News
SpaceX’s Starship Super Heavy booster needs a custom assembly tower
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has confirmed that Starship’s Super Heavy rocket booster will get its own tower-like vehicle assembly building (VAB) – and work on the structure may have already begun.
While the only visible work SpaceX has thus far completed on its next-generation Starship launch vehicle is related to the more complex and unproven upper stage of the rocket, its Super Heavy first stage (booster) is just as critical. For SpaceX, Starship was the perfect starting point, itself following on the footsteps of a largely successful multi-year Raptor engine development program. Substantially smaller than Super Heavy and requiring 5-10 times fewer engines, Starship serves as a testbed for an almost entirely new suite of technologies and strategies SpaceX is employing to build massive rockets out of commodity steel.
In recent months, particularly following the first successful pressure test of a full-scale Starship tank section in April, SpaceX has effectively proven that those uncharacteristically cheap and simple materials and methods can, in fact, build rocket structures that should stand up to orbital spaceflight. In theory, aside from the booster’s 31-engine thrust structure, the same methods and materials used to build Starships can be applied unchanged to manufacture Super Heavy. The booster’s almost unfathomable size, however, will necessitate its own dedicated assembly facilities.
While Starship itself is not exactly small at ~50m (165 ft) tall and 9m (30ft) wide, the Super Heavy booster tasked with launching the ship on its way to orbit will easily be the largest individual rocket stage ever built. Currently expected to measure 70m (230 ft) tall, Super Heavy – just the first stage of the Starship launch vehicle – will already be as tall as an entire Falcon 9 or Falcon Heavy and weigh roughly three times more than the latter triple-booster rocket when fully fueled. At liftoff, Super Heavy will produce more than triple the thrust of Falcon Heavy and double the thrust of Saturn V, the most powerful liquid-fueled rocket to reach orbit.
Thanks to the sheer size of the booster, SpaceX’s existing Starship-sized vehicle/vertical assembly building (VAB) is far too small for Super Heavy and is even too short to fully stack a ~50m Starship. SpaceX’s contractor of choice started assembling that VAB around January 15th and the facility was able to begin supporting its first Starship stacking and welding operations on March 2nd, just a month and a half later, with the structure fully completed by March 18th. As such, assuming the in-work foundation is as close to completion as it seems and SpaceX uses the same contractor for the next building, Super Heavy’s VAB could be ready to build the first massive booster prototype as early as July or August. Things could take a bit longer given that Musk says the booster VAB will be 81m (265 ft) tall, nearly twice the height of Starship’s VAB, but likely by no more than a few weeks.
That timeline meshes well with a senior SpaceX engineer and executive’s recent suggestion that the first orbital Starship launch attempt could still happen before the end of the year. Of course, for Super Heavy to become a genuine priority for SpaceX and receive the resources necessary to achieve that extremely ambitious goal, Starship will have to perform almost flawlessly during a series of increasingly challenging tests planned over the next few months. First up, SpaceX needs to finish repairing the launch pad after Starship SN4 exploded during testing and Starship SN5 needs to be transported to the pad to complete acceptance tests, static fire(s), and its first 150m (~500 ft) hop test. After that, SpaceX will either move on to a 2 km (1.25 mi) hop or a more ambitious 20 km (12.5 mi) flight designed to test Starship’s skydiver-like approach to landing.
If Starship SN5 or SN6 manage to complete those aforementioned tests, the horse may actually be in front of the cart for Super Heavy prototype production and Starship’s first orbital launch attempt.
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Elon Musk
Tesla reveals various improvements to the Semi in new piece with Jay Leno
Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen and Semi Program Director Dan Priestley joined Leno in a 47-minute segment revealing all of the various things it did to make the Semi even better as it heads toward volume production this year.
Tesla has revealed the various improvements it has made to the Semi with its redesign, which was unveiled late last year, on a new episode of Jay Leno’s Garage.
Tesla Chief Designer Franz von Holzhausen and Semi Program Director Dan Priestley joined Leno in a 47-minute segment revealing all of the various things it did to make the Semi even better as it heads toward volume production this year.
Last year, Tesla revealed it had updated the Semi design to fit the bill of its aesthetic, which, on its other vehicles, includes things like lightbars and a sleeker and more aerodynamic design. The changes were not all to appease the eye, but the drivers who will use the Semi on a daily basis to haul goods regionally as the program gets off the ground running.
Weight Reduction
Priestley revealed almost immediately that Tesla was able to cut out about 1,000 pounds of weight from the Semi compared to the previous version.
This does several things, all of which are positive to the mission of a Class 8 truck, which is to haul goods and obtain more efficient travel to cut down on logistics costs.
Initially, this can increase payload capacity, which is often the biggest value driver for fleets that frequently hit gross vehicle weight limits. Tesla’s early Pilot Program members, like PepsiCo. and Frito-Lay, are large-scale companies. They will benefit from a decreased overall weight.
