News
SpaceX begins launching new shell of polar Starlink satellites
SpaceX has begun launching a new group of Starlink satellites that will eventually create a ‘shell’ of near-polar communications satellites capable of serving some of the most remote customers on Earth.
Known as Starlink Group 3-1, the mission was also SpaceX’s 50th dedicated Starlink launch since the company first launched a full batch of prototype satellites in May 2019. Just three years later, SpaceX’s Starlink constellation is responsible for roughly half of all working satellites currently in Earth orbit – a figure that is likely to continue to grow for the indefinite future.
Falcon 9 lifted off from SpaceX’s Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) SLC-4E pad at 6:39 pm PDT on July 10th carrying 46 Starlink V1.5 satellites – a payload of around 14 tons (~30,000 lb). SpaceX reduced the number of satellites from the usual 53 to account for the mission’s unusual (relative to Starlink) trajectory and target orbit. Instead of the usual dozens of missions to a fairly ordinary 53-degree orbit around Earth’s midlatitudes and equatorial regions, Starlink 3-1 is the first of several planned missions to a near-polar orbit in which satellites will cross Earth’s equatorial plane at an angle of 97.6 degrees
That orbit is technically slightly retrograde or against the direction of Earth’s rotation, which means that Starlink Group 3 launches will have to work against Earth’s rotation – a bit like trying to climb the wrong escalator. It isn’t SpaceX’s first Starlink launch to a near-polar orbit: the company has technically launched 15 Starlink prototypes to a variety of slightly different sun-synchronous orbits very similar to Starlink 3-1’s target. SpaceX also launched a single batch of Starlink Group 2 satellites to a 70-degree semi-polar shell in September 2021. The purpose of the 51 Starlink 2-1 satellites – only 19 of which appear to be operational – is unclear, though, and only 3 of the other 15 prototypes are still in orbit.
As a result, Group 3 could become the first polar Starlink ‘shell’ to truly enter general service. SpaceX already has plans for a second Group 3 launch – Starlink 3-2 – as early as the end of July, and at 46 satellites apiece, as few as eight launches will be needed to complete the 348-satellite shell. Once complete, it should give SpaceX the ability to serve customers in high-latitude and polar regions.
If or when the US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) gives SpaceX permission to activate thousands of intersatellite laser links installed on the ~1000 Starlink V1.5 satellites already in orbit, the new polar shell could even allow Starlink to connect planes, ships, or outposts that are hundreds or thousands of miles from the nearest ground station. In theory, polar Starlink satellites could even connect Antarctic research outposts to the internet.
Starlink 3-1 was SpaceX’s 50th dedicated Starlink launch since May 2019 and 49th operational Starlink launch since November 2019, bringing the total number of working Starlink satellites in orbit to 2518. Of those 2518, more than 2000 have reached operational orbits and are likely serving some of SpaceX’s roughly half a million customers. Thanks to apparent improvements in reliability that have seen only 9 of 1065 Starlink V1.5 satellites suffer technical failures since launches began in November 2021, almost 90% of all the Starlink satellites SpaceX has ever launched are still in orbit – and functional – today.
Tesla has officially launched the Model Y L in the United States and Puerto Rico for $61,990. It is the longer-wheelbase version of the Model Y, and has been available in China since last year.
Tesla brings the Model Y L to the U.S. just months after it phased out the only pure SUV in its lineup, the Model X. It is slightly longer than the Model Y configurations that are already available in the U.S., and features a three-row, six-seat setup with Captain’s Chairs being among the many features that make this a truly fantastic offering.
The Model Y L is priced competitively at $61,990, and features 325 miles of range and a 0-60 MPH in just 4.4 seconds.
Tesla also added a handful of new features that are not available in even the Premium Model Y. Here’s a full list of its features:
- Heated/Ventilated Front Seats with Powered Thigh Cushion
- Heated/Ventilated Captain’s Seats in Second Row with Powered Armrests & One-Touch Fold
- Heated Third-Row Seats with Power Recline, One-Touch Fold & Child Seat Anchors
- Improved Airflow, Increased Efficiency, More Range
- 89 cubic feet of trunk space
- Upgraded Acoustic Glass and Suspension to Minimize Road Noise
- Adaptive Damping for a Smooth, Stable Ride
- Staggered Tires for Enhanced Grip
- Larger Tailgate for Better Rear Visibility and Bigger Windows Overall
- 16″ First Row and 8″ Second Row Touchscreens
- 19-Speaker Immersive Tesla Audio
- 50W Wireless Charging Pads with Active Cooling and Charging Ports for All Other Seats
- FSD Supervised and Integrated Grok AI
Tesla is also delivering these first units as a “Launch Series,” which comes with additional features, such as:
- Door Trim Puddle Lights
- Suede Dashboard Wing
- Exterior and Interior Badging
- Floor Mats
- Sill Plates
The launch of the Model Y L in the U.S. marks a huge offering from Tesla to U.S. consumers. People have been calling for Tesla to bring a larger car to the U.S., and it needed it more than ever now that the Model X is gone.
