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SpaceX's new Starship test stand to make life a little easier for Raptor engine engineers
SpaceX recently debuted a new rocket engine test stand at its Central Texas development facilities and one specific aspect of the so-called ‘tripod stand’ could make life a lot easier for Starship’s Raptor engine engineers.
The success of SpaceX’s extremely ambitious Starship spacecraft and Super Heavy boosters hinges heavily on the prior success of a next-generation rocket engine the company is developing itself. Known as Raptor, the engine is likely one of the most complex ever developed, owing to its use of a combustion cycle that’s as challenging and unforgiving as it is efficient. That efficiency is the draw.
The decision to base the Starship launch system around methane and oxygen propellant – relatively dense, safe to handle, and easy to generate on Mars – means that it can never be as efficient as a rocket based on hydrogen and oxygen, the pinnacle of chemical combustion-based propulsion. For a methalox rocket as nominally reusable as Starship, going to extremes to eke even a smidge of extra efficiency out of its Raptor engines is a reasonable – if not necessary – decision. However, that pursuit of efficiency carries many hurdles with it, some of which can even be exacerbated by the equipment used to test those engines on the ground.
Raptor is less than unique in this particular case but SpaceX’s engine development and testing has matured to the point that the stands it’s relied on for static fires have become a detriment to the engine’s progress. Specifically, aside from Starhopper, all previous Raptor static fires have been performed with engines installed horizontally in test bays located at SpaceX’s McGregor, Texas development facilities. While in flight, Raptor engines will theoretically never experience wear and tear similar to the unique conditions imposed by horizontal testing – engine burns will almost invariably exert forces along a vertical (up and down) axis.
To almost anyone else, even other engine development companies, this might seem like an insignificant difference. Built around the full-flow staged combustion (FFSC) cycle and meant to be unprecedentedly reusable and reliable, the Raptor engine is not quite as forgiving. Since the engine’s inaugural full-scale static fire test just one year ago, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has noted several times that Raptor could benefit from new vertical test stands.
Speaking in October 2019, Musk stated that a new vertical test stand would “hopefully allow simplification of Raptor design, as pump shaft wear & drainage is better in vertical config.” More generally, testing Raptor engines vertically would also be “more representative of flight [conditions]”, allowing SpaceX to live up to its proven “test as you fly” philosophy.
Indeed, aside from Starhopper’s two successful test flights and a handful of static fires, Raptor has performed barely any vertical testing despite more than 3200 seconds of static fires completed with 18 full-scale engine prototypes in the last 12 months alone. Including subscale engines tested from 2016 through 2018, SpaceX’s Raptor engine has likely completed some 5000 seconds (>80 minutes) of test fires over the course of three and a half years of development.
Aside from allowing SpaceX engineers to potentially simplify the Raptor engine design and test the Starship engines in conditions much closer to what they will experience in flight, the addition of a new dedicated test stand – on top of two existing horizontal bays – should allow even more testing to be done in a given time-frame. The more testing that can be done, the more engines SpaceX can quickly qualify for flight, and given that every Starship/Super Heavy pair could require up to 43 new Raptor engines, SpaceX will need all the testing capacity it can get.
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Tesla is going to fix the nearly 219,000 vehicles that it recalled due to an issue with the rearview camera with a simple software update, giving owners no need to travel to a service center to resolve the problem.
Tesla is formally recalling 218,868 U.S. vehicles after regulators discovered a software glitch that can delay the rearview camera image by up to 11 seconds when drivers shift into reverse.
The affected models include certain 2024-2025 Model 3 and Model Y, as well as 2023-2025 Model S and Model X vehicles running software version 2026.8.6 and equipped with Hardware 3 computers. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) determined the lag violates Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 111 on rear visibility and could increase crash risk.
Yet this is no ordinary recall. Owners do not need to schedule a service-center visit, hand over keys, or wait for parts.
