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SpaceX’s repaired Starship booster survives back-to-back cryoproof tests
SpaceX’s upgraded Starship booster has completed a second and third cryogenic proof test in rapid succession after undergoing repairs to fix damage suffered during the first round of testing.
Testing began almost immediately after SpaceX rolled the repaired Super Heavy booster back to the orbital launch site (OLS) on May 6th. After a quick installation on the pad’s stool-like launch mount and another day of systems checks and integration, Booster 7 charged headfirst into its first post-repair cryoproof on May 9th.
Instead of cautiously feeling out the repaired plumbing and header tank over a series of small tests, SpaceX immediately performed a full cryogenic proof (cryoproof) and filled Booster 7 to the brim with about 3000 tons (~6.6M lb) of liquid nitrogen (LN2) or a combination of LN2 and liquid oxygen (LOx). Standing about 67 meters (~220 ft) tall and 9 meters (~30 ft) wide, it took about two hours to fully fill Super Heavy’s tanks with the equivalent of one and a half Olympic swimming pools of cryogenic liquid.
As always, that liquid (well below –320°F or –196°C) rapidly chilled the booster’s 4mm (~0.16″) thick steel tanks to cryogenic temperatures, which then froze moisture directly out of the humid Texas air, coating almost all of Super Heavy’s exterior with a layer of frost and ice.
SpaceX began detanking Booster 7 soon after the fill process was completed. Thanks to plenty of insulated plumbing and well-insulated ground storage tanks, SpaceX is able to recover nearly all of the LN2 and LOx used during cryoproof testing, which helps avoid the hundreds of semi-truck delivers that would otherwise be required to replenish the tank farm after even a single test.
As if to demonstrate that, SpaceX proceeded to put Booster 7 through a whole new cryogenic proof test just two days later, on May 11th. Once again, Super Heavy was fully loaded with thousands of tons of liquid nitrogen and oxygen. Unlike Cryoproof #2’s immediate detank, SpaceX – judging by the frost levels – kept Booster 7 topped off for a good hour before detanking.
In a last-minute surprise, after fully detanking B7 at the end of Cryoproof #3, SpaceX refilled the booster’s liquid oxygen tank with a few hundred tons of LN2 or LOx. Once the rocket’s thrust section reached some degree of thermodynamic equilibrium, SpaceX remotely retracted and reconnected the orbital launch mount’s Super Heavy umbilical. The launch mount umbilical or ‘quick disconnect’ is responsible for connecting Super Heavy to the pad’s gas supplies, propellant storage, power, and communications. The test SpaceX completed after Cryoproof #3 may have been a rough simulation of one scenario Starship could easily face: a post-ignition launch abort. In other words, if an orbital Starship launch was aborted just before liftoff but after quick-disconnect retraction, could it quickly reconnect to the booster with zero human intervention?
In a scenario where a QD failed to reattach to a fully-fueled Super Heavy after a launch abort, the odds of a catastrophic fire or explosion would immediately shoot up to near-certainty. In moderate quantities, simultaneously venting gaseous methane and oxygen from the same rocket is risky but manageable. Venting hundreds – let alone thousands – of tons while trapped on the ground would amount to creating a multi-hour fuel-air bomb just waiting for a spark. Multiple Starship prototypes (SN4, SN10) have already been destroyed in part by the flammability of methane gas.
Combined with the completion of two full cryogenic proof tests in less than two days, it appears that Super Heavy B7’s repairs were extremely successful. Had the first post-repair cryoproof not gone more or less perfectly, it’s hard to imagine that SpaceX would have attempted or completed an almost identical test two days later. If the second cryoproof hadn’t been nearly perfect, it’s even harder to imagine that SpaceX would have accepted the risk involved in detaching Booster 7’s umbilical during the same test window.
On May 12th, SpaceX’s main pad crane attached a lift jig to Super Heavy B7, implying that it will likely be removed from the orbital launch mount in the near future. If the repaired booster aced its tests, SpaceX’s next step would likely be Raptor engine installation and the start of static fire testing. It’s unclear if SpaceX wants to install all 33 engines at once or begin with a small handful. It’s also unclear if SpaceX will return Booster 7 to Starbase’s production facilities to finish Raptor, heat shield, grid fin, and aerocover installation.