-
- Credit: Tesla
-
- Credit: Tesla
It is a huge accomplishment for Tesla to get the Model Y L to the U.S., and after reporting strong deliveries today, it will be interesting to see how this car impacts future quarterly delivery reports.
Deliveries for the Model Y L “Launch Series” are slated for September or October of this year.
Tesla just told us twice that the Model Y L is coming to the U.S., and two social media posts definitely just tipped the company’s hand, as if they wanted it to be any other way.
The two social media posts basically confirm that the slightly longer version of the Model Y will be heading to the United States soon, and many have speculated that the company could launch the vehicle as soon as this weekend.
The first post was directly from Tesla, and it showed an incredibly long Dachshund, with words above that said, “Looking forward to the long weekend.”
Looking forward to the long weekend pic.twitter.com/URzH6zOUdn
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 1, 2026
Anyone who knows Tesla knows the company loves to troll its fans and have fun, and this is a perfect example of that. While not a direct acknowledgement, Tesla is very involved on social media, especially CEO Elon Musk’s platform X, and the company is well aware of what is being discussed within the community.
With recent sightings of Model Y L test mules in California, peeks of the vehicle at Giga Texas, and a large call for the car to come to the U.S., Tesla is simply stoking conversation with this.
However, the company also made another move that was recognized on social media. Tesla has a large gallery that includes photos of its products so media and others can use them. This gallery applies to the U.S. market specifically, unless otherwise specified.
Tesla uploaded a Model Y L to the Gallery last night:
This looks like a Model Y L https://t.co/TpnBwrLmH9
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 2, 2026
This seems to be another indication that the Model Y L is coming to the United States.
Musk said last year that the Model Y L could make its way to the United States late this year, but it was not something that was set in stone by Tesla. The company definitely needs to establish something in the SUV market that is larger than the Model Y, and the Model Y L might be the answer.
Even still, there are consumers out there who would love Tesla to develop something even larger, like a competitor to the Tahoe or Expedition. Tesla has not really given much of an indication that it will go in that direction.
Tesla is using the vehicles’ internal microphones to improve build quality, Vice President of Engineering Lars Moravy revealed recently.
It’s no secret that Tesla is always finding ways to make its manufacturing operations more efficient, accurate, and valuable. Constantly trying to make its cars better, the company has never placed any restrictions on what it will do to improve everything from panel gaps to paint.
As Teslas have been driving autonomously on the property of the Gigafactory Texas plant for a while now, Moravy revealed to Herbert Ong in a new interview that cars rolling off production lines now autonomously navigate themselves through a bumps, squeaks, and rattles (BSR) portion of the line. This helps to identify any loose or improperly installed internal parts.
The cabin’s microphones, which are used for a variety of things in ownership, simultaneously monitor any noises inside the vehicle while it rolls through the BSR portion of the production line. Moravy actually revealed that Tesla is trying to build “Full Self-Hearing,” an AI system that will detect minor imperfections so they can be corrected before delivery.
It’s no secret that build quality is something that Tesla struggled with as it scaled to a fully massive production operation that manufactures over 1.6 million vehicles per year. However, in recent years, especially, there have not been as many complaints. Tesla has truly improved upon its build quality and paint quality over the past several years, especially in the U.S.
Tesla’s ‘megacasts’ are key to massive build quality improvements
While those improvements have been evident, there are still some complaints; no automaker is perfect with this. But this step will now ensure that every single car that rolls off the production lines at Gigafactory Texas will be void of any creaks, squeaks, or squeals when it leaves the factory.
This measure is one of the most unique we’ve seen in terms of a strategy to avoid build quality issues, but it is not exclusive to Tesla.
Ford uses acoustic analysis AI to find abnormalities in seat motors, climate control units, and other components. Suppliers and OEMs will also use microphone arrays or particle velocity sensors in end-of-line stations.
The full interview with Lars Moravy is available below:
🚨 If you’re a Tesla investor, this is one interview you don’t want to skip. The full video posted below.
Jeff Lutz @thejefflutz and I sat down with Tesla VP of Engineering Lars Moravy, and it was packed with insights!
A few of the biggest takeaways:
• Cybercab is expected to… pic.twitter.com/fhYSr2dCqP
— Herbert Ong (@herbertong) July 1, 2026
Tesla brings Model Y L ‘Launch Series’ to the U.S. at $61,990
Tesla just told us twice that Model Y L is coming to the U.S.
