News
SpaceX Starship booster weathers thunderstorm ahead of first ‘cryo proof’
Update: SpaceX’s first Super Heavy cryo proof test is now scheduled no earlier than 6pm to 12am CDT (UTC-5) on Thursday, July 8th 6am to 8pm CDT (UTC-5) on Friday, July 9th. Weather is suboptimal, with intermittent heavy rain – to the extent that a flash flood warning is in effect until Friday evening – expected over the next few days.
Nevertheless, Booster 3 was spotted venting for the first time ever around 9am, suggesting that SpaceX might still try for at least a test or two later today or tomorrow.
Meshing with road and beach closures requested earlier this week, Next Spaceflight reports that a SpaceX Super Heavy booster is scheduled to attempt a ‘cryo proof’ test for the first time as early as Thursday, July 8th.
Known as Booster 3 (B3), SpaceX rolled the first functional Super Heavy prototype – the largest rocket booster ever completed – from the factory to the launch pad on July 1st. One week later, SpaceX appears to be on track to kick off Super Heavy’s first fully-integrated qualification testing, building off of an apparently successful campaign of pressure testing with booster test tank BN2.1. After completing several tests, BN2.1 was rolled back to a scrapyard near SpaceX’s Boca Chica factory, while part of the custom-built stand used for the campaign was then reinstalled on one of the two ‘suborbital mounts’ used for Starship testing over the last year.
Mere days after Mount A’s modifications were completed, Super Heavy Booster 3 was transported to the pad and installed atop it. For whatever reason, SpaceX technicians and engineers spent the next week scouring the rocket’s exterior and interior with the help of an army of boom lifts, turning the basic structure into a functional pressure vessel with all necessary power, telemetry, and plumbing.
99% of that closeout work could have seemingly been done under the cover of SpaceX’s high bay, where Booster 3 was assembled out of dozens of steel rings and domes, but the work appears to have been completed regardless. Workers had to contend with routine South Texas downpours and thunderstorms on Tuesday and Wednesday but were otherwise subjected to fairly mundane winds and weather.
Conditions were most dramatic on Tuesday, with torrential rain only interrupted by the occasional lightning bolt – though Booster 3 and the orbital launch pad’s skyscraper-sized launch tower appeared to make it through the day strike-free.
Now seemingly fully outfitted with all necessary avionics, wiring, and plumbing, Booster 3’s next major objectives will be ambient and cryogenic proof tests, referring to the process of verifying the structural integrity of the rocket first with benign nitrogen gas and later with supercool liquid nitrogen. SpaceX has performed at least a dozen or two ‘cryo proofs’ over the last 18 months and, at this point, qualification testing is fairly routine.
However, Super Heavy B3 is the largest rocket booster ever built and testing such a massive rocket will necessarily force SpaceX to tread some new ground. In fact, it’s not actually clear how exactly SpaceX will perform Booster 3’s first cryo proof given that the suborbital launch complex hosting it has nowhere near enough cryogenic storage capacity to fully fill Super Heavy with more than 3000 tons (~6.6 million lb) of liquid nitrogen.
As always, testing massive, brand-new rockets is no simple feat, so delays are possible – if not outright likely. Regardless, Super Heavy B3’s first test window is scheduled from noon to 8pm CDT (UTC-5) on Thursday, July 8th, with two backups from 6am to 8pm on July 9th and 12pm to 8pm on July 12th. Stay tuned for updates on the first tests of a full-size Super Heavy booster!
Elon Musk
California city weighs banning Elon Musk companies like Tesla and SpaceX
A resolution draft titled, “Resolution Ending Engagement With Elon Musk-Controlled Companies and To Encourage CalPERS To Divest Stock In These Companies,” alleges that Musk “has engaged in business practices that are alleged to include violations of labor laws, environmental regulations, workplace safety standards, and regulatory noncompliance.”
A California City Council is planning to weigh whether it would adopt a resolution that would place a ban on its engagement with Elon Musk companies, like Tesla and SpaceX.
The City of Davis, California, will have its City Council weigh a new proposal that would adopt a resolution “to divest from companies owned and/or controlled by Elon Musk.”
This would include a divestment proposal to encourage CalPERS, the California Public Employees Retirement System, to divest from stock in any Musk company.
A resolution draft titled, “Resolution Ending Engagement With Elon Musk-Controlled Companies and To Encourage CalPERS To Divest Stock In These Companies,” alleges that Musk “has engaged in business practices that are alleged to include violations of labor laws, environmental regulations, workplace safety standards, and regulatory noncompliance.”
It claims that Musk “has used his influence and corporate platforms to promote political ideologies and activities that threaten democratic norms and institutions, including campaign finance activities that raise ethical and legal concerns.”
If adopted, Davis would bar the city from entering into any new contracts or purchasing agreements with any company owned or controlled by Elon Musk. It also says it will not consider utilizing Tesla Robotaxis.
Hotel owner tears down Tesla chargers in frustration over Musk’s politics
A staff report on the proposal claims there is “no immediate budgetary impact.” However, a move like this would only impact its residents, especially with Tesla, as the Supercharger Network is open to all electric vehicle manufacturers. It is also extremely reliable and widespread.
Regarding the divestment request to CalPERS, it would not be surprising to see the firm make the move. Although it voted against Musk’s compensation package last year, the firm has no issue continuing to make money off of Tesla’s performance on Wall Street.
The decision to avoid Musk companies will be considered this evening at the City Council meeting.
The report comes from Davis Vanguard.
It is no secret that Musk’s political involvement, especially during the most recent Presidential Election, ruffled some feathers. Other cities considered similar options, like the City of Baltimore, which “decided to go in another direction” after awarding Tesla a $5 million contract for a fleet of EVs for city employees.
News
Tesla launches new Model 3 financing deal with awesome savings
Tesla is now offering a 0.99% APR financing option for all new Model 3 orders in the United States, and it applies to all loan terms of up to 72 months.
Tesla has launched a new Model 3 financing deal in the United States that brings awesome savings. The deal looks to move more of the company’s mass-market sedan as it is the second-most popular vehicle Tesla offers, behind its sibling, the Model Y.
Tesla is now offering a 0.99% APR financing option for all new Model 3 orders in the United States, and it applies to all loan terms of up to 72 months.
It includes three Model 3 configurations, including the Model 3 Performance. The rate applies to:
- Model 3 Premium Rear-Wheel-Drive
- Model 3 Premium All-Wheel-Drive
- Model 3 Performance
The previous APR offer was 2.99%.
NEWS: Tesla has introduced 0.99% APR financing for all new Model 3 orders in the U.S. (applies to loan terms of up to 72 months).
This includes:
• Model 3 RWD
• Model 3 Premium RWD
• Model 3 Premium AWD
• Model 3 PerformanceTesla was previously offering 2.99% APR. pic.twitter.com/A1ZS25C9gM
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) February 15, 2026
Tesla routinely utilizes low-interest offers to help move vehicles, especially as the rates can help get people to payments that are more comfortable with their monthly budgets. Along with other savings, like those on maintenance and gas, this is another way Tesla pushes savings to customers.
The company had offered a similar program in China on the Model 3 and Model Y vehicles, but it had ended on January 31.
The Model 3 was the second-best-selling electric vehicle in the United States in 2025, trailing only the Model Y. According to automotive data provided by Cox, Tesla sold 192,440 units last year of the all-electric sedan. The Model Y sold 357,528 units.
News
Tesla hasn’t adopted Apple CarPlay yet for this shocking reason
Many Apple and iPhone users have wanted the addition, especially to utilize third-party Navigation apps like Waze, which is a popular alternative. Getting apps outside of Tesla’s Navigation to work with its Full Self-Driving suite seems to be a potential issue the company will have to work through as well.
Perhaps one of the most requested features for Tesla vehicles by owners is the addition of Apple CarPlay. It sounds like the company wants to bring the popular UI to its cars, but there are a few bottlenecks preventing it from doing so.
The biggest reason why CarPlay has not made its way to Teslas yet might shock you.
According to Bloomberg‘s Mark Gurman, Tesla is still working on bringing CarPlay to its vehicles. There are two primary reasons why Tesla has not done it quite yet: App compatibility issues and, most importantly, there are incredibly low adoption rates of iOS 26.
Tesla’s Apple CarPlay ambitions are not dead, they’re still in the works
iOS 26 is Apple’s most recent software version, which was released back in September 2025. It introduced a major redesign to the overall operating system, especially its aesthetic, with the rollout of “Liquid Glass.”
However, despite the many changes and updates, Apple users have not been too keen on the iOS 26 update, and the low adoption rates have been a major sticking point for Tesla as it looks to develop a potential alternative for its in-house UI.
It was first rumored that Tesla was planning to bring CarPlay out in its cars late last year. Many Apple and iPhone users have wanted the addition, especially to utilize third-party Navigation apps like Waze, which is a popular alternative. Getting apps outside of Tesla’s Navigation to work with its Full Self-Driving suite seems to be a potential issue the company will have to work through as well.
According to the report, Tesla asked Apple to make some changes to improve compatibility between its software and Apple Maps:
“Tesla asked Apple to make engineering changes to Maps to improve compatibility. The iPhone maker agreed and implemented the adjustments in a bug fix update to iOS 26 and the latest version of CarPlay.”
Gurman also said that there were some issues with turn-by-turn guidance from Tesla’s maps app, and it did not properly sync up with Apple Maps during FSD operation. This is something that needs to be resolved before it is rolled out.
There is no listed launch date, nor has there been any coding revealed that would indicate Apple CarPlay is close to being launched within Tesla vehicles.
California city weighs banning Elon Musk companies like Tesla and SpaceX
Tesla launches new Model 3 financing deal with awesome savings