Tesla fans call for recall terminology update, but the NHTSA isn’t convinced it’s needed
Tesla identified the issue on April 10, halted further deployment of the faulty firmware the same day, and began pushing a corrective over-the-air (OTA) software update on April 11.
By the time the NHTSA posted the recall notice on May 6, more than 99.92 percent of the affected fleet had already received the fix. Tesla reports no crashes, injuries, or fatalities linked to the glitch.
The episode underscores a deeper problem with regulatory language. For decades, “recall” meant hauling a vehicle to a dealership for hardware repairs or replacements. That definition no longer fits software-defined cars. When a fix arrives wirelessly in minutes — identical to an iPhone update — the term evokes unnecessary alarm and misleads the public about the actual risk and remedy.
Elon Musk has repeatedly called for exactly this change. After earlier NHTSA actions, he stated plainly: “The terminology is outdated & inaccurate. This is a tiny over-the-air software update.” On another occasion, he added that labeling OTA fixes as recalls is “anachronistic and just flat wrong.”
The terminology is outdated & inaccurate. This is a tiny over-the-air software update. To the best of our knowledge, there have been no injuries.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 22, 2022
Musk’s point is simple: regulators must evolve their vocabulary to match the technology. Traditional recalls involve physical intervention and downtime; OTA updates do not. Retaining the old label distorts consumer perception, inflates perceived defect rates, and slows the industry’s shift to faster, safer software iteration.
Tesla’s rapid, remote remedy demonstrates the safety advantage of over-the-air capability. Problems that once required weeks of dealer appointments are now resolved in hours, often before most owners notice. As more automakers adopt software-first designs, the entire regulatory framework needs to catch up.
Updating “recall” terminology would align language with reality, reduce public confusion, and recognize that modern vehicles are no longer static hardware — they are continuously improving computers on wheels.
For the 219,000 Tesla owners involved, the process is already complete. The camera works, the car is safe, and no one left their driveway. That is the new standard — and the vocabulary should reflect it.
News
Tesla is seeing record sales rebounds in key markets globally
Tesla reported robust sales momentum in April 2026, extending a multi-month recovery in its two largest markets amid intensifying global EV competition.
Tesla is seeing record sales rebounds in key markets across the world, and as skeptics and bears of the company that builds electric powertrains rejoice on the weak registration figures that have been reported in the past, the Musk-fronted company is keen on making a comeback.
Tesla reported robust sales momentum in April 2026, extending a multi-month recovery in its two largest markets amid intensifying global EV competition.
While the company does not release official monthly global delivery figures—reserving those for quarterly reports—data from local registration and wholesale sources show significant year-over-year gains in China and several European countries, building on a turnaround from 2025’s declines.
In China, Tesla’s Shanghai Gigafactory shipped 79,478 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles in April, a 36% increase from the same month last year. The figure marks the sixth consecutive month of year-on-year growth for China-made EVs, which include both domestic sales and exports to Europe and other regions.
Although down slightly from March’s 85,670 units, the April performance underscores Tesla’s resilience against domestic rivals like BYD. Wholesale volumes from the plant have helped Tesla regain ground after softer retail figures earlier in the year, with analysts noting improved demand fueled by competitive pricing and new configurations
Europe also delivered encouraging results. Registrations—a close proxy for sales—surged in multiple countries. France posted a 112 percent jump, Sweden 111%, Denmark 102%, and Ireland 100%. The Netherlands rose 23%, while Belgium and Romania recorded gains of 47% and 53%, respectively.
These double- and triple-digit increases reflect a broader EV market recovery across the continent, where battery-electric vehicle market share climbed to 20.5% in Q1 2026 from 13.2% a year earlier. Chinese brands continue to challenge Tesla’s position in some markets, but the U.S. automaker’s rebound has been widespread in Northern and Western Europe.
Germany, Europe’s largest auto market, contributed to the positive momentum. Although full April registration data had not yet been released as of early May, March’s figures were record-setting: 9,252 Tesla vehicles registered, a staggering 315% increase year-over-year and the company’s strongest March performance in years.
