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SpaceX rocket recovery fleet dodges tropical storm amid Starlink launch delays

SpaceX's fleet of rocket recovery ships have changed course to dodge a tropical and account for Starlink launch delays. (SpaceX)

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In the last 24 hours, SpaceX’s fleet of rocket recovery ships has had to dramatically change course to dodge a tropical storm, weather that has partially delayed the company’s next Starlink satellite launch.

Previously scheduled to launch no earlier than (NET) ~4 am EDT on May 17th, less than 24 hours after the United Launch Alliance (ULA) planned to launch a US military spaceplane, the ULA launch was delayed by weather at the last second, pushing SpaceX’s Starlink launch to May 18th. Nine hours later, SpaceX announced that it had delayed its eighth Starlink launch another ~24 hours to avoid impacts from a tropical depression developing where the company’s rocket recovery fleet was assembling in the Atlantic Ocean.

As of now, Starlink-7 is scheduled to lift off on an exceptionally flight-proven Falcon 9 rocket at 3:10 am EDT (07:10 UTC) on Tuesday, May 19th. It will be the eighth time SpaceX has performed a dedicated launch of 60 Starlink satellites since May 2019 and the 7th launch of Starlink v1.0 spacecraft since November 2019, a little over six months.

Falcon 9 Block 5 booster B1049 will be supporting the mission, set to be the rocket’s fifth launch since it debuted in September 2018 and second launch this year. Most recently, B1049 successfully launched SpaceX’s third Starlink mission (Starlink-2) on January 7th.

B1048 is pictured on March 14th prior to its fifth launch. Things did not go as planned. (Richard Angle)
Falcon 9 B1049, January 9th, 2020. (Richard Angle)

B1049 will be the second SpaceX booster to attempt a fifth orbital-class launch. Designed to fly no fewer than 10 times each, five flights marks the halfway point on the path to that ambitious design goal, itself just a preliminary target short of an even more ambitious goal of 100 flights per booster (with regular overhauls). It remains to be seen if SpaceX and CEO Elon Musk continue to aim for that ~100-launch target for Falcon 9 and Heavy boosters but with multiple boosters already nearing their fifth flights, it’s a question that will have to be answered sooner than later.

Unfortunately, during SpaceX’s inaugural fifth flight of Falcon 9 booster B1048, the rocket stage suffered a critical engine failure and emergency shutdown shortly before main engine cutoff and booster separation. B1048’s engine failure also prevented the booster from successfully landing, resulting in its destruction. SpaceX ultimately concluded that improper refurbishment – not an issue with the hardware itself – was the cause of the failure.

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B1048’s swan song; March 18th, 2020. (Richard Angle)

As a result, B1049’s fifth launch is much more important than it might otherwise be. If successful, it will help demonstrate that nothing (aside from shoddy quality assurance) should hold back Falcon reusability from SpaceX’s design goals. If a similar failure occurs, however, it could quickly start to look like Falcon 9 Block 5 has hit a wall with respect to reusability, potentially capping each booster and five flights per life. Either way, SpaceX’s Starlink-7 mission will be a crucial mission for the company – up next is Crew Dragon’s inaugural NASA astronaut launch.

Eric Ralph is Teslarati's senior spaceflight reporter and has been covering the industry in some capacity for almost half a decade, largely spurred in 2016 by a trip to Mexico to watch Elon Musk reveal SpaceX's plans for Mars in person. Aside from spreading interest and excitement about spaceflight far and wide, his primary goal is to cover humanity's ongoing efforts to expand beyond Earth to the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere.

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Tesla Robovan’s likely first real-world use teased by Boring Company President

As per the executive, the vehicle will be used to move large crowds through Las Vegas during major events. 

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Credit: Grok Imagine

The Boring Company President Steve Davis has shared the most likely first real-world use for Tesla’s Robovan.

As per the executive, the vehicle will be used to move large crowds through Las Vegas during major events. 

Tesla Robovan for high-demand events

During a feature with the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Boring Company President Steve Davis stated that the Tesla Robovan will be used in Sin City once the Vegas Loop expands across the Strip and downtown and the fleet grows to about 1,200 Teslas. 

At that scale, Robovans would primarily be deployed during predictable surges, such as game days and large shows, when many riders are traveling to the same destination at the same time.

“The second you have four (passengers) and you have to start stopping, the best thing you can do is put your smallest vehicle in, which is a car. But if you know people are going to the stadium because of a game, you’ll know an hour before, two hours before, that a lot of people are going to a game or a Sphere show, if you are smart about it, that’s when you put a high occupancy vehicle in, that’s when you put the Robovan in,” Davis said.