Elon Musk
NASA sends humans to the Moon for the first time since 1972 – Here’s what’s next
NASA’s Artemis II launched four astronauts toward the Moon on the first crewed lunar mission since 1972.
NASA’s Space Launch System rocket launches carrying the Orion spacecraft with NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, commander; Victor Glover, pilot; Christina Koch, mission specialist; and CSA (Canadian Space Agency) astronaut Jeremy Hansen, mission specialist on NASA’s Artemis II mission, Wednesday, April 1, 2026, from Operations and Support Building II at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA’s Artemis II mission will take Wiseman, Glover, Koch, and Hansen on a 10-day journey around the Moon and back aboard SLS rocket and Orion spacecraft launched at 6:35pm EDT from Launch Complex 39B. (NASA/Bill Ingalls)
NASA launched four astronauts toward the Moon on April 1, 2026, marking the first crewed lunar mission since Apollo 17 in December 1972. The Artemis II mission lifted off from Kennedy Space Center aboard the Space Launch System rocket at 6:35 p.m. EDT, sending commander Reid Wiseman, pilot Victor Glover, mission specialist Christina Koch, and Canadian astronaut Jeremy Hansen on a 10-day journey around the far side of the Moon and back.
The mission does not include a lunar landing. It is a test flight designed to validate the Orion spacecraft’s life support systems, navigation, and communications in deep space with a crew aboard for the first time. If the crew reaches the planned distance of 252,000 miles from Earth, they will set a new record for the farthest any human has ever traveled, surpassing even the Apollo 13 distance record.
As Teslarati reported, SpaceX holds a central role in what comes next. The Starship Human Landing System is under contract to carry astronauts to the lunar surface for Artemis IV, now targeting 2028, after NASA restructured its mission sequence due to delays in Starship’s orbital refueling demonstration. Before any Moon landing happens, SpaceX must prove it can transfer propellant between two Starships in orbit, something no rocket program has done at this scale.
The last time humans left Earth’s orbit was 53 years ago. Gene Cernan and Harrison Schmitt of Apollo 17 were the final people to walk on the Moon, a record that stands to this day. Elon Musk has long argued that returning is not optional. “It’s been now almost half a century since humans were last on the Moon,” Musk said. “That’s too long, we need to get back there and have a permanent base on the Moon.”
The Artemis program involves 60 countries signed onto the Artemis Accords, and this mission sets several firsts beyond distance. Glover becomes the first person of color to travel beyond low Earth orbit, Koch the first woman, and Hansen the first non-American astronaut to reach the Moon’s vicinity. According to NASA’s live mission updates, the spacecraft’s solar arrays deployed successfully after liftoff and the crew completed a proximity operations demonstration within the first hours of flight.
Artemis II is step one. The Moon landing and the permanent lunar base come later. But after more than five decades, humans are heading back.
News
Tesla removes Model S and X custom orders as sunset officially begins
In a significant development that marks the beginning of the end for two of its longest-running models, Tesla has removed the custom order configurator for the Model S sedan and Model X SUV from its website.
Tesla has officially started the “honorable discharge” of the Model S and Model X with a massive move, removing the two vehicles from Custom Orders and only offering inventory options.
It is the latest move Tesla has made to pull the Model S and Model X from its lineup, a decision CEO Elon Musk announced during its last quarterly earnings call.
Tesla brings closure to flagship ‘sentimental’ models, Musk confirms
In a significant development that marks the beginning of the end for two of its longest-running models, Tesla has removed the custom order configurator for the Model S sedan and Model X SUV from its website.
As of April 1, visitors to tesla.com/model-s and tesla.com/modelx are now redirected exclusively to limited inventory listings rather than a design studio, allowing buyers to select paint, wheels, interior options, or performance upgrades. Only pre-built vehicles currently in stock are available for purchase or lease.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk confirmed the change directly on X, posting: “Custom orders of the Tesla Model S & X have come to an end. All that’s left are some in inventory.”
Custom orders of the Tesla Model S & X have come to an end. All that’s left are some in inventory.
We will have an official ceremony to mark the ending of an era. I love those cars.
This was me at production launch 14 years ago: pic.twitter.com/6kvCf9HTHc
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) April 1, 2026
We will have an official ceremony to mark the end of an era.” Accompanying the statement was a throwback photo from the Model S production launch in 2012, underscoring the emotional weight of the decision.
Musk had first signaled the phase-out during the company’s Q4 2025 earnings call in January, describing it as time for an “honorable discharge” of the programs to free up resources at the Fremont factory for Optimus humanoid robot production and autonomous vehicle initiatives.
The Model S, introduced in 2012, and the Model X, which followed in 2015, were instrumental in establishing Tesla as a premium electric vehicle leader.
The sedan offered class-leading range and acceleration, while the SUV’s signature falcon-wing doors became an iconic feature. Together, they proved EVs could compete in the luxury segment. Yet sales volumes have dwindled in recent years as Tesla prioritized higher-volume Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.
The flagships now represent a tiny fraction of overall deliveries, making continued custom production inefficient as the company accelerates toward robotaxis and next-generation platforms.
Prospective buyers are urged to act quickly. Remaining U.S. inventory vehicles—some nearly new—may include incentives such as lifetime free Supercharging, Full Self-Driving (Supervised) capability, and premium connectivity, depending on configuration.
Leasing options start around $1,699 per month for select Model X units, though exact pricing and availability fluctuate. International markets, including Europe and China, have already seen similar restrictions in recent months.
The move aligns with Tesla’s broader strategy to streamline its lineup and redirect manufacturing capacity toward autonomy and AI-driven products. While some enthusiasts lament the loss of personalization, the company views the transition as necessary progress.
Tesla has indicated that once the current inventory sells out, new Model S and Model X vehicles will no longer be offered.
For loyal owners and fans, the promised “official ceremony” may provide a fitting send-off. In the meantime, the website change serves as a clear signal: the era of bespoke flagship Teslas has quietly concluded, and the focus has fully shifted to the future.
Elon Musk
SpaceX files confidentially for IPO that will rewrite the record books
SpaceX files confidentially for a record-breaking IPO targeting a $1.75T valuation and $80B raise, driven by Starlink growth and its xAI merger.
Elon Musk’s rocket and satellite company submitted its draft registration to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission today for an initial public offering, targeting June at a $1.75 trillion valuation. This would be the largest in history.
SpaceX has filed confidentially with the SEC, first reported by Bloomberg. SpaceX would be valued above every S&P 500 company except Nvidia, Apple, Alphabet, Microsoft, and Amazon.
The filing uses a confidential process that allows companies to work through SEC disclosures privately before initiating a public roadshow. With a June target, official details through a formal prospectus is expected to go public in April or early May, after which SpaceX must wait at least 15 days before beginning investor marketing.
While SpaceX is best known for its Falcon 9 and Starship rockets, the $1.75 trillion valuation is anchored by Starlink, its satellite internet service. Starlink ended 2025 with 9.2 million subscribers and over $10 billion in revenue, which is a figure analysts project could reach a staggering $24 billion by the end of 2026. A February all-stock merger with xAI, Musk’s artificial intelligence venture, further boosted the valuation.
SpaceX officially acquires xAI, merging rockets with AI expertise
Bank of America, Goldman Sachs, JPMorgan Chase, and Morgan Stanley are lined up as senior underwriters. SpaceX is also considering a dual-class share structure to preserve insider voting control, and plans to allocate up to 30% of shares to retail investors, which is roughly three times the typical norm.
NASA sends humans to the Moon for the first time since 1972 – Here’s what’s next
Tesla removes Model S and X custom orders as sunset officially begins
SpaceX files confidentially for IPO that will rewrite the record books
Elon Musk says Tesla is developing a new vehicle: ‘Way cooler than a minivan’
Elon Musk launches TERAFAB: The $25B Tesla-SpaceXAI chip factory that will rewire the AI industry
