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SpaceX Dragon spacecraft returns to California port for the last time
SpaceX has returned one of its reusable Dragon spacecraft to the Port of Los Angeles for the last time, wrapping up almost a decade of West Coast recovery operations as the company prepares to move East.
Marking the fully successful completion of Cargo Dragon’s CRS-20 space station resupply mission for NASA, the spacecraft’s arrival in port aboard recovery vessel NRC Quest is SpaceX’s 21st since December 2010. CRS-20 was the original Cargo Dragon spacecraft’s very last mission, meaning that the historic vehicle will have effectively entered retirement once SpaceX has finished capsule C112’s post-flight processing. More likely than not, it and its siblings may soon find themselves displayed in SpaceX facilities and aerospace museums across the US, a fitting end for an orbital spacecraft that effectively launched SpaceX onto the world’s spaceflight stage.
Cargo Dragon is by no means the last of its kind, however. SpaceX has already launched Crew Dragon – also known as Dragon 2 – on a flawless March 2019 orbital debut. An uncrewed variant of the same upgraded spacecraft will soon replace Cargo Dragon for uncrewed space station resupply missions under a second NASA Commercial Resupply Services contract (CRS2). For a variety of reasons, SpaceX has decided to move all Dragon 2 recovery operations to its Port Canaveral, Florida hub, now also the sole home of Falcon booster drone ship recoveries and payload fairing catch attempts. This means that April 9th’s Cargo Dragon homecoming is the last time a SpaceX spacecraft will return to the West Coast — a bittersweet end of an era.
Upon its safe return to shore, Cargo Dragon C112 is now the third Dragon spacecraft to successfully complete three separate orbital resupply missions, as well as the ninth Dragon reuse overall. While the recovered spacecraft may look like a very well-toasted marshmallow, all that visible wear and tear comes from a single orbital-velocity reentry, as SpaceX extensively refurbishes each Dragon before they are reused.
Before Cargo Dragon C112 lifted off on a Falcon 9 rocket for the third time on March 7th, it looked about as pristine as it did the first time it departed SpaceX’s Hawthorne, California factory in 2016. Aside from a duo of International Space Station badges added to the spacecraft’s exterior, it is functionally and visually identical, although parts of the capsule – like landing parachutes and its ablative heat shield – must be replaced after each mission.
Still, despite having to clean and resurface the spacecraft’s white thermal protection, replace heat shields, fabricate new disposable trunk sections, and much more for every launch, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has stated that even the first Dragon reuse (likely the most expensive) was at least 50% cheaper than building a new spacecraft. Additionally, SpaceX clearly began to find its stride on Dragon capsule C112’s CRS-20 refurbishment, completing the process with record-breaking speed.
As previously discussed on Teslarati, “measured from splashdown to the capsule’s shipment to the launch pad, SpaceX may have spent less than a year refurbishing Cargo Dragon C112, potentially more than a 50% faster than all prior Dragon refurbishment operations.” Cargo Dragon’s Dragon 2 replacement is expected to be far easier to refurbish, while also potentially allowing for up to five orbital missions per spacecraft, while Dragon 1’s design was capped at three missions.
CRS-21 – SpaceX’s first NASA CRS2 mission and the first planned Cargo Dragon 2 launch – is scheduled for no earlier than (NET) October 2020. Meanwhile, Crew Dragon’s “Demo-2” astronaut debut is set to launch as early as late May. If successful, NASA says Crew Dragon’s first operational astronaut launch could happen as early as a month or two after splashdown (~Q4 2020).
After completing their orbital duties, all of those upgraded Dragon spacecraft are scheduled to reenter and splash down in the Atlantic Ocean, where they will be brought back to Cape Canaveral for processing and refurbishment. In the event that weather in the Atlantic Ocean is unacceptable for recovery operations, SpaceX has developed a backup recovery zone in the Gulf of Mexico. In short, it’s possible that Cargo Dragon’s April 7th Port of Los Angeles return will be the last time ever that the US West Coast supports orbital spacecraft recovery operations.
News
Ford is charging for a basic EV feature on the Mustang Mach-E
When ordering a new Ford Mustang Mach-E, you’ll now be hit with an additional fee for one basic EV feature: the frunk.
Ford is charging an additional fee for a basic EV feature on its Mustang Mach-E, its most popular electric vehicle offering.
Ford has shuttered its initial Model e program, but is venturing into a more controlled and refined effort, and it is abandoning the F-150 Lightning in favor of a new pickup that is currently under design, but appears to have some favorable features.
However, ordering a new Mustang Mach-E now comes with an additional fee for one basic EV feature: the frunk.
The frunk is the front trunk, and due to the lack of a large engine in the front of an electric vehicle, OEMs are able to offer additional storage space under the hood. There’s one problem, though, and that is that companies appear to be recognizing that they can remove it for free while offering the function for a fee.