Germany reported 3,149 Tesla sales and 1.3% market share in April. BEV penetration is 25.8% and Tesla has 4.9% of this segment. 🇩🇪
• +256% vs. April last year and +142% compared to January the first month of the previous quarter
• Best April ever
• Highest first month of the… pic.twitter.com/n4MIJv4w6t— Roland Pircher (@piloly) May 7, 2026
That month alone accounted for 72% of Tesla’s Q1 total in Germany (12,829 units, up 160%). Industry observers expect April to follow suit, supported by new EV subsidies and rising fuel prices.
The April figures come after Tesla’s Q1 2026 global deliveries of 358,023 vehicles, which showed modest growth but trailed some analyst expectations. The European and Chinese rebounds suggest accelerating demand heading into Q2, driven by refreshed lineups, competitive pricing, and expanding charging infrastructure.
However, Tesla faces ongoing pressure from lower-cost Chinese competitors and softening demand in select markets like Norway and Portugal, where April registrations fell sharply.
Overall, April’s data paints an optimistic picture for Tesla. The company’s ability to post consistent growth in China while reclaiming share in Europe signals renewed strength after 2025’s challenges.
Investors and analysts will watch closely for May and June numbers as Tesla prepares its Q2 report, which could confirm whether this rebound translates into sustained record-setting momentum. With approximately 450 words, this snapshot highlights how targeted execution is paying dividends in Tesla’s most critical regions
Lifestyle
Tesla Semi hauls fresh Cybercab batch as Robotaxi era takes hold
A Tesla Semi was filmed hauling Cybercab units out of Giga Texas for the first time.
A Tesla Semi loaded with Cybercab units was recently filmed leaving Gigafactory Texas, marking what appears to be the first documented delivery run of Tesla’s autonomous two-seater. The footage shows multiple Cybercabs secured on a flatbed trailer being hauled by a production Tesla Semi, a truck rated for a gross combination weight of 82,000 lbs. The location is consistent with Giga Texas in Austin, where Cybercab production has been ramping since February 2026.
The sighting follows a wave of Cybercab activity at the Austin facility. In late April, drone operator Joe Tegtmeyer spotted approximately 60 Cybercabs parked in two organized groups in the factory’s outbound lot, the largest concentration observed to date. Units being staged in an outbound lot is a standard pre-delivery step, and the Semi footage is the logical next frame in that sequence.
En route with @tesla_semi pic.twitter.com/ZfuOjaeLH1
— Tesla Robotaxi (@robotaxi) May 7, 2026
This is not the first time Tesla has used its own Semi to move Tesla products. When the Semi was unveiled in 2017, Musk noted it would be used for Tesla’s own operations, and over the years Semi prototypes were spotted carrying cargo ranging from concrete weights to Tesla vehicles being delivered to consumers. In 2023, a Semi was photographed transporting a Cybertruck on a trailer ahead of that vehicle’s delivery launch.
The Cybercab itself was first revealed publicly at Tesla’s “We, Robot” event on October 10, 2024, at Warner Bros. Studios in Burbank, where 20 pre-production units gave attendees rides around the studio lot. Musk stated at the event that Tesla intends to produce the Cybercab before 2027. The first production unit rolled off the Giga Texas line on February 17, 2026, with Musk posting on X: “Congratulations to the Tesla team on making the first production Cybercab.”
Tesla’s annual production goal is 2 million Cybercabs per year once multiple factories reach full design capacity, with the company targeting a price under $30,000 per unit. Tesla has confirmed plans to expand its robotaxi service to seven cities in the first half of 2026, including Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, Miami, Orlando, Tampa, and Las Vegas, building on the unsupervised service already running in Austin. Musk has said he expects robotaxis to cover between a quarter and half of the United States by end of year.
Tesla to fix 219k vehicles in recall with simple software update
Tesla is seeing record sales rebounds in key markets globally
