highlighted Starlink’s impressive 2025 progress in an extensive report.
Key achievements from Starlink’s 2025 Progress
Starlink connected over 4.6 million new customers with high-speed internet while bringing service to 35 more regions worldwide in 2025. Starlink is now connecting 9.2 million people worldwide. The service achieved this just weeks after hitting its 8 million customer milestone.
Starlink is now available in 155 markets, including areas that are unreachable by traditional ISPs. As per SpaceX, Starlink has also provided over 21 million airline passengers and 20 million cruise passengers with reliable high-speed internet connectivity during their travels.
Starlink Direct to Cell
Starlink’s Direct to Cell constellation, more than 650 satellites strong, has already connected over 12 million people at least once, marking a breakthrough in global mobile coverage.
Starlink Direct to Cell is currently rolled out to 22 countries and 6 continents, with over 6 million monthly customers. Starlink Direct to Cell also has 27 MNO partners to date.
“This year, SpaceX completed deployment of the first generation of the Starlink Direct to Cell constellation, with more than 650 satellites launched to low-Earth orbit in just 18 months. Starlink Direct to Cell has connected more than 12 million people, and counting, at least once, providing life-saving connectivity when people need it most,” SpaceX wrote.
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Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.Â
Tesla’s Giga Nevada has reached an impressive milestone, producing its 6 millionth drive unit as 2925 came to a close.
To celebrate the milestone, the Giga Nevada team gathered for a celebratory group photo.
6 million drive units
The achievement was shared by the official Tesla Manufacturing account on social media platform X. “Congratulations to the Giga Nevada team for producing their 6 millionth Drive Unit!” Tesla wrote.Â
The photo showed numerous factory workers assembled on the production floor, proudly holding golden balloons that spelled out “6000000″ in front of drive unit assembly stations. Elon Musk gave credit to the Giga Nevada team, writing, “Congrats on 6M drive units!” in a post on X.
Giga Nevada’s essential role
Giga Nevada produces drive units, battery packs, and energy products. The facility has been a cornerstone of Tesla’s scaling since opening, and it was the crucial facility that ultimately enabled Tesla to ramp the Model 3 and Model Y. Even today, it serves as Tesla’s core hub for battery and drivetrain components for vehicles that are produced in the United States.
Giga Nevada is expected to support Tesla’s ambitious 2026 targets, including the launch of vehicles like the Tesla Semi and the Cybercab. Tesla will have a very busy 2026, and based on Giga Nevada’s activities so far, it appears that the facility will be equally busy as well.
News
Tesla Supercharger network delivers record 6.7 TWh in 2025
The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets.
Tesla’s Supercharger Network had its biggest year ever in 2025, delivering a record 6.7 TWh of electricity to vehicles worldwide.
To celebrate its busy year, the official @TeslaCharging account shared an infographic showing the Supercharger Network’s growth from near-zero in 2012 to this year’s impressive milestone.
Record 6.7 TWh delivered in 2025
The bar chart shows steady Supercharger energy delivery increases since 2012. Based on the graphic, the Supercharger Network started small in the mid-2010s and accelerated sharply after 2019, when the Model 3 was going mainstream.Â
Each year from 2020 onward showed significantly more energy delivery, with 2025’s four quarters combining for the highest total yet at 6.7 TWh.
This energy powered millions of charging sessions across Tesla’s growing fleet of vehicles worldwide. The network now exceeds 75,000 stalls globally, and it supports even non-Tesla vehicles across several key markets. This makes the Supercharger Network loved not just by Tesla owners but EV drivers as a whole.
Resilience after Supercharger team changes
2025’s record energy delivery comes despite earlier 2024 layoffs on the Supercharger team, which sparked concerns about the system’s expansion pace. Max de Zegher, Tesla Director of Charging North America, also highlighted that “Outside China, Superchargers delivered more energy than all other fast chargers combined.”
Longtime Tesla owner and FSD tester Whole Mars Catalog noted the achievement as proof of continued momentum post-layoffs. At the time of the Supercharger team’s layoffs in 2024, numerous critics were claiming that Elon Musk was halting the network’s expansion altogether, and that the team only remained because the adults in the room convinced the juvenile CEO to relent.
Such a scenario, at least based on the graphic posted by the Tesla Charging team on X, seems highly implausible.Â
Starlink achieves major milestones in 2025 progress report
Tesla Giga Nevada celebrates production of 6 millionth drive unit