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Credit: Tesla

Vegas Loop expansion

Steve Davis’s Robovan comment comes amid The Boring Company’s efforts to expand the Vegas Loop’s airport service. Phase 1 of rides to Harry Reid International Airport began last month, allowing passengers to travel from existing Loop stations such as Resorts World, Encore, Westgate, and the Las Vegas Convention Center.

Phase 2 will add a 2.2-mile dual-direction tunnel from Westgate to Paradise Road. That section is expected to open within months and will allow speeds of up to 60 mph on parts of the route, while expanding the fleet to around 160 vehicles.

Future phases are expected to extend tunnels closer to airport terminals and add multiple stations along University Center Drive. At this point, the system’s fleet is expected to grow close to 300 Teslas. The final phase, an underground airport station, was described by Davis as the system’s “holy grail.” This, however, has no definite timeframe as of yet. 

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Tesla seeks engineer to make its iOS Robotaxi app feel “magical”

It appears that Tesla is hard at work in ensuring that users of its Robotaxi service are provided with the best user experience possible.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Tesla is hiring an iOS Engineer for its Robotaxi app team, with the job posting emphasizing the creation of polished experiences that make the service not just functional, but “magical.”

Needless to say, it appears that Tesla is hard at work in ensuring that users of its Robotaxi service are provided with the best user experience possible.

Robotaxi App features

As observed by Tesla community members, Tesla has gone live with a job listing for an iOS Engineer for its Robotaxi App. The job listing mentions the development of a “core mobile experience that enables customers to summon, track, and interact with a driverless vehicle. From requesting a ride to enabling frictionless entry, from trip planning to real-time vehicle status and media control.”

Interestingly enough, the job listing also mentioned the creation of polished experiences that make the Robotaxi more than just functional. “You will take full ownership of features—from architecture design to robust implementation—delivering delightful and polished experiences that make Robotaxi not just functional, but magical,” Tesla noted in its job listing.

Apple’s “magical” marketing

Tesla’s use of the word “magical” when referring to the Robotaxi app mirrors the marketing used by Apple for some of its key products. Apple typically uses the word when referring to products or solutions that transform complex technology into something that feels effortless, simple, and natural to daily life. Products such as the AirPods’ seamless pairing with the iPhone and FaceID’s complex yet simple-to-use security system have received Apple’s “magical” branding. 

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With this in mind, Tesla seems intent on developing a Robotaxi app that is sophisticated, but still very easy to use. Tesla already has extensive experience in this area, with the Tesla App consistently being hailed by users as one of the best in its segment. If Tesla succeeds in making the Robotaxi app worthy of its “magical” branding, then it wouldn’t be a surprise if the service sees rapid adoption even among mainstream consumers. 

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Tesla is coming to Estonia and Latvia in latest European expansion: report

Tesla seems to be accelerating its regional expansion following its recent launch in Lithuania.

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Credit: Grok Imagine

Recent reports have indicated that Tesla has taken a step toward entering the Baltic states by registering new subsidiaries in Latvia and Estonia.

Filings suggest that Tesla is accelerating its regional expansion following its recent launch in Lithuania, with service centers likely coming before full sales operations.

Official entities in Latvia and Estonia

Tesla has established two new legal entities, Tesla Latvia SIA and Tesla Estonia OÜ, both owned by Tesla International B.V., as noted in an EV Wire report. Corporate records show the Estonian entity was formed on December 16, 2025, while the Latvian subsidiary was registered earlier, on November 7.

Both entities list senior Tesla executives on their boards, including regional and finance leadership responsible for new market expansion across Europe. Importantly, the entities are registered under “repair and maintenance of motor vehicles,” rather than strictly vehicle sales. This suggests that Tesla service centers will likely be launched in both countries.

The move mirrors Tesla’s recent Baltic rollout strategy. When Tesla entered Lithuania, it first established a local entity, followed by a pop-up store within weeks and a permanent service center a few months later. It would then not be surprising if Tesla follows a similar strategy in Estonia and Latvia, and service and retail operations arrive in the first half of 2026.

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Tesla’s European push

Tesla saw a drop in sales in Europe in 2025, though the company is currently attempting to push more sales in the region by introducing its most affordable vehicles yet, the Model 3 Standard and the Model Y Standard. Both vehicles effectively lower the price of entry into the Tesla ecosystem, which may make them attractive to consumers.

Tesla is also hard at work in its efforts to get FSD approved for the region. In the fourth quarter of 2025, Tesla rolled out an FSD ride-along program in several European countries, allowing consumers to experience the capabilities of FSD firsthand. In early December, reports emerged indicating that the FSD ride-along program would be extended in several European territories until the end of March 2026. 

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