Lighter vehicles also require less energy to accelerate, climb hills, and maintain highway speeds. This new design has that advantage, and as Leno said in his first drive with the Semi as he hauled another unit behind, “I don’t feel like I’m pulling anything.”
Drag Coefficient
Franz said one of the goals of the Semi was to get the drag coefficient down below that of a Bugatti Veyron. This would increase efficiency tremendously, a major need with a large truck like a Semi.
Drag coefficient is extremely valuable when it comes to electric vehicles, because the displacement of air is incredibly important for range ratings.
Franz said aerodynamic efficiency has been improved by 7 percent compared to the last model. He says the coefficient is around 0.4.
New Features and Improvements
Priestley shed some additional light on the Semi and some of the improvements the company has made under the hood.
These include:
- Fully Electric Steering Assist
- Cybertruck actuators are being used for more strength
- Tesla included a 48-volt architecture
- Semi will utilize 4680 battery cells, which are designed to last 1 million miles
These changes come after Tesla rolled out the Semi to various companies for its Pilot Program, which yielded tremendous results. Due to the years it has been working with those companies, it knew what things it had to change and what it had to improve upon before selling the Semi openly.
Fleet Data
The fleet data Tesla has gathered from the Pilot Program has been one of the most widely discussed parts of the Semi program.
Franz and Priestley said that there are currently a few hundred Semi units in the real world, and Tesla has gathered 13.5 million miles. One of those units has traveled over 440,000 miles in the years it has been on the road.
Tesla Semi’s latest adoptee will likely encourage more of the same
Pilot Program members have reported an uptime of 95 percent, and Tesla’s maintenance and Service teams have kept things running:
“80% of breakdowns if you have one, are returned back to the customer in less than 24 hours, and half are back in less than 1 hour.”
Demand
Priestley says demand for the Semi has never been higher, and due to the recent political climate and the impact things have had on gas prices, Tesla has never received more inquiries for the Semi than it has recently.
Many companies will be surprised to hear that the Semi Pilot Program has been an overwhelming success. As Tesla begins to build out the infrastructure for the vehicle, it will only benefit the all-electric Class 8 trucks that keep things moving.
CEO Elon Musk said Tesla plans to start high-volume production this year. The company also plans to start deliveries this year.
News
Tesla launches amazing new feature for shared vehicles
Tesla has quietly introduced one of its most practical software features yet in update 2026.8: real-time visibility of the active driver profile directly in the Tesla mobile app. Available under the Security & Drivers section, this new tool lets owners see exactly who is behind the wheel or who last drove the vehicle.
Tesla is launching an amazing new feature for shared vehicles, giving owners more transparency when they choose to have a Tesla ownership experience with another driver.
This is one of the many advantages of having a Tesla. New features are constantly rolled out through software updates and Over-the-Air fixes, which download directly to the car with an internet connection.
Tesla has quietly introduced one of its most practical software features yet in update 2026.8: real-time visibility of the active driver profile directly in the Tesla mobile app. Available under the Security & Drivers section, this new tool lets owners see exactly who is behind the wheel or who last drove the vehicle.
The feature works seamlessly. While the car is driving, the app displays the name of the currently selected driver profile in real time.
When the vehicle is parked or asleep, it shows the last active profile.
Requiring both the 2026.8 vehicle software and the latest Tesla app, the update brings this capability to every model in the lineup, including legacy Model S and Model X vehicles, which are unfortunately being phased out of the company lineup later this year.
Tesla makes latest move to remove Model S and Model X from its lineup
The feature was first reported on by Not a Tesla App.
Tesla driver profiles have always excelled at personalization, automatically adjusting seat positions, mirrors, steering wheel height, climate settings, navigation recents and favorites, and media preferences.
These profiles link to specific phone keys for automatic activation and support PIN protection for privacy and security. Restricted profiles for teens can also limit speed or features.
This feature shines brightest in single-car households with multiple drivers. Families, couples, and roommates frequently share one Tesla, leading to constant adjustments and questions about settings. Now, a quick app check reveals the current profile, allowing users to anticipate seat configurations or confirm usage without entering the vehicle.
Tesla’s cloud-synced driver profiles to bring custom settings across multiple cars
Parents particularly benefit: they can verify that teens are driving under their assigned (and possibly restricted) profiles, adding a layer of safety oversight and peace of mind. Teslas are already so incredibly safe that many parents dream of putting their kids in one.
Two kids around the same age could now share a Tesla, and this feature would make that effort, which is likely to be a difficult one at times, more seamless.
Beyond convenience, it promotes accountability and reduces everyday friction. No more manual profile switching or arguments over mirror positions. Before approaching the car, anyone can check the app and know exactly what to expect, no more wasted minutes readjusting everything.
In multi-driver setups, it transforms the shared EV into a truly intelligent, user-aware machine that respects individual preferences while keeping the primary owner informed.
Tesla’s commitment to over-the-air updates continues to enhance ownership value years after purchase.
