SpaceX is in the final stages of preparing a trio of Falcon 9 rockets for a set of launches scheduled less than two days apart.
The potential hat trick will likely be the last opportunity for a salvo of Falcon launches before the end of 2022. As a disclaimer, while unofficial launch dates (derived from regulatory documents or well-sourced public manifests) were consistently close to actual launch dates for most of 2022, that ceased to be the case when SpaceX began experiencing an abrupt uptick in launch delays over the last two months. As a result, Falcon launch dates – even once confirmed by SpaceX – should be assumed to be a bit more uncertain than usual until it’s clear that that trend has died down.
Nonetheless, all available signs indicate that SpaceX and its customers are moving forward with plans for three back-to-back launches before the end of the week.
The update that's rolling out to the fleet makes full use of the front and rear steering travel to minimize turning circle. In this case a reduction of 1.6 feet just over the air— Wes (@wmorrill3) April 16, 2024
Set to kick off the diverse trio is the Surface Water and Ocean Topography (SWOT) spacecraft, a roughly $1.2 billion joint mission between NASA and French space agency CNES. Thanks in part to the COVID pandemic, which has and continues to impact large swaths of NASA and the aerospace industry, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory completed its portion of SWOT around 9% over budget and eight months behind schedule [PDF] since mission formulation began in 2012. Over a similar time scale, several other NASA missions have experienced cost increases of 10-100%, generally reflecting well on SWOT’s management.
SWOT, a roughly two-ton (~4400 lb) satellite, is designed to conduct the first global survey of all surface water on Earth using two large synthetic aperture radar (SAR) antennas and a conventional radar altimeter. At a cost of roughly $112 million, a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch SWOT to low Earth orbit (LEO) no earlier than (NET) 3:46 am PST (11:46 UTC) on Thursday, December 15th. SpaceX successfully tested SWOT’s Falcon 9 well in advance on December 10th. The rocket was then returned to the company’s hangar at Vandenberg Space Force Base (VSFB) Space Launch Complex 4E for payload installation before rolling back to the pad on December 13th.
The light satellite and low target orbit will allow Falcon 9’s booster to return to the launch site and land at SpaceX’s LZ-4 landing zone, precluding the need for a drone ship recovery.
Up next, another Falcon 9 rocket is scheduled to launch the first two of eleven Boeing-built O3b mPOWER communication satellites for operator SES as early as 4:21 pm EST (21:21 UTC), Friday, December 16th. After lifting off from SpaceX’s Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) LC-40 pad, Falcon 9 is set to launch the roughly 3.4-ton (~7500 lb) pair of satellites to a medium Earth orbit (MEO) with an altitude of 7825 kilometers (4862 mi).
It’s unclear what orbit Falcon 9 will launch the satellites to, but the rocket’s booster will land on drone ship A Shortfall of Gravitas (ASOG) some 700 kilometers (~435 mi) downrange, indicating that it will need as much performance as the rocket can give. ASOG departed Port Canaveral on December 11th, confirming that launch preparations are well underway.
Finally, a third Falcon 9 rocket could launch SpaceX’s first Starlink mission since October 28th as early as 4:54 or 5:13 pm EST (21:54 or 22:13) on December 16th, potentially just 33 or 52 minutes after O3b mPOWER 1&2. If the two missions do launch on December 16th, which a reliable source of unofficial information has indicated is not guaranteed, it will smash the US record for back-to-back launches of the same rocket family. Russia’s R-7 rocket family will retain the international crown, however, having launched twice in 25 minutes in 1969.
Starlink 4-37 will lift off from SpaceX’s NASA Kennedy Space Center LC-39A pad, and its Falcon 9 booster will attempt to launch on drone ship Just Read The Instructions (JRTI). JRTI departed Port Canaveral on December 12th.
Following Starlink 4-37, SpaceX has at least two more launches tentatively scheduled before the end of 2022. NextSpaceflight.com reports that SpaceX could launch its sixth Transporter rideshare mission from Florida on December 27th, and two Israeli EROS-C3 Earth observation satellites out of California on December 29th. However, it’s worth noting that in the almost 17-year history of SpaceX Falcon operations, the company has never launched a rocket after December 23rd or before January 6th. Transporter-6 and EROS-C3 – SpaceX’s 60th and 61st launches of the year – would have to break through that apparent firewall to launch when they are currently scheduled.
News
The Tesla Model Y Standard is actually a great deal in Europe
A €10,000 delta could very well prove to be a meaningful difference for numerous consumers.

It’s no secret that the Model Y Standard proved polarizing to numerous Tesla watchers in the United States. At just a few thousand dollars less than the Model Y Premium, the entry-level variant seemed like a subpar deal considering all the features that are missing from the vehicle.
In Europe, however, the story might be different, and the Model Y Standard might actually end up being a pretty good deal for numerous car shoppers.
Model Y Standard
Perhaps the biggest complaint against the Model Y Standard in the United States was its price. Listed at $39,990, it was only $5,000 less than the Model Y Premium Rear Wheel Drive (RWD), which starts at $44,990 before options. Considering the list of features and functions that are absent in the Model Y Standard, a good number of Tesla community members noted that the vehicle should have been priced lower, perhaps around $34,990, for it to truly be a good deal.
Otherwise, the entry-level Model Y could end up following in the footsteps of the Cybertruck Rear Wheel Drive, which was priced just below $70,000, but was missing a long list of features that were included on the Cybertruck AWD. The Cybertruck RWD has since been discontinued, likely because of low orders.
Different story in Europe
While the Model Y Standard may not make much sense in the United States, its pricing actually makes it a very good deal in Europe. A look at the order page for the Model Y in The Netherlands, for example, shows that the Model Y Standard is priced at €39,990 before options, €10,000 less than the Model Y Premium Rear Wheel Drive, which is priced at €50,990 before options.
As noted by Tesla watcher @KamermanMenno on social media platform X, a €10,000 delta is a meaningful difference for numerous consumers. Given the significant price difference, the Model Y Standard could become the ideal entry-level vehicle for drivers looking to join the Tesla ecosystem at the lowest possible cost. The fact that the Model Y Standard is a crossover SUV bodes well for the vehicle, given the segment’s popularity as well.
News
Tesla Model Y L helps boost China wholesale numbers to 90,812 units in September
The month’s results represent the company’s best wholesale figures this year so far.

Tesla China’s wholesale numbers bounced back in September after two straight months of decline, hinting at renewed momentum for the EV maker in one of the world’s most competitive electric car markets.
As per data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA), Tesla China sold 90,812 vehicles wholesale last month, a 2.82% year-on-year increase from the 88,321 units that were sold wholesale in September 2024. The month’s results represent the company’s best wholesale figures this year so far.
Tesla China’s September comeback
Tesla China’s wholesale results in September were boosted by the Model Y L, as noted in a CNEV Post report. The new six-seat Model Y L, launched in August and delivered starting in early September, enabled Tesla China to enter the market for large SUVs with six seats, a segment previously inaccessible by the standard, five-seat Model Y.
Tesla’s Gigafactory Shanghai continues to be the keystone of the company’s Asia-Pacific operations, producing both the Model 3 and Model Y for local and overseas markets. September’s total marked a 9.16% increase from August’s 83,192 units, effectively allowing Tesla China to return to growth after two months of year-over-year declines.
Tesla China’s quarterly results
From January to September, Tesla China sold 606,364 vehicles wholesale, down 10.27% compared to the same period last year. The decline reflected seven months of year-on-year drops in the first nine months of 2024. Part of this decline was due to Tesla’s changeover to the new Model Y earlier this year, which resulted in the company effectively pulling out its best-selling model for a few months while its factories were being updated.
In the third quarter, Tesla China sold 241,890 vehicles, accounting for 48.66% of the electric car maker’s global total of 497,099 deliveries. That figure was down 2.91% year-on-year but up 26.17% from the previous quarter. With Model Y L deliveries likely hitting their stride this Q4 2025, Tesla China’s wholesale figures this quarter would likely be very interesting.
News
Tesla takes huge step with Cybercab in new spotting

Tesla has taken a huge step forward with its Cybercab project, as the vehicle has been spotted on the Fremont Test Track for the first time.
Typically, when cars are spotted on the Fremont Test Track, it means Tesla has begun advancing the development of that specific project. With Cybercab production slated for 2026, it seems Tesla is ready to get things moving.
The Cybercab was unveiled one year ago tomorrow, at the “We, Robot” event in Los Angeles.
Tesla Robotaxi Cybercab: Seats, price, special features, release date, and more
Tesla has been hoping to get Cybercab production started in early 2026. With a few months until then, the program has taken some leaps, including the recent start of crash testing of the vehicle at the Fremont Factory in Northern California.
Some of these units have made their way to Gigafactory Texas at Tesla’s crash testing facility:
The 1st @Tesla Cybercab at the Giga Texas crash testing facility. Hard to say for sure, but this may indicate the vehicle has completed most of the final engineering & production tests out at Fremont and what remains is now at Giga Texas.
If this follows how the @Cybertruck… pic.twitter.com/RHB2IjkL1L
— Joe Tegtmeyer 🚀 🤠🛸😎 (@JoeTegtmeyer) October 9, 2025
Now, it has taken another step as Tesla has officially started testing the vehicle at the Fremont Test Track:
Tesla spotted for the first time testing the Cybercab at their Fremont factory in California.
Full video: https://t.co/mXGIJXYCqY pic.twitter.com/oveOsXqiyg
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) October 9, 2025
Here’s when vehicles in Tesla’s lineup were first spotted on the Fremont Test Track and then launched:
Vehicle
|
First Spotted on Fremont Test Track
|
Launch Date (Production Start/First Deliveries)
|
---|---|---|
Model Y
|
December 12, 2019
|
January 2020
|
Tesla Semi
|
March 8, 2021
|
December 1, 2022 (Limited to pilot program participants)
|
Cybertruck
|
December 10, 2021
|
November 2023
|
Cybercab
|
October 9, 2025
|
Early 2026
|
Timeframes for when Tesla vehicles hit the Fremont Test Track and when their production and deliveries begin certainly vary.
However, the Cybercab being spotted marks a significant step forward for Tesla, as it indicates the company is nearing a major milestone in production, whether for deliveries or on-road testing.
It does seem as if Tesla could employ the Cybercab for its Robotaxi program in Austin, Texas, and Northern California.
With more markets expected to launch Robotaxi rides soon, it could be a formidable challenge for the new vehicle, especially if Tesla can initiate rides without a Safety Monitor.
-
News2 weeks ago
Elon Musk gives update on Tesla Optimus progress
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla has a new first with its Supercharger network
-
Investor's Corner2 weeks ago
Tesla gets new Street-high price target with high hopes for autonomy domination
-
Lifestyle2 weeks ago
500-mile test proves why Tesla Model Y still humiliates rivals in Europe
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla Giga Berlin’s water consumption has achieved the unthinkable
-
Lifestyle2 weeks ago
Tesla Model S Plaid battles China’s 1500 hp monster Nurburgring monster, with surprising results
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla Model Y makes dramatic comeback in Sweden with 492% rise in registrations
-
Elon Musk2 weeks ago
Elon Musk’s xAI wins federal AI contract as Grok undercuts ChatGPT