News
SpaceX delivers truckload of Starlink dishes to Ukraine, as promised
The Vice Prime Minister of Ukraine reports that a substantial truckload of Starlink dishes has arrived in the besieged country, fulfilling SpaceX CEO Elon Musk’s promise about 48 hours after his first exchange.
There are already reports from Ukrainians that the satellite internet service is up and running in the country. Packed with at least 100-200 dishes, SpaceX’s delivery will thus hopefully ensure that thousands or even tens of thousands of Ukrainians will be able to stay connected to high-quality internet in the event that Russia’s invasion begins to a larger toll on the country’s connectivity infrastructure.
It’s not entirely clear how SpaceX’s Starlink internet constellation will reach Ukraine, a country with no known ground stations. To function, an active Starlink satellite must simultaneously have a direct line of sight to individual user terminals (dishes) and a larger ground station. Communications from individual dishes travel up to a nearby Starlink satellite, which then routes those communications to a local ground station connected to the rest of the global internet. Due to a combination of physical limits and regulations designed to prevent interference, Starlink users must generally be within ~250 miles of a ground station to connect to use the service.
One such ground station located in central Poland might barely cover a sliver of Western Ukraine. Otherwise, the only explanation is that SpaceX is continuing a sort of unplanned field test that began with the island nation of Tonga and is attempting to connect Ukrainian Starlink users to distant ground stations using communications lasers installed on a new generation of satellites. Put simply, by using those “optical interlinks” to route communications in space, new Starlink V1.5 satellites can technically connect users anywhere on Earth – including war-torn regions where access to otherwise routine infrastructure is no longer safe or guaranteed.
The only challenge is that SpaceX only appears to have about 100 fully operational Starlink V1.5 satellites in orbit. More than 300 other V1.5 satellites are still slowly raising their orbits and could take weeks or months to reach operational altitudes. On top of the unproven nature of Starlink’s large-scale orbital laser network, it’s likely that the service will be intermittent, inconsistent, and far from reliable. Of course, when the alternative is nothing, any solution becomes a good option. It may also be the case that a series of ground stations in Poland, Lithuania, and Turkey collectively cover most of Ukraine, in which case the service will likely be excellent.
Regardless, Ukrainians will face two additional challenges with Starlink. First, the dishes require quite a lot of power to run. If internet infrastructure is suffering, it’s safe to assume that electricity distribution may also be in rough shape, meaning that users might have to get creative to use Starlink internet. Somewhat related to that challenge, there’s also a significant risk that Starlink dishes could become shiny bullseyes for antiradiation weapons if Russia were to start targeting communications. The country has done exactly that in past conflicts, which makes the use of any high-powered communications system inadvisable for anything more than short, intermittent use.
Regardless, Ukraine has shown extraordinary resolve in the face of a truly nightmarish situation and it’s safe to say that Starlink dishes will become another useful tool in the country’s arsenal as it continues to defend against a chaotic Russian invasion.
Elon Musk
Tesla Giga Berlin growth could stall if not “free from external influences”: Elon Musk
The comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly warned that future expansion of Gigafactory Berlin could be jeopardized if the site does not remain “free from external influences.”
Musk’s comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion with employees and came at a sensitive moment for the facility, where union representation has been a recurring issue.
According to reports from Handelsblatt and Der Spiegel, citing participants at the event, Musk suggested that if Giga Berlin is no longer “free from external influences,” further expansion would become unlikely. He did not, however, hint that the plant would shut down.
While Musk did not name IG Metall directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as referencing the union, which is currently the largest faction on the works council but does not hold a majority, as noted in an electrive report.
The video conversation was conducted between Musk in Austin and Grünheide plant manager André Thierig, then played back to the workforce in Germany. Works council elections are scheduled for early March, heightening the tension between management and organized labor.
The CEO has previously voiced concerns that stronger union influence could limit Tesla’s operational flexibility and long-term strategy in Germany.
Despite the warning on expansion, Musk praised the Giga Berlin site during the same address, describing it as one of the most advanced factories worldwide and highlighting its cleanliness and team culture.
The discussion also reportedly touched on battery cell production. According to attendees cited in German media, Musk indicated that Tesla has begun ramping cell production at the site. That would mark a notable shift from earlier expectations that large-scale cell manufacturing in Brandenburg would not begin until 2027.
Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.
According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.
With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.
A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:
Tesla appears to be implementing some sort of feature that will now pull over if someone is tailgating you to let the car by
Really cool feature, definitely get a lot of this from those who think they drive race cars
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) February 26, 2026
We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.
This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.
FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.
Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.
When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:
What has happened to Mad Max?
At one point it was going 32 in a 35. Traffic ahead had pulled away considerably https://t.co/bjKvaMVTNX pic.twitter.com/aaZSWmLu5v
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) January 24, 2026
There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.
Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.
Elon Musk
Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.
The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.
According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.
“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”
By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.
“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.
The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.
The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.
Tesla Giga Berlin growth could stall if not “free from external influences”: Elon Musk
Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars
