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SpaceX Starlink launch to kick off a potentially record-breaking July

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SpaceX’s eighth Starlink mission of the year is just a handful of days away from liftoff, kicking off a potentially record-breaking month after the same launch was delayed from June to July.

Now, instead of June 2020 potentially becoming SpaceX’s first four-launch month, July is now the newest candidate for the milestone. Known as Starlink V1 L9 or Starlink-9, SpaceX’s second Starlink rideshare – carrying 57 Starlink satellites and two BlackSky Earth imaging spacecraft – is scheduled to launch no earlier than noon (ish) EDT (~16:00 UTC) on Wednesday, July 8th. If the schedule holds, that means Starlink-9 will fly just eight days after SpaceX’s successful June 30th launch of the third US military GPS III satellite.

In other words, SpaceX has swapped the GPS III SV03 and Starlink-9 launch order, moving from NET June 30th and June 22nd, respectively, to June 30th and July 8th – still eight days apart. Such a rapid East Coast launch cadence is only possible because of SpaceX’s use of separate launch pads LC-40 and LC-39A, located just a few miles apart at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station (CCAFS) and Kennedy Space Center.

Falcon 9 booster B1051 is scheduled to kick off another busy month of launches no earlier than July 8th. (Richard Angle)

Set just a few weeks ago, SpaceX’s single pad turnaround record is a few hours shy of 10 days and was achieved at LC-40 with back-to-back Starlink launches. Using Pad 39A and LC-40 simultaneously means that post-launch refurbishment need not constrain SpaceX’s turnaround capabilities, although it does constrain the overall launch cadence SpaceX can achieve. It’s unknown how much of SpaceX’s LC-40 and Pad 39A workforce is shared, so there may actually be some less visible limits to multi-pad launch turnaround, but SpaceX has technically performed two launches just a day or two apart from separate Florida and California pads.

On May 30th, SpaceX successfully launched two US astronauts for the first time from Pad 39A. (Richard Angle)
Less than five days later, Falcon 9 B1049 lifted off from LC-40 with 60 Starlink satellites – a record turnaround for SpaceX’s East Coast operations. (Richard Angle)

On top of LC-40’s pad turnaround record, SpaceX’s Florida turnaround record was also set just a few weeks ago when the company successfully launched two NASA astronauts (Pad 39A) and 60 Starlink satellites (LC-40) less than five days apart. In theory, if SpaceX can turn around both pads in just ten days, the company could maintain a five-day launch cadence almost indefinitely, enabling up to 70+ launches annually.

That level of launch activity is a ways away, though. At the moment, SpaceX has yet to launch four times in the some month (or ~30 days) since its first flight in 2006. Given that very few rockets in history can actually claim to have achieved the same milestone, it’s far from a detriment to SpaceX, but high launch cadence is a critical component if the company hopes to quickly launch thousands of Starlink satellites. Before Starlink-9 slipped from June 22nd to July 8th, there was a real possibility that June 2020 would be the company’s first four-launch month.

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57 Starlink satellites and three Planet SkySats are pictured prior to their June 13th launch. SpaceX’s next Starlink mission will also include a rideshare payload. (SpaceX)

Now, that opportunity has been handed off to July. As of now, SpaceX has four launches – one somewhat tentative – scheduled this month. Starlink-9 has a relatively firm July 8th target from Pad 39A, followed by South Korea’s ANASIS II military communications satellite NET July 14th from LC-40. Finally, Argentinian radar satellite SAOCOM 1B and SpaceX’s own Starlink-10 missions could launch just a few days apart, again using both Pad 39A and LC-40. SAOCOM 1B could easily slip into August or even further, though, as the mission was originally delayed from March 30th by the coronavirus pandemic, which is far from over.

The fact that SpaceX has gone from zero opportunities for a four-launch month to two back-to-back suggests that even if it doesn’t happen in July 2020, the milestone is close at hand.

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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 launches solution to end Supercharger fights once and for all

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is launching its solution to end Supercharger fights once and for all, eliminating any confusion on who is to charge next at a congested location.

Last year, a notable incident at a Tesla Supercharger led to a fight, and it all stemmed from a disagreement over who arrived at the location first.

Congestion at Tesla Superchargers is a pretty infrequent occurrence for most of us, but there are more congested and popular areas where wait times can be extensive. An unfortunate growing pain of EV ownership is the plain fact that chargers are not as available as gas pumps, and there are, at times, lines to charge.

This can cause tensions to flare and people to get entitled when visiting Superchargers. Nobody wants to spend hours at a Supercharger, but now, there will be no more confusion when there is a queue, and that’s thanks to Tesla’s new Virtual Queue for Superchargers.

Tesla is finally starting to build out the Virtual Supercharger Queue, according to Not a Tesla App, but it still relies on drivers to make it work.

When a driver is near a Supercharger that is full, a message will pop up on the Tesla App, using the driver’s location to determine their eligibility to join the virtual queue.

The app states:

“While the app is closed, Tesla uses your location to notify you of accurate wait times at Superchargers when you arrive.”

Another message within the app states:

“There is a waitlist to charge. Are you sure you want to start a charging session now?”

This sounds as if it will require drivers to act appropriately and only plug in when the app prompts them to do so, by letting them know it is their turn.

The app will notify the driver of their position in the queue, as well as how many vehicles are ahead of them.

Tesla launches first ‘true’ East Coast V4 Supercharger: here’s what that means

The company announced a while back that it would be working on a solution for this issue. Personally, I’ve only had to wait at a Supercharger for a charge on one occasion, and there was a line of between 3 and 10 cars during this singular occurrence.

