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SpaceX’s upgraded Starship passes first ‘cryoproof’ test after repairs
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says an upgraded Starship prototype has passed its first cryogenic proof or ‘cryoproof’ test after undergoing a week of repairs.
Around noon, local sheriffs closed the road to Starbase’s orbital launch site (OLS) and SpaceX cleared the pad of all personnel, freeing up Starship S24 for the next stage of testing. A week prior, on May 27th, Ship 24 suffered some degree of internal damage during a simpler pneumatic proof test with ambient-temperature nitrogen gas. It’s now clear that most of that pneumatic proof test was successful, demonstrating that the Starship’s main propellant tanks and associated plumbing and valves were structurally sound and working as expected.
Still, for about a week after that first test, teams of SpaceX workers swarmed the Starship prototype 24/7 and were seen extracting damaged plumbing and carefully transporting replacement parts inside. Only on the morning of June 2nd was Ship 24 sealed up again.
Cryogenic fluid loading – liquid nitrogen or a combo of LN2 and liquid oxygen (LOx) – began shortly before 3pm CDT (UTC-5) and the Starship’s main tanks were fully filled about 70 minutes later. SpaceX then let those fluids naturally warm, causing a small portion to boil into gas and gradually raise the pressure inside Ship 24’s main tanks. As the pressure grew, sections of the layers of frost and ice that formed on the outside of its thin steel tanks occasionally sloughed off in sheets or broke off in fragments – the only evidence of stress aside from venting.
After about an hour fully filled, SpaceX began detanking and depressurizing Ship 24. The road and pad were reopened around 8:40 pm. All told, aside from an apparent leak on its liquid oxygen tank access hatch, a very common occurrence, Ship 24 exhibited no unusual behavior and made it through its first cryoproof without any obvious issue. More importantly, SpaceX did not appear to reattempt the pneumatic proof test the ship partially failed before the harder cryoproof test, implying that its first test was mostly successful. CEO Elon Musk later confirmed that the Starship had passed its first cryoproof test a few hours after.
Despite Musk’s positive comment, there was no evidence of activity in Ship 24’s nose section, where a number of crucial vents and secondary header tanks – meant to serve as attitude control thrusters and store landing propellant – are located. Ship 24 is the first Starship prototype with a new design that moved both header tanks into the tip of the nosecone. The nose itself is also the first with a number of other manufacturing and design upgrades to reach a test stand, so verifying that it works as expected is doubly important.
Given that the plumbing that failed in the first test may have been connected to Ship 24’s nose section and header tanks and that neither was obviously involved in the subsequent June 2nd cryoproof, it’s likely that the Starship prototype is not done with cryoproof testing just yet. Nonetheless, the ship’s survival and passage of its first cryoproof bodes well for the next steps.
In the near future, SpaceX is expected to move Ship 24 to a nearby ‘suborbital pad’ and test stand that has been significantly modified to simulate the thrust and mechanical stress of six Raptor 2 engines. If or when Ship 24 passes that test or tests, SpaceX will likely remove the stand’s hydraulic rams and begin installing Raptor engines and associated heat shielding. Then, Starship S24 can enter the final stages of qualification: wet dress rehearsal and static fire testing.
SpaceX has requested additional road closures for potential testing on June 6th, 7th, and 8th.
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Tesla China rolls out Model 3 insurance subsidy through February
Eligible customers purchasing a Model 3 by February 28 can receive an insurance subsidy worth RMB 8,000 (about $1,150).
Tesla has rolled out a new insurance subsidy for Model 3 buyers in China, adding another incentive as the automaker steps up promotions in the world’s largest electric vehicle market.
Eligible customers purchasing a Model 3 by February 28 can receive an insurance subsidy worth RMB 8,000 (about $1,150).
A limited-time subsidy
The insurance subsidy, which was announced by Tesla China on Weibo, applies to the Model 3 RWD, Long Range RWD, and Long Range AWD variants. Tesla stated that the offer is available to buyers who complete their purchase on or before February 28, as noted in a CNEV Post report. The starting prices for these variants are RMB 235,500, RMB 259,500, and RMB 285,500, respectively.
The Tesla Model 3 Performance, which starts at RMB 339,500, is excluded from the subsidy. The company has previously used insurance incentives at the beginning of the year to address softer seasonal demand in China’s auto market. The program is typically phased out as sales conditions stabilize over the year.
China’s electric vehicle market
The insurance subsidy followed Tesla’s launch of a 7-year low-interest financing plan in China on January 6, which is aimed at improving vehicle affordability amid changing policy conditions. After Tesla introduced the financing program, several automakers, such as Xiaomi, Li Auto, Xpeng, and Voyah, introduced similar long-term financing options.
