News
SpaceX Starship nails ‘flip’ maneuver in explosive landing video
Update: SpaceX has published a video taken near the launch pad of Starship nailing an exotic ‘flip’ maneuver shortly before a hard landing destroyed the rocket.
Both the company, test directors, and CEO Elon Musk have all made it abundantly clear that despite the explosive end, Starship SN8’s maiden flight was a spectacular success, proving that the rocket is capable of performing several previously-unproven maneuvers and surviving the associated stresses. Notably, according to tweets posted by Musk not long after, Starship SN8 performed almost perfectly, failing a soft landing (already proven by SN5 and SN6) solely because of low pressure in the rocket’s secondary ‘header’ fuel tank.
For unknown reasons, that tank or its associated plumbing were unable to maintain the pressure needed to feed Raptor with enough propellant, resulting in fuel starvation mid-burn. A lack of fuel and surplus of oxygen effectively turned the landing engine into a giant oxygen torch, melting the copper walls of its combustion chamber (hence the green plume). Had the header tank maintained the correct pressure, SN8 would have very likely landed intact (or at least had a much softer landing).
In simpler terms, it seems that Raptor isn’t to blame for Starship SN8’s failed landing and fixing a pressurization problem will be dramatically faster and easier than rectifying a rocket engine design flaw.
In perhaps the most spectacular aerospace demonstration since Falcon Heavy’s 2018 debut, SpaceX’s first full-size Starship prototype came within a hair’s breadth of sticking the landing after an otherwise successful ~12.5 km (7.8 mi) launch debut.
To quote SpaceX’s test director, heard live on the company’s official webcast moments after Starship serial number 8 (SN8) exploded on impact, “Incredible work, team!” For most, praise shortly after a rocket explosion could easily feel nonsensical, but in the context of SpaceX’s iterative approach to development, a Starship prototype failing just moments before the end of a multi-minute test can be considered a spectacular success.
Chock full of surprises, Starship SN8 ignited its three Raptor engines for the third time and lifted off at 4:45 pm CST (UTC-6) on the program’s high-altitude launch debut.
About 100 seconds after liftoff, already representing the longest-known ignition of one – let alone three – Raptor engines, one of those three engines appeared to shut down, causing the two remaining engines to gimbal wildly in an effort to retain control. Another two minutes after that, one of those Raptors also shut down, leaving one engine active. That one engine continued to burn for another minute and a half, producing just enough thrust to more or less maintain Starship SN8’s altitude at apogee while performing a bizarre horizontal slide maneuver.
Finally, at a bit less than five minutes after liftoff, Starship cut off all Raptor engines and began falling back to earth. Looking spectacularly similar to fan-made renders and CGI videos of the highly-anticipated ‘skydiver’ or ‘belly-flop’ maneuver, Starship – belly down – spent around two minutes in a rock-solid freefall, using four large flaps to maintain stability.
Around 4:52 pm, Starship SN8 performed exactly as expected, igniting one – and then two – Raptor engines while fully parallel to the ground to complete an aggressive 90-degree flip, transitioning into vertical flight for an attempted landing. Unfortunately, although it’s difficult to judge what was intentional and what was not, things began to go wrong after that point -visible in the form of one of the two reignited Raptors flashing green before shutting down.
At the same time, the plume of the lone remaining engine flashed an electric green, quite literally consuming its copper-rich internals in an unsuccessful attempt to slow Starship down. According to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, Raptor performed “great” throughout the launch and landing attempt, with the bright-green plume likely explained by extremely oxygen-rich combustion caused by low “fuel header tank pressure.”
Regardless of the specific cause, Starship SN8 smashed into the ground around 10-20 seconds early, traveling about 30 m/s (~70 mph) too fast. To be clear, in SpaceX’s eyes, the test – primarily focused on demonstrating multi-engine ascent, freefall stability, header tank handover, engine reignition, and a flip-over maneuver – was a spectacular success, completing almost every single objective and seemingly doing so without any major issues.
Clocking in at an incredible (and unexpected) ~400 seconds (~6.5 minutes) from liftoff to explosion, it’s difficult to exaggerate the sheer quantity of invaluable data SpaceX has likely gathered from SN8’s sacrifice. Thanks to SN8’s primarily successful debut, SpaceX’s Starship test and launch facilities (minus the rocket’s remains on the landing zone) appear to be almost completely unharmed, likely requiring only minor repairs and refurbishment. Further, Starship SN9 is effectively complete and patiently waiting a few miles down the road, ready to roll to the launch pad almost as soon as SpaceX has understood the cause of SN8’s hard landing.
Stay tuned for more analysis, photos, and videos as the dust settles.
Investor's Corner
Tesla still poised to earn $3B in ZEV credits this year: Piper Sandler
Piper Sandler analyst Alex Potter maintained his $400 per share price target on TSLA stock.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) is still poised to earn about $3 billion in zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) credits this year despite growing concerns over policy shifts under United States President Donald Trump. This is, at least, according to Piper Sandler analyst Alex Potter, who maintained his $400 per share price target and “Overweight” rating on TSLA stock.
Tesla’s ZEV credit revenue
In a recent investor note, Potter acknowledged that Trump’s efforts to undo EV-related incentives could impact Tesla’s ZEV credit income. The analyst noted that these effects would likely not be too drastic, however, even if ZEV credits provide Tesla’s finances with a substantial boost. Last year, Tesla earned about $3.5 billion from regulatory credits, equal to nearly 100% of the company’s FY24 free cash flow, as noted in a Benzinga report.
Potter estimated that the impact of potential regulatory reversals from the Trump administration will likely not be immediate. “Tesla will still book around $3B in credits this year, followed by $2.3B in 2026,” the Piper Sandler analyst wrote.
Considering his reiterated $400 price target for Tesla stock, Potter seems to be expecting an upside of over 20% for the electric vehicle maker. It should be noted, however, that Tesla is a volatile stock by nature, so huge swings in stock price may happen even without material developments from the company.
Robotaxi developments
The Piper Sandler analyst also highlighted the progress of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) program and Robotaxi developments as potential offsets to regulatory headwinds. Potter pointed to expanding operations in Austin and Tesla’s push to launch Robotaxi services in Phoenix and the Bay Area, pending regulatory approval.
“In our view, these favorable FSD-related developments are likely to overshadow any/all negative commentary arising from lower 2025/2026 estimates,” the analyst wrote.
In addition to rescinding ZEV programs, the Trump administration has proposed ending the $7,500 federal EV credit by September 2025 and rolling back Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards.
News
Tesla sees 9,900 new vehicle registrations in China in July’s third week
Tesla introduced minor updates to the Model 3 and Model Y long-range variants recently.
Tesla recorded 9,900 new vehicle insurance registrations in China during the week of July 14–20, a 19.3% decline from the 12,270 units that were listed in the prior week. The drop follows a sharp surge in early July, when registrations rose 145% week-over-week.
Weekly registrations dip after early July surge
Tesla’s drop in insurance registrations last week follows a notable spike earlier this month. During the week of July 7–13, the company registered 12,300 vehicles, up 145% from just 5,010 units the week before. That surge was largely driven by strong domestic demand for the locally produced Model Y crossover and Model 3 sedan, both built at Tesla’s Gigafactory Shanghai.
Tesla introduced minor updates to both long-range models recently, as well as a minor price increase for the Model 3. The Model Y’s pricing remained unchanged, a move that likely helped maintain momentum in the highly competitive Chinese EV market, as noted n a CNEV Post report. Despite the recent dip, the Model Y continues to lead Tesla’s local deliveries, highlighting its role as the company’s top seller in China.
June sales remain strong despite lower exports
Tesla’s June wholesale figures in China totaled 71,599 vehicles, up 0.83% year-over-year and 16.1% from May, according to the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). Retail sales in the country reached 61,484 units, making June Tesla’s second-highest domestic month of the year, behind only March. The figures suggest that the Model Y and Model 3 are seeing some stable demand in China, despite emerging competition and pricing pressure in the local EV segment.
However, exports from Gigafactory Shanghai dropped to 10,115 units in June, down 13.9% from last year and over 56% from May. The shift suggests Tesla may be prioritizing domestic deliveries ahead of new product introductions. Tesla, after all, is expected to launch the six-seat variant of the Model Y, called the Model Y L, in China in the coming months.
Elon Musk
Tesla Supercharger Diner officially opens: menu, prices, features, and more
Tesla’s Supercharger Diner in Los Angeles is open after seven years in the making.
Tesla has officially opened its Supercharger Diner in Los Angeles to the public for the first time. It is an 80-Supercharger lot with two movie screens and a full-service 24/7 diner that serves a wide variety of locally sourced food for patrons while they charge or even just stop by.
It is not exclusive to Tesla owners, as anyone can stop by to experience the Diner and movie theater. It officially opened to the public at 4:20 p.m. local time.
🚨 The Tesla Supercharger Diner, as of 4:20pm local time, is officially open to the public!
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 21, 2025
In 2018, CEO Elon Musk said he was hoping to build a full-scale 50s era diner that served as a drive-in movie theater. Seven years later, it has officially come to life, and in typical Tesla fashion, it opened at a very appropriate time of day. We heard of people waiting as many as 13 hours for the site to open.