There were no conflicts or arguments about who had arrived first, but there was some discussion between several drivers during my time there about who was to charge first. Throw a non-Tesla EV into the mix, one that can only charge at a pull-in spot, and that causes even more of a complication.

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Tesla offers awesome Free Supercharging incentive on an unexpected vehicle

In the past, Tesla has used Free Supercharging to incentivize the purchase of its expensive vehicles, like the Model S and Model X. However, those vehicles are leaving the company lineup, and Tesla saw a benefit from applying the incentive to another car.

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Credit: Tesla Charging | X

Tesla is offering an awesome new Free Supercharging incentive on a vehicle that is sort of unexpected.

In the past, Tesla has used Free Supercharging to incentivize the purchase of its expensive vehicles, like the Model S and Model X. However, those vehicles are leaving the company lineup, and Tesla saw a benefit from applying the incentive to another car.

Tesla North America has introduced a compelling new incentive aimed at boosting Model 3 sales. Starting with orders placed on or after April 24, buyers of the Model 3 Premium (Long Range) and Performance variants in the United States will receive one full year of complimentary Supercharging.

The offer applies exclusively to new vehicle orders and does not extend to existing owners or other trims like the base Rear-Wheel Drive model.

The announcement underscores Tesla’s continued dominance in EV charging infrastructure.

While the incentive provides 12 months of zero-cost access to the Supercharger network, Tesla also reiterated its pricing structure: all Tesla vehicles receive the lowest Supercharging rates.

Non-Tesla EVs, by contrast, pay approximately 40 percent more per kWh or must purchase a subscription to access the network at standard rates. This tiered approach highlights the strategic value of owning a Tesla, where seamless integration with the world’s largest and most reliable fast-charging network remains a key differentiator.

For prospective buyers, the savings can be substantial. Depending on driving habits, a typical Model 3 owner might log 12,000–15,000 miles annually.

With average Supercharging costs around $0.40–$0.50 per kWh, one year of free sessions could translate to $800–$1,200 in avoided expenses.

That effectively lowers the total cost of ownership and makes long-distance travel more affordable from day one. Early delivery customers have already noted similar past incentives, with one Cybertruck owner reporting over $2,400 saved in just six months under similar offers that Tesla has deployed in the past.

The timing of the offer appears strategic. Tesla faces growing competition from other automakers expanding their own charging networks and offering aggressive EV incentives.

By bundling free Supercharging rather than discounting the vehicle’s MSRP, Tesla preserves perceived value while directly addressing one of the biggest barriers for new EV adopters: charging costs and convenience.

The move also encourages higher-mileage use of the network, generating valuable real-world data for Tesla’s autonomous driving development.

Why Tesla would apply this incentive to the Model 3 is pretty interesting. It usually is a pretty good incentive to move units out the door, so there’s some speculation whether Tesla is planning to launch new upgrades to the mass-market sedan in the coming months, and the company wants to move what will be outdated units from its inventory.

However, there is also just the idea that Tesla could be attempting to stimulate some early quarter demand for the Model 3, especially as the Model Y continues to sell very well. Tesla’s loss of the $7,500 EV tax credit last year had an impact on sales, and Tesla might be testing some formidable options to see if it can add some demand once again.

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Tesla Cybercab gets crazy change as mass production begins

Tesla has officially kicked off mass production of its groundbreaking Cybercab robotaxi at Giga Texas, and the first units rolling off the line feature a striking transformation that’s turning heads across the EV community.

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Credit: TechOperator | X

Tesla Cybercab has evidently received a pretty crazy change from an aesthetic standpoint, as the company has made the decision to offer an additional finish on the vehicle as mass production is starting.

Tesla has officially kicked off mass production of its groundbreaking Cybercab robotaxi at Giga Texas, and the first units rolling off the line feature a striking transformation that’s turning heads across the EV community.

VIN Zero—the very first production Cybercab—showcases a vibrant champagne gold exterior with a high-gloss finish, a dramatic departure from the flat, matte-wrapped prototypes that debuted at the 2024 “We, Robot” event.

This glossy sheen is a pretty big pivot from what was initially shown by Tesla. The company has maintained a pretty flat tone in terms of anything related to custom colors or finishes.

A specialized clear coat or process delivers the deep, reflective gloss without conventional painting. The result is a premium, mirror-like shine, and it looks pretty good, and gives the compact two-seater a more luxurious and futuristic presence than the subdued matte prototypes.

Photos shared by Tesla community members reveal VIN Zero in a showroom-like setting at Giga Texas, highlighting refined panel gaps, large aero wheel covers, and the signature no-steering-wheel, no-pedals interior optimized for full autonomy.

The open frunk in some images offers a glimpse of practical storage, while the overall build quality appears more polished than that of test mules.

This glossy evolution aligns with Tesla’s broader production ramp. After the first unit in February 2026, the company has shifted to volume manufacturing, with dozens of units already spotted in outbound lots. CEO Elon Musk and the team aim for hundreds per week, paving the way for unsupervised FSD robotaxi networks that could slash ride costs to pennies per mile.

The Cybercab holds Tesla’s grand ambitions of operating a full-service ride-hailing service without any drivers in its grasp. Tesla has yet to solve autonomy, but is well on its way, and although its timelines are usually a bit off, improvements often come through the Over-the-Air updates to the Full Self-Driving suite.

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