China’s electric vehicle market has faced additional headwinds entering 2026. Buyers of new energy vehicles are now subject to a 5% purchase tax, compared with the previous full exemption. At the same time, vehicle trade-in subsidies in several cities are expected to expire in mid-November.
Tesla’s overall sales in China declined in 2025, with deliveries totaling 625,698 vehicles, down 4.78% year-over-year. Model 3 deliveries increased 13.33% to 200,361 units, while Model Y deliveries, which were hampered by the changeover to the new Model Y in the first quarter, fell 11.45% to 425,337 units.
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Tesla hiring Body Fit Technicians for Cybercab’s end of line
As per Tesla’s Careers website, Body Fit Technicians for the Cybercab focus on precision body fitment work, including alignment, gap and flush adjustments.
Tesla has posted job openings for Body Fit Technicians for the Cybercab’s end-of-line assembly, an apparent indication that preparations for the vehicle’s initial production are accelerating at Giga Texas.
Body Fit Technicians for Cybercab line
As per Tesla’s Careers website, Body Fit Technicians for the Cybercab focus on precision body fitment work, including alignment, gap and flush adjustments, and certification of body assemblies to specification standards.
Employees selected for the role will collaborate with engineering and quality teams to diagnose and correct fitment and performance issues and handle detailed inspections, among other tasks.
The listing noted that candidates should be experienced with automotive body fit techniques and comfortable with physically demanding tasks such as lifting, bending, walking, and using both hand and power tools. The position is based in Austin, Texas, where Tesla’s main Cybercab production infrastructure is being built.
Cybercab poised for April production
Tesla CEO Elon Musk recently reiterated that the Cybercab is still expected to start initial production this coming April. So far, numerous Cybercab test units have been spotted across the United States, and recent posts from the official Tesla Robotaxi account have revealed that winter tests in Alaska for the autonomous two-seater are underway.
While April has been confirmed as the date for the Cybercab’s initial production, Elon Musk has also set expectations about the vehicle’s volumes in its initial months. As per the CEO, the Cybercab’s production will follow a typical S-curve, which means that early production rates for the vehicle will be very limited.
“Initial production is always very slow and follows an S-curve. The speed of production ramp is inversely proportionate to how many new parts and steps there are. For Cybercab and Optimus, almost everything is new, so the early production rate will be agonizingly slow, but eventually end up being insanely fast,” Musk wrote in a post on X.
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Swedish unions consider police report over Tesla Megapack Supercharger
The Tesla Megapack Supercharger opened shortly before Christmas in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm.
Swedish labor unions are considering whether to file a police report related to a newly opened Tesla Megapack Supercharger near Stockholm, citing questions about how electricity is supplied to the site. The matter has also been referred to Sweden’s energy regulator.
Tesla Megapack Supercharger
The Tesla Megapack Supercharger opened shortly before Christmas in Arlandastad, outside Stockholm. Unlike traditional charging stations, the site is powered by an on-site Megapack battery rather than a direct grid connection. Typical grid connections for Tesla charging sites in Sweden have seen challenges for nearly two years due to union blockades.
Swedish labor union IF Metall has submitted a report to the Energy Market Inspectorate, asking the authority to assess whether electricity supplied to the battery system meets regulatory requirements, as noted in a report from Dagens Arbete (DA). The Tesla Megapack on the site is charged using electricity supplied by a local company, though the specific provider has not been publicly identified.
Peter Lydell, an ombudsman at IF Metall, issued a comment about the Tesla Megapack Supercharger. “The legislation states that only companies that engage in electricity trading may supply electricity to other parties. You may not supply electricity without a permit, then you are engaging in illegal electricity trading. That is why we have reported this… This is about a company that helps Tesla circumvent the conflict measures that exist. It is clear that it is troublesome and it can also have consequences,” Lydell said.
Police report under consideration
The Swedish Electricians’ Association has also examined the Tesla Megapack Supercharger and documented its power setup. As per materials submitted to the Energy Market Inspectorate, electrical cables were reportedly routed from a property located approximately 500 meters from the charging site.
Tomas Jansson, ombudsman and deputy head of negotiations at the Swedish Electricians’ Association, stated that the union was assessing whether to file a police report related to the Tesla Megapack Supercharger. He also confirmed that the electricians’ union was coordinating with IF Metall about the matter. “We have a close collaboration with IF Metall, and we are currently investigating this. We support IF Metall in their fight for fair conditions at Tesla,” Jansson said.
Tesla China rolls out Model 3 insurance subsidy through February
Tesla hiring Body Fit Technicians for Cybercab’s end of line
