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SpaceX expands near Seattle with new internet satellite development lab

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SpaceX is committed to building up to 4,425 geosynchronous satellites with the goal of bringing low cost internet service to the entire world. The California-based space company led by serial tech entrepreneur Elon Musk has has leased an additional 40,625 square feet of space in the Redmond Ridge Corporate Center, about a 10 minute drive away from its existing 30,000 square foot office space just east of Seattle.

The owners of the leased space filed a permit request with building officials in King County last month saying it planned to make $2.1 million in interior improvements at that location. GeekWire reports that new location will become a research and development lab for the internet satellite program. Each satellite in the proposed 4,425 system will weigh 850 pounds and measure 13x6x4 feet, exclusive of solar arrays, and have an estimated service life of five to seven years.

Musk has said satellite design and construction operations in the state of  Washington will eventually employ as many as 1,000 workers. The Seattle area is particularly appealing because of the abundance of talented engineers with aeronautical and space exploration experience in the area. Boeing, Microsoft, and Blue Origin headed by Amazon’s Jeff Bezos are also located nearby.

SpaceX currently lists 60 openings for employment at the new Seattle-based lab, which will be responsible for developing and testing components to be used in the internet satellites. The Puget Sound Business Journal reported on January 27 that a factory will be created in nearby Kent, Washington, which is located between Seattle and Tacoma, but company spokesman John Taylor tells GeekWire no decision has been made about where the factory will be located.

In its filing with the FCC about the proposed satellite internet system, SpaceX indicated the first satellites could be deployed as early as 2018 with about 800 in total in place within three years after that. The first phase of the program is intended to cover the continental United States, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.

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In January, 2015, Musk held a private meeting for 400 people at the Seattle Center. We’ve embedded a video recorded from the event, below the article. “We want to revolutionize the satellite side of things just as we’ve done with the rocket side of things,” he told his audience. Ultimately, revenues from the satellite internet program would help fund the Mars exploration and colonization program, he said. Musk then explained why SpaceX chose the Seattle area for the satellite internet program. “There’s a huge amount of talent in the Seattle area, and a lot of you guys, it seems, don’t want to move to L.A.”

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Elon Musk shares unbelievable Starship Flight 10 landing feat

Flight 10’s Starship upper stage demonstrated impressive accuracy when it came to its target landing zone.

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Credit: SpaceX/X

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk recently shared an insane feat accomplished by Starship’s upper stage during its tenth test flight.

Despite the challenges it faced during its return trip to Earth, Flight 10’s Starship upper stage demonstrated impressive accuracy when it came to its target landing zone.

Against the odds

Musk’s update was shared on social media platform X. In a conversation about Starship upper stage’s return to Earth, Musk revealed that the upper stage splashed down just 3 meters (under 10 feet) from its intended target. Considering the size of the Starship upper stage and the ocean itself, achieving this accuracy was nothing short of insane.

Starship Flight 10 was a success as both the Super Heavy booster and Ship upper stage completed all their mission objectives. However, videos and images released by SpaceX showed the upper stage’s heat shield scorched golden-brown and parts of its aft skirt visibly missing. The flaps and other surfaces also bore signs of heavy stress from reentry.

SpaceX highlighted this in a post on X: “Starship made it through reentry with intentionally missing tiles, completed maneuvers to intentionally stress its flaps, had visible damage to its aft skirt and flaps, and still executed a flip and landing burn that placed it approximately 3 meters from its targeted splashdown point,” SpaceX noted.

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A key milestone

The result stands in stark contrast to Starship’s earlier test flights this year, when all three prior upper-stage flights in 2025 ended in premature breakup before splashdown. Flight 10 not only marked the first successful splashdown of the year for the Starship upper stage, but it also delivered near-perfect precision despite its battered state, according to a Space.com report.

For SpaceX, this success is a critical proof point in developing a fully reusable launch system. A spacecraft capable of surviving severe reentry conditions and still landing within meters of its target underscores the robustness needed for future missions, including orbital payload deliveries and, eventually, landings on the Moon and Mars.

