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SpaceX’s youngest Falcon 9 booster returns to port after second launch
SpaceX’s youngest flight-proven Falcon 9 booster has returned to port after its second successful launch in ten weeks, preceded by the shrapnel of a destroyed payload fairing two days prior.
On June 30th, Falcon 9 B1060 lifted off for the first time, ultimately supporting SpaceX’s first operational US military satellite launch and completing the first successful booster landing after such a mission. Originally scheduled as early as August 29th, the same booster supported Starlink-11 on September 3rd, just 64 days after launching the US military’s GPS III SV03 satellite. In doing so, B1060 became the third Falcon 9 booster ever to launch twice in less than 70 days – all three instances of which occurred this year.
On the fairing recovery front, SpaceX’s Starlink-11 mission was not not nearly as lucky. Recovery ships GO Ms. Tree and GO Ms. Chief returned to Port Canaveral about 48 hours prior the Falcon 9 booster they launched on – but in a pile of jagged shards rather than two intact halves.
While SpaceX will have to continue chasing the ever-illusive double-fairing-catch it first tasted on July 20th, any recovery – even if just fragments – should still produce valuable data that can inform future recovery attempts and help prevent a similar fate from befalling future fairings. Outcome aside, the recovery also made for a spectacular port return for the (mostly) emptyhanded ships.
The success of Falcon 9 booster B1060’s second launch and ocean landing in 64 days is unequivocal, however. To support a combined commercial and Starlink launch cadence as ambitious as SpaceX’s in 2020, a heavy reliance on booster reuse – particularly with a focus on speed – was going to be a necessity. As a result of the unplanned loss of four Falcon Block 5 boosters between December 2018 and March 2020, SpaceX’s reuse-oriented decision to slow first stage production saw the company’s fleet of flightworthy boosters rapidly shrink.
Thankfully, Crew Dragon’s Demo-2 astronaut launch debut and the aforementioned GPS III SV03 mission introduced two new boosters – B1058 and B1060 – into circulation, resulting in a booster flight likely just large enough to support the lower bound of SpaceX’s 2020 launch ambitions. In late 2019 and early 2020, SpaceX executives revealed plans for anywhere from 24 to 36 launches this year – roughly two-thirds of which would be internal Starlink missions.
As the first Falcon 9 booster to be permitted to land after an operational National Security Space Launch (NSSL), B1060 would have been the perfect choice to support the first booster reuse during a US Air Force or National Reconnaissance Office launch. Much like NASA’s first launch on a flight-proven Falcon 9, though, that pathfinder qualification process would have likely necessitated 6+ months of inspections, reviews, and repairs. If not the first NSSL-sponsored reuse, B1060 would have also been a prime booster option for a more conservative customer or a high-value mission later this year or early next.
Instead, barely two months after its launch debut, SpaceX assigned B1060 to launch the 12th batch of Starlink satellites, pushing the internet constellation over the 700-satellite mark. In simple terms, the move implies that SpaceX is pushing as hard as ever to launch as many times as possible this year. As of now, SpaceX has launched 16 times in a bit more than eight months, averaging almost exactly two launches per month. If SpaceX continues that pace, it will beat its current annual record of 21 launches with ~24. If the company sustains the pace its kept over the last ~90 days, it could complete as many as 28 launches this year.
SpaceX’s September manifest certainly leans towards the latter option. Aside from two more Starlink missions scheduled in mid and late September, Falcon 9 booster B1062 is scheduled to debut with another GPS III satellite launch for the US military. Another five commercial missions have feasible launch targets in the fourth quarter, while it’s safe to assume that SpaceX will continue to target at least two Starlink launches per month for the indefinite future. Altogether, SpaceX has at least 15 more missions that will likely be ready to launch before the end of the year – plenty to sate Falcon 9’s ever-growing thirst.
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The Boring Company accelerates Vegas Loop expansion plans
The Boring Company clears fire safety delays, paving the way to accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion plans.

After overcoming fire safety hurdles, the Boring Company is accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion. The project’s progress signals a transformative boost for Sin City’s transportation and tourism.
Elon Musk’s tunneling company, along with The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Clark County, resolved fire safety concerns that delayed new stations.
“It’s new. It’s taken a little time to figure out what the standard should be,” said Steve Hill, LVCVA President and CEO, during last week’s board meeting. “We’ve gotten there. We’re excited about that. We’re ready to expand further, faster, than we have.”
Last month, the company submitted permits for tunnel extensions connecting Encore to a parcel of land owned by Wynn and Caesars Palace. The three tunnels are valued at $600,000 based on country records.
Plans for a Tropicana Loop are also advancing, linking UNLV to MGM Grand, T-Mobile Arena, Allegiant Stadium, Mandalay Bay, and the upcoming Athletics’ ballpark. Downtown extensions from the convention center to the Strat, Fremont Street Experience, and Circa’s Garage Mahal are also in the permitting process.
“Those are all in process,” Hill noted. “We’ve got machines that are available to be put in the ground. I think we’ve reached a framework for how these projects are going to work and how they’ll be permitted from a safety standpoint, as well as a building standpoint.”
The Boring Company has six boring machines, with three currently active in Las Vegas. Last week, TBC announced that it successfully mined continuously in a Zero-People-in-Tunnel (ZPIT) configuration, enabling it to build more tunnels faster, safer, and at a more affordable rate.