Tesla Diner Menu
BURGERS & SANDWICHES
- Tesla Burger: $13.5
- 1/3 lb. prime Brandt Beef with New School American cheese, lettuce, caramelized onions, pickles and Electric Sauce on a Martin’s Potato Roll
- Add bacon: $3
- Add Wagyu beef chili: $3
- Add organic free-range fried egg: $2
- Sub veggie patty
- Hot Dog: $13
- All-beef Snap-o-Razzo hot dog with mustard and onion pickle relish on a Martin’s Potato Roll. Served with fried potatoes
- Add New School cheese sauce: $1
- Add Wagyu beef chili: $1
- Diner Club Sandwich: $13
- Roasted turkey, Epio Bacon, blistered cherry tomatoes, lettuce, avocado and maple black pepper mayo on toasted Tartine buttermilk bread
- Tuna Melt: $14
- Wild-caught albacore tuna salad with New School American cheese and pickles on grilled Tartine buttermilk bread
- Fried Chicken & Waffles: $15
- Classic or spicy pickle-brined organic free-range chicken between two buttermilk waffles with maple black pepper mayo
- Add New School cheese sauce: $1
- Add bacon: $2
- Add organic free-range fried egg: $3
- Sub Martin’s Potato Roll
- Grilled Cheese: $9
- New School American cheese on grilled Tartine buttermilk bread
- Add blistered tomatoes: $1
- Add Avocado: $1.50
- Add Epic Bacon: $3
ALL-DAY BREAKFAST
- Egg Sandwich: $12
- Two organic free-range scrambled eggs on a Martin’s Potato Roll with Epic Bacon, New School American cheese, baby arugula and Electric Sauce
- Add avocado: $1.50
- Substitute waffle Avocado Toast: $11
- Sliced avocado, lime, tomatoes, pepitas, radish and arugula on toasted Tartine buttermilk bread
- Greek Yogurt Parfait: $9
- Strauss Creamery organic Greek yogurt, roasted strawberries, organic gluten-free granola and local honey
- Breakfast Tacos: $9
- Organic free-range scrambled eggs, beef chorizo, crispy potatoes and New School American cheese sauce folded inside two Tehachapi Grain Project organic flour tortillas. Served with a side of avocado crema
- Sub bacon: $1
- Add avocado: $1.50 Biscuits & Red Gravy: $15
- Buttermilk biscuit with beef chorizo gravy and an organic free-range fried egg
- House-Baked Cinnamon Roll: $7
- Warm, frosted cinnamon roll with flaky salt
SIDES
- Tallow-fried French fries: $4
- Make it a cheese fries: $1 extra
- Make it Wagyu chili cheese fries: $3 extra
- Hash Brown Bites: $8
- Crispy, tallow-fried shredded potatoes served with choice of dip
- Wagyu Beef Chili Cup: $8
- RC Provisons Wagyu beef chili with diced white onion and New School American cheese sauce
- Buttermilk Waffle: $5 • Dusted with powdered sugar, served with real maple syrup
- Market Salad: $10
- Market kale and arugula, blistered cherry tomatoes, radishes, celery, shredded carrots, avocado, salted pepitas and toasted breadcrumbs.
- Served with Dilly Ranch
- Add roasted turkey: $3
- Add fried chicken: $3.50
- Add veggie patty: $4.50
- Add tuna salad: $5
- Epic Bacon:
- $12 Four strips of maple-glazed black pepper bacon served with choice of dip
KIDS MENU
- Kids Burger: $13
- Prime Brandt Beef with New School American cheese
- Kids’ Grilled Cheese: $13
- New School American cheese on grilled Tartine buttermilk bread. No crust
- Chicken Tenders: $13
- Made with organic free-range chicken
DESSERTS
- Soft Serve: $6
- Chocolate, vanilla or swirl
- Slice of Pie à la Mode: $12
- Warm slice of Winston’s apple or pecan pie (gf) served with Valley Ford Creamery softserve a la mode
- Chocolate Chip Cookie: $5
- Warm chocolate chip cookie with flaky sea salt
DRINKS
- Cane sugar sodas: $4 each: Cola, diet cola, lemon-lime, root beer, orange, black cherry or cream.
- Milkshakes $8
- Vanilla, chocolate or strawberry. Make it a Pie Shake for an extra $4
- (apple or pecan).
- Lemonade: $4
- Organic Draft Kombucha: $8
- Drip Coffee: $4
- Nitro Cold Brew: $4.5
- Espresso (hot, iced, decaf): $4
- Cappuccino (hot, iced, decaf): $5.5
- Latte (hot, iced, decaf): $6
- Iced Nitro Matcha: $6.5
- Charged Sodas:
- Creamsicle: $7
- Orange soda, cream soda, vanilla foam, fresh orange and orange popping boba
- Shirley Temple: $7
- Lemon-lime soda, grenadine, fresh lime and maraschino cherries
- Lime Rickey: $7
- Lemon-lime soda and fresh lime
- Catawba Flip: $7
- Grape soda, vanilla foam, nutmeg and grapes
- Dirty Kombucha: $10
- Citrus kombucha, vanilla foam, fresh orange and lime, maraschino cherries.
- Creamsicle: $7
Tesla Diner Details
The opening of the Diner was launched by Franz von Holzhausen, Tesla’s Chief Designer:
🚨 Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen kicks off the Tesla Diner’s opening to the public: pic.twitter.com/c4utYKv1ZD
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) July 21, 2025
There is also merchandise available at the Diner, including:
- Tesla Bot Action Figure
- Hollywood Retro Diner Tee
- Tesla Sweets | Supercharged Gummies: Dog Mode Chill, Mango Bolt, and CyberBerry
- Tesla Diner Trucker Hat
Tesla still poised to earn $3B in ZEV credits this year: Piper Sandler
Tesla sees 9,900 new vehicle registrations in China in July’s third week
Tesla Supercharger Diner officially opens: menu, prices, features, and more
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