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New Tesla Model Y Performance launches from Giga Berlin

The vehicle is produced at Gigafactory Berlin and is available to order now in Europe and the Middle East.

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Credit: Tesla

It took some time, but the new Tesla Model Y Performance is finally here. The new Model Y Performance features a blend of aerodynamic improvements, upgraded interior comforts, and high range enabled by new battery cells. 

The updated Model Y Performance is produced at Gigafactory Berlin and is available to order now in Europe and the Middle East. First deliveries are expected in 1-2 months.

Key Model Y Improvements

The new Model Y Performance sharpens the vehicle’s design and driving dynamics while adding subtle interior refinements. The revised variant now delivers 0–60 mph in 3.3 seconds, slightly quicker than its predecessor’s 3.5 seconds, while offering an EPA-estimated 308 miles of range, just about 1% less than the non-performance Dual Motor All Wheel Drive variant. Top speed is listed at 155 mph.

The exterior of the new Model Y Performance features new front and rear fascias, along with a carbon fiber spoiler designed for greater downforce and reduced drag. Staggered wheels and tires provide improved steering precision and grip, while high-performance brakes offer enhanced pedal feel and better heat management. The ride is supported by adaptive suspension that adjusts damping based on road conditions, paired with unique drive modes tailored for high-speed performance. Ground clearance is listed at 6.1 inches, and weight is listed at 2,033 kilograms (4,482 pounds).

Tech and Interior

Inside, Tesla has added carbon fiber decor, expanded ambient lighting in the footwells and door pockets, and upgraded seating. The first-row sport seats now include power recline, power tilt, heating, ventilation, and powered thigh extensions for added support during cornering. Rear passengers receive perforated heated seats with power recline. A new 16-inch QHD center touchscreen anchors the cabin’s technology suite.

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Additional upgrades include eight exterior cameras, with the refreshed design introducing a new forward-facing unit. The high-density battery pack also boosts charge capacity but also helps maintain range despite the Performance model’s added power output.

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Elon Musk reveals when SpaceX will perform first-ever Starship catch

“Starship catch is probably flight 13 to 15, depending on how well V3 flights go,” Musk said.

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Credit: SpaceX

Elon Musk revealed when SpaceX would perform the first-ever catch attempt of Starship, its massive rocket that will one day take life to other planets.

On Tuesday, Starship aced its tenth test flight as SpaceX was able to complete each of its mission objectives, including a splashdown of the Super Heavy Booster in the Gulf, the deployment of eight Starlink simulators, and another splashdown of the ship in the Indian Ocean.

It was the first launch that featured a payload deployment:

SpaceX Starship Flight 10 was so successful, it’s breaking the anti-Musk narrative

SpaceX was transparent that it would not attempt to catch the Super Heavy Booster, something it has done on three previous occasions: Flight 5 on October 13, 2024, Flight 7 on January 16, and Flight 8 on March 6.

This time, it was not attempting to do so. However, there are bigger plans for the future, and Musk detailed them in a recent post on X, where he discussed SpaceX’s plans to catch Starship, which would be a monumental accomplishment.

Musk said the most likely opportunities for SpaceX to catch Starship itself would be Flight 13, Flight 14, and Flight 15, but it depends on “how well the V3 flights go.”

The Starship launched with Flight 10 was a V2, which is the same size as the subsequent V3 rocket but has a smaller payload-to-orbit rating and is less powerful in terms of initial thrust and booster thrust. Musk said there is only one more V2 rocket left to launch.

V3 will be the version flown through 2026, as V4, which will be the most capable Starship build SpaceX manufactures, is likely to be the first company ship to carry humans to space.

Musk said that SpaceX planned to “hopefully” attempt a catch of Starship in 2025. However, it appears that this will likely be pushed back to 2026 due to timing.

SpaceX will take Starship catch one step further very soon, Elon Musk confirms

SpaceX would need to launch the 11th and 12th test flights by the end of the year in order to get to Musk’s expected first catch attempt of Flight 13. It’s not unheard of, but the company will need to accelerate its launch rate as it has only had three test flights this year.

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