Tunneling under Paradise Road is underway as The Boring Company works on the University Center Loop. The University Center Loop is expected to connect to the Las Vegas Convention Center within two months, linking to the Westgate tunnel. The full Vegas Loop will span 104 stations and 68 miles. Even though The Boring Company’s tunnel network in Las Vegas isn’t nearly finished, it has already become a key attraction in the city.
“It’s such a great attraction for shows that are looking at this building (convention center) and we’re going to be connected to everybody in town,” Hill said. “It’s a real difference-maker.”
A few Vegas Loop stations are already operational, including those connected to Resorts World, Westgate, Encore, and all the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop stations. The Downtown Loop, which connects to the downtown area, and the Riviera Station, the hub that leads to Resorts World with Westgate destinations, are also operational.
As The Boring Company accelerates the Vegas Loop, its tunnels are poised to redefine mobility and tourism in Las Vegas, blending cutting-edge technology with practical urban solutions.
News
Neuralink Blindsight human trials expected to start in the UAE
Neuralink aims to restore vision with its Blindsight BCI implant. First human implant for Blindsight may happen in UAE.

During Elon Musk’s interview at the Qatar Economic Forum, he announced that Neuralink aims to implant its Blindsight brain-to-computer interface (BCI) device in a human patient by late 2025 or early 2026.
Blindsight focuses on restoring vision. A few years ago, Musk mentioned that Neuralink’s BCI devices would restore vision for people, even those born blind.
“The first two applications we’re going to aim for in humans are restoring vision, and I think this is notable in that even if someone has never had vision ever, like they were born blind, we believe we can still restore vision. The visual part of the cortex is still there. Even if they’ve never seen before, we’re confident they could see,” Musk said during Neuralink’s Show & Tell in 2022.
Musk said Blindsight could be implanted into a human patient in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Neuralink plans to partner with the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to implant the first human patient with Blindsight.
Elon Musk’s neurotechnology company is partnering with the Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi to conduct the first clinical trial of the UAE-PRIME study. Like Neuralink’s PRIME study in the United States, UAE-PRIME will focus on human patients with motor and speech impairments.
Neuralink received Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval to conduct the PRIME and CONVOY studies in the United States. PRIME tests the capabilities of the company’s Link implant to restore or enable motor and speech in participants. Meanwhile, the CONVOY study explores Link’s ability to control assistive robotic devices. Neuralink already has an assistive robotic arm called ARA that could expand patients’ autonomy beyond smart devices.
Blindsight would probably require a separate study from PRIME and CONVOY. As such, Neuralink might need FDA approval in the United States to start human trials for Blindsight. However, Blindsight already received a “breakthrough device” designation from the US FDA.
In April 2025, Neuralink opened its patient registry to participants worldwide. The neurotechnology company has already implanted its Link BCI device into five patients. Earlier this year, Neuralink welcomed one of its first PRIME study participants as the first patient in its CONVOY study.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk just revealed more about Tesla’s June Robotaxi launch
Tesla CEO Elon Musk gave more information about the Robotaxi launch in Austin set for June.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk just revealed more details about the company’s June Robotaxi launch, which will kick off in Austin.
As of right now, Tesla is still set to push out the first Robotaxi rides in Austin, Texas, in early June. These vehicles will be in short supply at first, as Musk says the company is purposely rolling out the fleet in a slow and controlled fashion to prioritize safety. There will be ten vehicles in the Robotaxi fleet to start.
Tesla Robotaxi deemed a total failure by media — even though it hasn’t been released
However, in an interview with CNBC on Tuesday afternoon, Musk also revealed some other new details, including where in Austin the vehicles will be able to go, how many Robotaxis we could see on public roads within a few months, and other information regarding Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite.
A Controlled Rollout
Tesla has maintained for a few months now that the Robotaxi fleet will be comprised of between 10 and 20 Model Y vehicles in Austin.
The Cybercab, which was unveiled by the company last October, will not be available initially, as those cars will likely be produced in 2026.
Musk said during the CNBC interview that Tesla is doing a low-yield trial at first to initiate a safety-first mentality. It is important for Tesla to launch the Robotaxi fleet in a small manner to keep things in check, at least at first.
As confidence builds and the accuracy of the fleet is ensured, more vehicles will be added to the fleet.
Musk believes there will be 1,000 Robotaxis on the road “in a few months.”
Geofenced to Certain Austin Areas
Tesla will be launching the Robotaxi program in a geofenced fashion that gives the company the ability to control where it goes. Musk says that the areas the Robotaxis will be able to travel to are among the safest neighborhoods and areas in Austin.
This is yet another safety protocol that will ensure the initial riders are not put in dangerous neighborhoods.
Some might be disappointed to hear this because of Tesla’s spoken confidence regarding Robotaxi, but the initial rollout does need to be controlled for safety reasons. An accident or incident of any kind that would put riders’ lives in danger would be catastrophic.
No Driver, No Problem
As the company has rolled out an employee-only version of the Robotaxi program in Austin and the San Francisco Bay Area, some wondered whether the rides would be driverless, as these initial trials for Tesla workers were not. Employee rides featured a human in the driver’s seat to ensure safety.
Tesla says it has launched ride-hailing Robotaxi teaser to employees only
The company did not report whether there were any interventions or not, but it did state that the vehicles traveled over 15,000 miles through 1,500 trips.
Musk confirmed during the interview that there will be no driver in the vehicle when the Robotaxi program launches in June. This will be groundbreaking as it will be the first time that Tesla vehicles will operate on public roads without anyone in the driver’s seat.
Full Self-Driving Licensing
For more than a year, