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SpaceX is building Starship’s East Coast launch site at a breakneck pace

Pad 39A is pictured here in February 2019. The upper right quadrant - from the LOX sphere to the hangar - will become a dedicated Starship and Super Heavy launch facility. (USAF - Hope Geiger, February 2019)

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After breaking ground on September 21st, SpaceX and construction contractors are working at a breakneck pace to complete the modifications necessary for the existing Launch Complex 39A pad to support East Coast Starship and Super Heavy launches.

SpaceX is simultaneously preparing two launch sites and two orbital-class Starship prototypes – Mk1 (Boca Chica, Texas) and Mk2 (Cocoa, Florida) – for their inaugural flight tests. Both pads and flight hardware appear to feature unique design choices and clearly have different strategic value, but one thing remains entirely consistent: SpaceX is not wasting time at either site.

Less than five days after SpaceX received its final construction permit and broke ground at Pad 39A, the company and its contractors have made quick work of clear the ground. Major earthmoving is well underway, concrete deliveries have already begun, and piles are being driven in a bid to quickly secure the proposed Starship launch mount’s foundation.

Per descriptions and drawings included in environmental assessments and water management documents published in August and September, SpaceX – already leasing and operating out of Pad 39A – intends to modify the NASA-owned Kennedy Space Center (KSC) facilities. Once complete, Pad 39A will be able to simultaneously support both Falcon 9/Heavy and Starship/Super Heavy launches. Per communications archived as part of St. Johns River Water Management District (SJR) permitting, SpaceX also needed NASA approval to attain the stormwater management permits needed to begin its Pad 39A modifications.

The fact that SpaceX has already broken ground guarantees that NASA and KSC have already given SpaceX full permission to do so, meaning that the path to complete Pad 39A’s Starship launch accommodations is nearly wide open. The only thing SpaceX still needs – assuming the company hasn’t already received approval – is one last major permit in the form of a positive National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental assessment (EA), the final draft of which was published on August 7th. SpaceX can technically continue construction but it will need to secure NEPA approval before it can begin any sort of Starship operations at the new facilities.

https://twitter.com/therealjonvh/status/1177386419330924545

Meanwhile, although it’s pretty clear that a large portion of SpaceX’s Cocoa, FL Starship crew has been diverted to help with Mk1 in Texas, a skeleton crew continues to do what they can to prepare Starship Mk2 for its next major assembly milestones. Most notably, the prototype’s upper (top) tank dome was rolled out of the facility’s assembly building, a strong indicator that it’s nearly ready for installation atop Starship Mk2’s tank section. This will ‘cap off’ Starship Mk2, a milestone its sister ship reached on September 14th. As such, Mk2 is likely two or so weeks behind Mk1 after suffering delays at the hand of Hurricane Dorian and after CEO Elon Musk likely decided to prioritize Starship Mk1’s pre-presentation preparations.

Most importantly, a few local observers have noted and continued to document the process SpaceX will have to undertake to transport Starship Mk2 from Cocoa to Cape Canaveral – specifically Pad 39A. Several people realized that a nearby railroad bridge’s imminent construction could shortly block the path SpaceX was hoping to use to get Starship to the Indian River, where a barge could carry it the rest of the way to KSC. SpaceX likely has backup routes as options, but they would very likely require far more time and effort.

Time will tell if SpaceX can prepare Starship Mk2 in time to take its original transport route. By all appearances, if the prototype’s transport ends up being delayed, Pad 39A’s newly minted Starship launch facilities will likely be ready and waiting once the rocket arrives.

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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’s new upgrade makes the Cybertruck extra-terrestrial

The upgrade was announced by the electric vehicle maker on social media platform X.

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Credit: Tesla

It took a while, but the Tesla Cybertruck’s rock sliders and battery armor upgrades have finally arrived. The upgrade was announced by the electric vehicle maker on social media platform X, to much appreciation from Cybertruck owners.

Tesla Releases Cybertruck Armor Package

As could be seen in Tesla’s official Shop, the Cybertruck Terrestrial Armor Package is available only for Foundation Series units for now, though non-Foundation Series vehicles should have access to the upgrade around September 2025. Price-wise, the armor package is quite reasonable at $3,500.

For that price, Cybertruck owners would be able to acquire enhanced rock sliders and an underbody battery shield that should allow the all-electric pickup truck to go through harsh terrain without any issues. Each purchase of the Terrestrial Armor Package includes 1 Underbody shield, 1 Left side structural rocker, and 1 Right side structural rocker.

Most importantly, the Armor Package’s price includes shipment to the customer’s preferred Tesla Service Center and installation.

Extra-Terrestrial

Tesla describes its Cybertruck Armor Package as follows: “Get extra-terrestrial. The Cybertruck Terrestrial Armor Package includes enhanced rock sliders and an underbody battery shield to provide greater protection from rocks and debris when off-roading on tough terrain. The rock sliders are constructed from coated steel and the underbody battery shield is constructed from aluminum for greater protection against scraping.”

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Initial impressions from a Cybertruck owner who was fortunate enough to test the Armor Package in real-world off-road conditions have been positive. The item’s pricing also seems to be quite appreciated by Cybertruck owners in forums such as the Cybertruck Owners Club, with some members stating that they would be acquiring the package for their own all-electric pickup trucks.

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Tesla Model Y L reportedly entered mass production in Giga Shanghai

The vehicle is expected to be a larger version of the best-selling Model Y crossover.

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Credit: Tesla Asia/X

Reports from industry watchers in China have suggested that the Tesla Model Y L has started mass production at Gigafactory Shanghai. The vehicle is expected to be a larger version of the best-selling Model Y crossover, offering three rows and six seats thanks to a longer wheelbase.

Tesla Model Y L Production Rumors

Reports about the new Model Y variant’s alleged milestone were initially shared on Weibo, with some industry watchers stating that the vehicle has already started mass production. Tesla China is reportedly surveying which of its domestic stores would have the first display units of the six-seat Model Y. 

The Model Y L’s steady march towards production was evident this past week, with recent reports indicating that the vehicle’s key specs have already been listed in the China Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s (MIIT) latest batch of new energy vehicle models that are eligible for vehicle purchase tax exemptions.

As per the MIIT’s list, the Model Y L will be a dual motor vehicle that is equipped with an 82.0-kWh lithium-ion battery from LG Energy Solution. The vehicle will feature six seats with two captain seats on the second row, as well as a CLTC range of 751 km. 

Tesla Model Y L Potential

The potential of the Model Y L is vast, considering that it is produced in the existing Model Y lines of Tesla’s factories. This should slash new vehicle tooling costs and potential ramp-up issues. Three-row SUVs also command a pretty notable market that has mostly only been accessed by the more expensive Model X. With the Model Y L’s lower price, Tesla could become more competitive in the three-row SUV segment.

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As noted by longtime Tesla owner and investor @_SFTahoe, the Model Y L could also become a more premium option for the company’s Robotaxi business, thanks to its second row captain seats and spacious interior. The expansion of Model Y L Robotaxis should also be impressive considering Tesla’s mastery of mass manufacturing techniques. 

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Tesla Model 3 filings in China show interesting hardware addition

The addition of a front bumper camera to the Tesla Model 3 is a big upgrade from a hardware perspective.

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Credit: Tesla Newswire via China's MIIT

Tesla Model 3 filings in China are showing the vehicle could get a very interesting hardware addition, one that was not included on the “Highland” update when it rolled out to customers a year and a half ago.

The Model 3 Highland is Tesla’s updated version of the all-electric sedan, and was launched across the world in early 2024. It featured a variety of updates, including new exterior and interior designs.

However, there were a few things missing from the update that surprised Tesla fans because they were included on other cars.

One of them was the lack of a front bumper camera, a hardware piece that was included on other vehicles within the company’s lineup, including the Model Y Juniper, an updated version of the all-electric crossover that launched earlier this year.

Now, it seems Tesla is preparing to implement that front camera on the Model 3, as new filings with China’s Ministry of Industry and Information Technology (MIIT) showed the car with the addition:

The front bumper camera is a small but powerful addition to Tesla vehicles. It not only enhances visibility for simple tasks like parking, helping avoid things like curbs, but it also helps provide a wider field of view directly in front of the car.

It is also a crucial part of the Full Self-Driving and Autopilot suites, helping provide yet another angle of vision for the vehicle as Tesla makes its suite more robust. It is already improving through software upgrades and data collection, but it could always use additional hardware to enhance accuracy.

A Model 3 Highland test mule was spotted near Boston, Massachusetts, back in May with a variety of additional cameras equipped. Some believed this was a vehicle that was assisting with collecting training data.

Tesla is testing a Model 3 with some mysterious cameras in the U.S.

However, it could be a sign of Tesla planning to add this piece of hardware to a slightly updated version of the new Model 3 that could come to production in various markets in the near future.

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