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When will SpaceX’s Starship fly its fourth test flight?
When will SpaceX attempt to launch its fourth test flight of Starship?
SpaceX’s Gwynne Shotwell, speaking at the Satellite 2024 Conference, said the fourth test flight of the Starship rocket could come in as little as six weeks.
If SpaceX were to be able to turn around the launch pad and go through the test campaign with the next Starship and Super Heavy rockets in that time frame, it would show an incredibly improved cadence in their ability to test the launch vehicle.
Elon Musk chimed in later on X, saying it would be possible “if everything goes right.”
This would include everything from testing to licensing from the Federal Aviation Administration, which has shown to be a fairly slow process.
While the third Integrated Flight Test (IFT-3) accomplished numerous firsts, there are still many areas for SpaceX to improve.
The company wants to recover both Super Heavy and Starship by the end of the year, but first, they need to successfully splash down Super Heavy just above the surface of the water and show they can maintain control of Starship while it is in space.
Starship launches from Starbase during the IFT-3 mission (Credit SpaceX)
As seen during IFT-3, Ship 25 started a spin, most likely to ensure an even temperature distribution (unconfirmed).
However, when it came time for Starship to begin its first-ever atmospheric re-entry, Ship 25 was unable to orient itself correctly. It ended up entering with only half of the heatshield facing the plasma buildup, eventually tumbling and breaking apart.
SpaceX is known for its rapid iteration, so it’s very likely these fixes are in place or will be soon, whether they be software or hardware fixes.
One bit of hope from the licensing side is that the FAA is looking at adjusting the licensing process. Kevin Coleman, the FAA’s Associate Administrator for Commercial Space Transportation, speaking at the same Satellite 2024 Conference first reported by Payload Space, said they want to move away from launch-by-launch approvals and give approval for a range of launches, which is what was originally intended when they reworked the Part 450 licensing a few years ago.
If SpaceX and the FAA can adjust the licensing process, SpaceX will be able to accomplish its goal of 6 to 9 Starship launches by the end of the year.
Do you think the 4th test flight will occur in around 6 weeks’ time or perhaps another timeframe?
Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.
Investor's Corner
Tesla gets its best analysis from Morgan Stanley as ‘it’s all about to change’
He maintained its ‘Overweight’ rating and the $410 price target Morgan Stanley had on the stock.

Tesla has gotten perhaps its best analysis from Morgan Stanley in quite some time, as the Wall Street firm claims that “it’s all about to change.”
That phrase could be used for both the company’s status and the world in general.
Analyst Adam Jonas said in a new note on Thursday to investors that Tesla could be one of the major winners in terms of the global transition from what it is now to what it will be.
He describes the global shift that will occur over the next few years:
“Have you interacted with a robot today? Have you even seen a robot today? No? Well, take a mental picture because it’s all about to change. When we meet someone who has never been in a Waymo or a Tesla Cybercab (which is most people), we frequently see a wince and a response such as ‘I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable getting in a car without a driver.’ We imagine going back in time to 1903 and asking people if they’d feel comfortable in an airplane.’”
The same technological revolutions that have occurred over the past 150 years will continue to occur again and again. We are on the verge of another, Jonas believes, as companies like Tesla are working on artificial intelligence tech, which includes changing the way we look at things like transportation and labor.
Jonas includes an interesting tidbit in his note about how humanoid robots could change wages, and how it could work into the advantage of Tesla, especially as it is developing its own Optimus robot:
“We estimate 1 humanoid robot at $5/hour can do the work of 2 humans at $25/hour, generating an NPV of approximately $200k/humanoid. 1 robot shaped car can potentially drive down cost/mile of a ride share vehicle to <$0.20 mile (1/10th human-driven ride-share).”
Jonas sees Tesla as a key player in how AI will impact things like manufacturing and various automotive industries, and he believes there is long-term potential for AI, robomobility, and even autonomous eVTOL platforms.
Tesla stock: Morgan Stanley says eVTOL is calling Elon Musk for new chapter
He maintained its ‘Overweight’ rating and the $410 price target Morgan Stanley had on the stock.
Elon Musk
Tesla expands Robotaxi program in Austin to new riders
Tesla has been expanding both the rider group and the geofence in Austin slowly, making sure to prioritize safety and avoid any major events with the early rollout.

Tesla is expanding its Robotaxi program in Austin, Texas, as several people have received invitations to participate and take rides.
Tesla first launched the Robotaxi platform on June 22. It invited a handful of people to participate in the first-ever public rides. We were lucky enough to get an invitation, and our permissions have been expanded in the Bay Area pilot program as well.
The group was small and consisted of big names in the Tesla community. It expanded and is continuing to offer these exclusive invitations to notable members of the Tesla community.
There have been fewer than five subsequent invitations after the first group’s were sent in late June:
I’m so stoked!! LFG 🙌🏽🙌🏽 @Tesla @Tesla_AI @robotaxi @elonmusk pic.twitter.com/F4chRhMjc9
— Arash (@MinimalDuck) August 7, 2025
I finally got it, guys!! 💯🙌 @robotaxi early access invite 🤠
Wait, does it mean I have to be 65 or wait another 65 years? 😎 pic.twitter.com/yAVPHXISY6
— JeebsTX 🇺🇸 (@JeebsTX) August 7, 2025
Tesla has been expanding both the rider group and the geofence in Austin slowly, making sure to prioritize safety and avoid any major events with the early rollout.
Tesla’s new Robotaxi geofence shape is an FU by Elon Musk to the competition
“We are being very cautious. We do not want to take any chances, so we are going to go cautiously. But the service areas and the number of vehicles in operation will increase at a hyper-exponential rate,” CEO Elon Musk said during the Q2 Earnings Call.
Eventually, the Robotaxi platform will not require an invite, and it will operate without geofences. Musk believes Tesla can get there within three or six months, and plans to have at least half of the U.S. population with access to a Robotaxi by the end of the year:
🚨Tesla plans to offer driverless Robotaxi rides to half the U.S. population by the end of the year, Musk says https://t.co/xEDoTF6fIt
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 23, 2025
“I think we will probably have autonomous ride-hailing in probably half the population of the U.S. by the end of the year. That’s at least our goal, subject to regulatory approvals. I think we will technically be able to do it. Assuming we have regulatory approvals, it’s probably addressing half the population of the U.S. by the end of the year.”
Tesla plans to have regulatory approval in Nevada, Arizona, and Florida sooner than in other states.
Elon Musk
Tesla makes major change at Supercharger Diner amid epic demand
To ensure that menu items are both available in plentiful quantities and fresh, the menu could feature some seasonal options moving forward.

Tesla has made a major change at its Supercharger Diner in Los Angeles as the location is experiencing epic amounts of demand after launch.
The Supercharger Diner was an idea of CEO Elon Musk’s way back in 2018. It took some time to come to fruition, but it has finally opened, serving its first customers in July.
Tesla Supercharger Diner officially opens: menu, prices, features, and more
Upon its launch, people lined up around the block to give the restaurant a try. There were some who admitted to waiting 13 hours for the doors to open, which finally did at 4:20 p.m. local time.
If you know anything about Tesla, you know that the time fits the bill for the company.
Tesla Cybertruck leftovers are the main course at the Supercharger Diner
Nevertheless, it has basically been a non-stop operation since its grand opening. It’s already available to serve customers 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. These hours, along with the long-awaited grand opening, have brought tens of thousands of customers in the first few weeks.
As a result, the Diner’s chef, Eric Greenspan, revealed there will be some things that will no longer be on the menu as it handles “unprecedented demand.”
He told Eater the menu would be “forever evolving.” It has, as a result, now been void of the following menu items:
- Market Salad
- Club Sandwich
- Hashbrown Bites
- Biscuits and Red Gravy
- Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Vegan Patty option for Burger
- Waffles are now only served in the morning, instead of all day
- Soft serve will return this week. It’s provided by a local farm, which couldn’t handle the demand
- Reimagined fountain drinks
Tesla focused on sourcing a vast majority of the food from local sources. This is likely why it has been forced to scale back much of its menu for the time being. When restaurants source their food and beverages locally, their menus change frequently.
To ensure that menu items are both available in plentiful quantities and fresh, the menu could feature some seasonal options moving forward.
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