This small but significant addition highlights how software can solve real-world problems in multi-user environments, making Tesla vehicles more family-friendly and practical than ever. For the millions of owners sharing a single car, the 2026.8 update delivers transparency, time savings, enhanced safety, and effortless personalization. It is a great new feature that is rolling out to vehicles now.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s TERAFAB project: Everything you need to know
The CEO has hinted heavily for several quarters that it would probably need to produce its own computing power to stay up to speed on the demand it is facing for its projects. It is now taking matters into its own hands.
On Sunday, Elon Musk formally made TERAFAB official—a groundbreaking $20-25 billion joint venture uniting Tesla, SpaceX, and xAI, three of the world’s richest man’s most significant and powerful ventures.
Musk described the project as “the most epic chip building exercise in history by far.”
Elon Musk launches TERAFAB: The $25B Tesla-SpaceXAI chip factory that will rewire the AI industry
The initiative aims to produce over one terawatt of AI compute annually, dwarfing the global industry’s current output of roughly 20 gigawatts per year. Musk framed the effort as “the next step towards becoming a galactic civilization,” positioning it as essential for scaling humanity into a multi-planetary species.
The Need for TERAFAB
Existing chip suppliers such as TSMC, Samsung, and Micron cannot expand quickly enough to meet the explosive demand for AI hardware.
We’re building TERAFAB to close the gap between today’s chip production & the future’s demand – a future among the stars.
Join us → https://t.co/512DIlqNgY pic.twitter.com/ATr0e0pRDJ
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) March 22, 2026
Musk explained the situation clearly:
“We’re very grateful to our existing supply chain… but there’s a maximum rate at which they’re comfortable expanding. We either build the Terafab or we don’t have the chips, and we need the chips, so we build the Terafab.”
The CEO has hinted heavily for several quarters that it would probably need to produce its own computing power to stay up to speed on the demand it is facing for its projects. It is now taking matters into its own hands.
Chip Types and Production Goals
The facility will manufacture two specialized chip families, according to the presentation:
- Edge-inference AI5 and AI6 processors optimized for Tesla’s Optimus humanoid robots and Full Self-Driving systems in vehicles and Robotaxis
- High-power D3 chips hardened for space environments
Musk outlined annual output targets, which are between 100 and 200 gigawatts of terrestrial compute for robotics, supporting Musk’s vision of producing 1-10 billion Optimus units per year, and the majority (80%) of chips dedicated to orbital AI data centers. Overall, TERAFAB aims to produce 100-200 billion custom AI and memory chips each year.
Scale and Strategy
The size of the TERAFAB project will be remarkable, as Musk indicated after the presentation that the entire Gigafactory Texas campus would not be large enough to fit the needs of the project. In fact, Musk said it would be around 100 million square feet in size, the equivalent of 15 Pentagons or three Central Parks.
Yes, the one in New York City.
Construction will begin with an “advanced technology fab” on the Giga Texas campus in Austin, enabling rapid iteration: design a chip, fabricate lithography masks, produce and test wafers, all within days.
However, the full-scale TERAFAB requires thousands of acres and over 10 gigawatts of power, far exceeding what Giga Texas can accommodate. Musk stated:
“We couldn’t possibly fit the Terafab on the GigaTexas campus. It will be far bigger than everything else combined there.”
Multiple large sites are currently under consideration, but this will need a sprawling land mass to get started.
The sheer scale of TERAFAB is going to be insane.
Elon said it wouldn’t be suitable for anywhere on Giga Texas property because it’s too big:“We couldn’t possibly fit the Terafab on the GigaTexas campus. It will be far bigger than everything else combined there.
Several… pic.twitter.com/79GbhNNuf4
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) March 23, 2026
Key Applications
TERAFAB will be a crucial part of the development of some of Tesla’s most valuable projects, including Optimus and data center development, especially from an orbital standpoint. For that reason, we will break this down into Terrestrial and Orbital applications:
- Terrestrial: Powers autonomous vehicle fleets and billions of Optimus robots performing physical labor
- Orbital: Starship will launch massive AI satellite constellations, starting with 100-kilowatt “Mini” units, and scaling to larger Megawatt models, creating the world’s largest data center in low-Earth orbit.
Space-based advantages include five times greater solar irradiance, efficient vacuum heat rejection, and freedom from terrestrial grid constraints (U.S. electricity generation totals just 0.5 terawatts). Musk emphasized the principle:
“Quantity has a quality all its own.”
We wrote about SpaceX’s recent filing with the FCC for 1 million orbital data center plans.
Strategic Vision
TERAFAB represents vertical integration at an unprecedented scale, combining AI hardware, robotics, and orbital infrastructure.
Musk described the project as “the final missing piece of the puzzle.” With production ramping toward 2027, TERAFAB is set to accelerate an era of abundance, transforming science fiction into reality and positioning Musk’s companies at the forefront of galactic-scale innovation.
Tesla reveals various improvements to the Semi in new piece with Jay Leno
Tesla launches amazing new feature for shared vehicles
