

News
SpaceX aces Starlink launch, landing, and catch as Elon Musk teases public beta ETA
A SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket has successfully launched the 12th batch of ~60 operational Starlink satellites, bringing more than 19 days of delays and five separate launch attempts to a welcome close.
SpaceX’s Starlink-12 success comes in the midst of an unusual scourge of launch scrubs and aborts that began with United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) latest Delta IV Heavy launch and continued with both SpaceX’s Starlink-12 and GPS III SV04 missions. Largely coincidental, the only direct ties between the myriad ULA and SpaceX delays were the occasional bout of bad weather and the US Air Force-organized launch range’s prioritization of ULA’s multibillion-dollar spy satellite launch – forcing SpaceX to stand down during ULA launch attempts.
As of now, ULA’s NROL-44 Delta IV Heavy launch is entering the sixth week of delays since the mission’s first late-August launch attempt and has no firm date set for the next attempt At the same time, during SpaceX’s first GPS III SV04 launch attempt, Falcon 9 suffered a rare last-second launch abort due to a propulsion problem that will likely take a week or more to resolve.
Thankfully, SpaceX’s patience with Starlink-12 ultimately paid off, and the mission was a spectacular success, launching shortly after dawn and culminating with a flawless Falcon 9 booster landing, record-breaking fairing catch, and another batch of 60 satellites in orbit. The first US-built rocket to launch NASA astronauts in almost a decade and also the current world-record holder for fastest reuse of an orbital-class rocket, Falcon 9 booster B1058 completed its third launch and landing in support of Starlink-12.
The mission was also the first time SpaceX has reused a Falcon 9 payload fairing twice – flying the same fairing half for the third time, in other words. Incredibly, SpaceX recovery ship GO Ms. Tree (formerly Mr. Steven) actually managed to catch the thrice-flown fairing in its football field-sized net, potentially guaranteeing a fourth flight. The catch was SpaceX’s seventh overall (since June 2019) and its fourth fairing catch since July 2020, a strong sign that the company is honing in on consistent, repeatable catches.
Aside from rocket reusability, CEO Elon Musk also unexpectedly revealed that Starlink-12 pushed SpaceX past a major Starlink milestone, stating that “once these satellites reach their target position, [SpaceX] will be able to roll out a fairly wide public beta in [the] northern US & hopefully southern Canada.”
Prior to Musk’s October 6th tweet, President and COO Gwynne Shotwell had revealed in May 2020 that SpaceX would be ready to kick off the first public Starlink internet beta tests after Launch 14. Given that SpaceX has deorbited almost two-thirds of the first batch of 60 Starlink “v0.9” beta satellites, that 14-flight milestone is likely another two launches out.
Based on past launches and assuming that all 60 Starlink-12 spacecraft are healthy, the satellites should be able to power up ion thrusters and climb to operational orbits (i.e. “reach their target position[s]” within 4-5 weeks. With an unprecedented constellation of 700+ Starlink satellites in orbit, SpaceX’s first “fairly wide” public beta test could begin as early as November 2020.
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Elon Musk
Elon Musk is now a remote DOGE worker: White House Chief of Staff
The Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is no longer working from the West Wing.

In a conversation with the New York Post, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles stated that Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk is no longer working from the West Wing.
As per the Chief of Staff, Musk is still working for DOGE—as a remote worker, at least.
Remote Musk
In her conversation with the publication, Wiles stated that she still talks with Musk. And while the CEO is now working remotely, his contributions still have the same net effect.
“Instead of meeting with him in person, I’m talking to him on the phone, but it’s the same net effect,” Wiles stated, adding that “it really doesn’t matter much” that the CEO “hasn’t been here physically.” She also noted that Musk’s team will not be leaving.
“He’s not out of it altogether. He’s just not physically present as much as he was. The people that are doing this work are here doing good things and paying attention to the details. He’ll be stepping back a little, but he’s certainly not abandoning it. And his people are definitely not,” Wiles stated.
Back to Tesla
Musk has been a frequent presence in the White House during the Trump administration’s first 100 days in office. But during the Q1 2025 Tesla earnings call, Musk stated that he would be spending substantially less time with DOGE and substantially more time with Tesla. Musk did emphasize, however, that DOGE’s work is extremely valuable and critical.
“I think I’ll continue to spend a day or two per week on government matters for as long as the President would like me to do so and as long as it is useful. But starting next month, I’ll be allocating probably more of my time to Tesla and now that the major work of establishing the Department of Government Efficiency is done,” Musk stated.
Elon Musk
Tariff reprieve might be ‘Tesla-friendly,’ but it’s also an encouragement to others
Tesla stands to benefit from the tariff reprieve, but it has some work cut out for it as well.

After Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick made adjustments to the automotive tariff program that was initially announced, many quickly pointed to the reprieve as “Tesla-friendly.”
While that may be the case right now, it was also a nudge of encouragement to other companies, Tesla included, to source parts from the U.S. in an effort to strengthen domestic manufacturing. Many companies are close, and it will only take a handful of improvements to save themselves from tariffs on their cars as well.
Yesterday, Sec. Lutnick confirmed that cars manufactured with at least 85 percent of domestic content will face zero tariffs. Additionally, U.S. automakers would receive credit up to 15 percent of the value of vehicles to offset the cost of imported parts.
Big Tesla win? Sec Lutnick says cars with 85% domestic content will face zero tariffs
“This is ‘finish your cars in America and you win’,” Lutnick said.
Many were quick to point out that only three vehicles currently qualify for this zero-tariff threshold: all three are Teslas.
However, according to Kelley Blue Book’s most recent study that revealed who makes the most American cars, there are a lot of vehicles that are extremely close to also qualifying for these tariff reductions.
Tesla has three vehicles that are within five percent, while Ford, Honda, Jeep, Chevrolet, GMC, and Volkswagen have many within just ten percent of the threshold.
Tesla completely dominates Kogod School’s 2024 Made in America Auto Index
It is within reach for many.
Right now, it is easy to see why some people might think this is a benefit for Tesla and Tesla only.
But it’s not, because Tesla has its Cybertruck, Model S, and Model X just a few percentage points outside of that 85 percent cutoff. They, too, will feel the effects of the broader strategy that the Trump administration is using to prioritize domestic manufacturing and employment. More building in America means more jobs for Americans.

Credit: Tesla
However, other companies that are very close to the 85 percent cutoff are only a few components away from also saving themselves the hassle of the tariffs.
Ford has the following vehicles within just five percent of the 85 percent threshold:
- Ford Mustang GT automatic (80%)
- Ford Mustang GT 5.0 (80%)
- Ford Mustang GT Coupe Premium (80%)
Honda has several within ten percent:
- Honda Passport All-Wheel-Drive (76.5%)
- Honda Passport Trailsport (76.5)
Jeep has two cars:
- Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (76%)
- Jeep Wrangler Sahara (76%)
Volkswagen has one with the ID.4 AWD 82-kWh (75.5%). GMC has two at 75.5% with the Canyon AT4 Crew Cab 4WD and the Canyon Denali Crew Cab 4WD.
Chevrolet has several:
- Chevrolet Colorado 2.7-liter (75.5%)
- Chevrolet Colorado LT Crew Cab 2WD 2.7-liter (75.5%)
- Chevrolet Colorado Z71 Crew Cab 4WD 2.7-liter (75.5%)
These companies are close to reaching the 85% threshold, but adjustments need to be made to work toward that number.
Anything from seats to fabric to glass can be swapped out for American-made products, making these cars more domestically sourced and thus qualifying them for the zero-tariff boundary.
Frank DuBois of American University said that manufacturers like to see stability in their relationships with suppliers and major trade partners. He said that Trump’s tariff plan could cause “a period of real instability,” but it will only be temporary.
Now is the time to push American manufacturing forward, solidifying a future with more U.S.-made vehicles and creating more domestic jobs. Tesla will also need to scramble to make adjustments to its vehicles that are below 85%.
News
Tesla Cybertruck RWD production in full swing at Giga Texas
Videos of several freshly produced Cybertruck LR RWD units were shared on social media platform X.

It appears that Tesla is indeed ramping the production of the Cybertruck Long Range Rear Wheel Drive (LR RWD), the most affordable variant of the brutalist all-electric pickup truck.
Videos of several freshly produced Cybertruck LR RWD units were shared on social media platform X.
Giga Texas Footage
As per longtime Tesla watcher Joe Tegtmeyer, Giga, Texas, was a hotbed of activity when he conducted his recent drone flyover. Apart from what seemed to be Cybercab castings being gathered in the complex, a good number of Cybertruck LR RWD units could also be seen in the facility’s staging area. The Cybertruck LR RWD units are quite easy to spot since they are not equipped with the motorized tonneau cover that is standard on the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast.
The presence of the Cybertruck LR RWD units in Giga Texas’ staging area suggests that Tesla is ramping the production of the base all-electric pickup truck. This bodes well for the vehicle, which is still premium priced despite missing a good number of features that are standard in the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast.
Cybertruck Long Range RWD Specs
The Cybertruck LR RWD is priced at $69,990 before incentives, making it $10,000 more affordable than the Cybertruck AWD. For its price, the Cybertruck Long Range RWD offers a range of 350 miles per charge if equipped with its 18” standard Wheels. It can also add up to 147 miles of range in 15 minutes using a Tesla Supercharger.
Much of the cost-cutting measures taken by Tesla are evident in the cabin of the Cybertruck LR RWD. This could be seen in its textile seats, standard console, seven-speaker audio system with no active noise cancellation, and lack of a 9.4” second-row display. It is also missing the motorized tonneau cover, the 2x 120V and 1x 240V power outlets on the bed, and the 2x 120V power outlets in the cabin. It is also equipped with an adaptive coil spring suspension instead of the adaptive air suspension in the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast.
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