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SpaceX eyes two Falcon 9 rocket launches, landings in eleven hours [update: just Starlink]

SpaceX is on track to launch two Falcon 9 rockets in less than eleven hours. (SpaceX)

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Update #2: The GPS III SV04 mission’s Falcon 9 rocket aborted its October 2nd launch attempt just two seconds before liftoff. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk says the vehicle’s flight computer detected an “unexpected pressure rise in the turbomachinery gas generator” of at least one of new booster B1062’s nine Merlin 1D engines. Given that Musk explicitly pointed to propulsion hardware rather than an out-of-family sensor, a substantial delay is likely.

Update: For unknown reasons, SpaceX appears to have delayed the Starlink-12 launch to October 5th. GPS III SV04 is still on track to launch tonight.

SpaceX appears to be targeting two separate Falcon 9 launches less than eleven hours apart after a pad sensor scrubbed the company’s latest Starlink-12 launch attempt.

SpaceX’s 12th operational Starlink launch and 13th overall, the mission is now up to its fourth aborted launch attempt after a weather delay on September 17th, an unspecified delay on September 27th, a weather delay on September 29th, and a ground systems delay on October 1st. Starlink-12 is now scheduled to lift off from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A (KSC Pad 39A) no earlier than (NET) 8:34 am EDT (12:34 UTC) on Saturday, October 3rd.

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Up first, though, is SpaceX’s third upgraded GPS III satellite launch (Space Vehicle 04) for the US military – effectively ready to go since a few days after the Falcon 9 rocket’s September 25th static fire. Delayed from September 29th and 30th by United Launch Alliance’s (ULA) own Delta IV Heavy NROL-44 launch delays, SpaceX has confirmed that Falcon 9 is scheduled to launch GPS III SV04 NET 9:43 pm EDT (1:43 UTC) on Friday, October 2nd.

Two Falcon 9 rockets simultaneously stand vertical at Launch Complexes 40 and 39A. (SpaceX)

The only reason SpaceX is able to even consider attempting both East Coast Falcon 9 launches hours apart is the activation of a second drone ship (formerly based in California) earlier this year. Known as Just Read The Instructions (JRTI), the drone ship was upgraded with expanded power output and stronger thrusters and joined Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) in Port Canaveral, Florida. JRTI completed its first East Coast Falcon booster landing in June 2020 and both ships have more or less split recovery attempts in the months since.

Drone ship JRTI returns to Port Canaveral with Falcon 9 booster B1060. (Richard Angle)
Drone ship OCISLY returns to Port Canaveral with Falcon 9 booster B1059. (SpaceX)

While SpaceX could technically launch East Coast missions almost simultaneously by landing one booster at sea and the other on land, the performance required from Falcon 9 for GPS III SV04 and Starlink-12 necessitates drone ship landings for both missions. Coincidentally, the missions’ launch trajectories are extremely similar, meaning that drone ship JRTI (GPS III SV04) and OCISLY (Starlink-12) are stationed just ~50 km (~30 mi) apart in the Atlantic Ocean.

Twin recovery ships GO Ms. Tree and GO Ms. Chief – outfitted with giant nets – will also be present at at least one of the two missions, each attempting to catch one of Falcon 9’s payload fairing halves.

Twin fairing recovery ships GO Ms. Tree and GO Ms. Chief will also attempt fairing catches. (SpaceX)

If both missions launch on schedule and Falcon 9 boosters B1062 (GPS III SV04) and B1058 successful land aboard their respective drone ships, SpaceX could end up with two drone ships – both carrying Falcon boosters – returning to Port Canaveral at almost the same time, possibly creating the first Falcon booster traffic jam.

Weather is currently 70% and 60% go for SpaceX’s GPS III SV04 and Starlink-12 launches. Tune in around 9:25 pm EDT (01:25 UTC) to catch the first of two SpaceX launch webcasts.

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Eric Ralph is Teslarati's senior spaceflight reporter and has been covering the industry in some capacity for almost half a decade, largely spurred in 2016 by a trip to Mexico to watch Elon Musk reveal SpaceX's plans for Mars in person. Aside from spreading interest and excitement about spaceflight far and wide, his primary goal is to cover humanity's ongoing efforts to expand beyond Earth to the Moon, Mars, and elsewhere.

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Tesla Giga Berlin growth could stall if not “free from external influences”: Elon Musk

The comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion.

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Credit: Andre Thierig/X

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has reportedly warned that future expansion of Gigafactory Berlin could be jeopardized if the site does not remain “free from external influences.”

Musk’s comments were delivered in a pre-recorded video discussion with employees and came at a sensitive moment for the facility, where union representation has been a recurring issue.

According to reports from Handelsblatt and Der Spiegel, citing participants at the event, Musk suggested that if Giga Berlin is no longer “free from external influences,” further expansion would become unlikely. He did not, however, hint that the plant would shut down.

While Musk did not name IG Metall directly, his remarks were widely interpreted as referencing the union, which is currently the largest faction on the works council but does not hold a majority, as noted in an electrive report. 

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The video conversation was conducted between Musk in Austin and Grünheide plant manager André Thierig, then played back to the workforce in Germany. Works council elections are scheduled for early March, heightening the tension between management and organized labor.

The CEO has previously voiced concerns that stronger union influence could limit Tesla’s operational flexibility and long-term strategy in Germany.

Despite the warning on expansion, Musk praised the Giga Berlin site during the same address, describing it as one of the most advanced factories worldwide and highlighting its cleanliness and team culture.

The discussion also reportedly touched on battery cell production. According to attendees cited in German media, Musk indicated that Tesla has begun ramping cell production at the site. That would mark a notable shift from earlier expectations that large-scale cell manufacturing in Brandenburg would not begin until 2027.

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Tesla Full Self-Driving’s newest behavior is the perfect answer to aggressive cars

According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla Full Self-Driving appears to have a new behavior that is the perfect answer to aggressive drivers.

According to a recent video, it now appears the suite will automatically pull over if there is a tailgater on your bumper, the most ideal solution for when a driver is riding your bumper.

With FSD’s constantly-changing Speed Profiles, it seems as if this solution could help eliminate the need to tinker with driving modes from the person in the driver’s seat. This tends to be one of my biggest complaints from FSD at times.

A video posted on X shows a Tesla on Full Self-Driving pulling over to the shoulder on windy, wet roads after another car seemed to be following it quite aggressively. The car looks to have automatically sensed that the vehicle behind it was in a bit of a hurry, so FSD determined that pulling over and letting it by was the best idea:

We can see from the clip that there was no human intervention to pull over to the side, as the driver’s hands are stationary and never interfere with the turn signal stalk.

This can be used to override some of the decisions FSD makes, and is a great way to get things back on track if the semi-autonomous functionality tries to do something that is either unneeded or not included in the routing on the in-car Nav.

FSD tends to move over for faster traffic on the interstate when there are multiple lanes. On two-lane highways, it will pass slower cars using the left lane. When faster traffic is behind a Tesla on FSD, the vehicle will move back over to the right lane, the correct behavior in a scenario like this.

Perhaps one of my biggest complaints at times with Full Self-Driving, especially from version to version, is how much tinkering Tesla does with Speed Profiles. One minute, they’re suitable for driving on local roads, the next, they’re either too fast or too slow.

When they are too slow, most of us just shift up into a faster setting, but at times, even that’s not enough, see below:

There are times when it feels like it would be suitable for the car to just pull over and let the vehicle that is traveling behind pass. This, at least up until this point, it appears, was something that required human intervention.

Now, it looks like Tesla is trying to get FSD to a point where it just knows that it should probably get out of the way.

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Tesla Megapack powers $1.1B AI data center project in Brazil

By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla’s Megapack battery systems will be deployed as part of a 400MW AI data center campus in Uberlândia, Brazil. The initiative is described as one of Latin America’s largest AI infrastructure projects.

The project is being led by RT-One, which confirmed that the facility will integrate Tesla Megapack battery energy storage systems (BESS) as part of a broader industrial alliance that includes Hitachi Energy, Siemens, ABB, HIMOINSA, and Schneider Electric. The project is backed by more than R$6 billion (approximately $1.1 billion) in private capital.

According to RT-One, the data center is designed to operate on 100% renewable energy while also reinforcing regional grid stability.

“Brazil generates abundant energy, particularly from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, high renewable penetration can create grid stability challenges,” RT-One President Fernando Palamone noted in a post on LinkedIn. “Managing this imbalance is one of the country’s growing infrastructure priorities.”

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By integrating Tesla’s Megapack systems, the facility will function not only as a major power consumer but also as a grid-supporting asset.

“The facility will be capable of absorbing excess electricity when supply is high and providing stabilization services when the grid requires additional support. This approach enhances resilience, improves reliability, and contributes to a more efficient use of renewable generation,” Palamone added.

The model mirrors approaches used in energy-intensive regions such as California and Texas, where large battery systems help manage fluctuations tied to renewable energy generation.

The RT-One President recently visited Tesla’s Megafactory in Lathrop, California, where Megapacks are produced, as part of establishing the partnership. He thanked the Tesla team, including Marcel Dall Pai, Nicholas Reale, and Sean Jones, for supporting the collaboration in his LinkedIn post.

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