Ford is now charging $495 on the Mustang Mach-E frunk (front trunk). What are your thoughts on that? pic.twitter.com/EOzZe3z9ZQ
— Alan of TesCalendar 📆⚡️ (@TesCalendar1) February 24, 2026
Ford is charging $495 for the frunk.
Interestingly, the frunk size varies by vehicle, but the Mustang Mach-E features a 4.7 to 4.8 cubic-foot-sized frunk, which measures approximately 9 inches deep, 26 inches wide, and 14 inches high.
When the vehicle was first released, Ford marketed the frunk as the ultimate tailgating feature, showing it off as a perfect place to store and serve cold shrimp cocktail.
Ford Mach-E frunk is perfect for chowders and chicken wings, and we’re not even joking
It appears the decision to charge for what is a simple advantage of an EV is not going over well, as even Ford loyal customers say the frunk is a “basic expectation” of an EV. Without it, it seems as if fans feel the company is nickel-and-diming its customers.
It will be pretty interesting to see the Mach-E without a frunk, and while it should not be enough to turn people away from potentially buying the vehicle, it seems the decision to add an additional charge to include one will definitely annoy some customers.
News
Tesla to improve one of its best features, coding shows
According to the update, Tesla will work on improving the headlights when coming into contact with highly reflective objects, including road signs, traffic signs, and street lights. Additionally, pixel-level dimming will happen in two stages, whereas it currently performs with just one, meaning on or off.
Tesla is looking to upgrade its Matrix Headlights, a unique and high-tech feature that is available on several of its vehicles. The headlights aim to maximize visibility for Tesla drivers while being considerate of oncoming traffic.
The Matrix Headlights Tesla offers utilize dimming of individual light pixels to ensure that visibility stays high for those behind the wheel, while also being considerate of other cars by decreasing the brightness in areas where other cars are traveling.
Here’s what they look like in action:
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- Credit: u/ObjectiveScratch | Reddit
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- Credit: u/ObjectiveScratch | Reddit
As you can see, the Matrix headlight system intentionally dims the area where oncoming cars would be impacted by high beams. This keeps visibility at a maximum for everyone on the road, including those who could be hit with bright lights in their eyes.
There are still a handful of complaints from owners, however, but Tesla appears to be looking to resolve these with the coming updates in a Software Version that is currently labeled 2026.2.xxx. The coding was spotted by X user BERKANT:
🚨 Tesla is quietly upgrading Matrix headlights.
Software https://t.co/pXEklQiXSq reveals a hidden feature:
matrix_two_stage_reflection_dip
This is a major step beyond current adaptive high beams.
What it means:
• The car detects highly reflective objects
Road signs,… pic.twitter.com/m5UpQJFA2n— BERKANT (@Tesla_NL_TR) February 24, 2026
According to the update, Tesla will work on improving the headlights when coming into contact with highly reflective objects, including road signs, traffic signs, and street lights. Additionally, pixel-level dimming will happen in two stages, whereas it currently performs with just one, meaning on or off.
Finally, the new system will prevent the high beams from glaring back at the driver. The system is made to dim when it recognizes oncoming cars, but not necessarily objects that could produce glaring issues back at the driver.
Tesla’s revolutionary Matrix headlights are coming to the U.S.
This upgrade is software-focused, so there will not need to be any physical changes or upgrades made to Tesla vehicles that utilize the Matrix headlights currently.
Elon Musk
xAI’s Grok approved for Pentagon classified systems: report
Under the agreement, Grok can be deployed in systems handling classified intelligence analysis, weapons development, and battlefield operations.
Elon Musk’s xAI has signed an agreement with the United States Department of Defense (DoD) to allow Grok to be used in classified military systems.
Previously, Anthropic’s Claude had been the only AI system approved for the most sensitive military work, but a dispute over usage safeguards has reportedly prompted the Pentagon to broaden its options, as noted in a report from Axios.
Under the agreement, Grok can be deployed in systems handling classified intelligence analysis, weapons development, and battlefield operations.
The publication reported that xAI agreed to the Pentagon’s requirement that its technology be usable for “all lawful purposes,” a standard Anthropic has reportedly resisted due to alleged ethical restrictions tied to mass surveillance and autonomous weapons use.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is scheduled to meet with Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei in what sources expect to be a tense meeting, with the publication hinting that the Pentagon could designate Anthropic a “supply chain risk” if the company does not lift its safeguards.
Axios stated that replacing Claude fully might be technically challenging even if xAI or other alternative AI systems take its place. That being said, other AI systems are already in use by the DoD.
Grok already operates in the Pentagon’s unclassified systems alongside Google’s Gemini and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Google is reportedly close to an agreement that will result in Gemini being used for classified use, while OpenAI’s progress toward classified deployment is described as slower but still feasible.
The publication noted that the Pentagon continues talks with several AI companies as it prepares for potential changes in classified AI sourcing.
Ford is charging for a basic EV feature on the Mustang Mach-E
Tesla to improve one of its best features, coding shows
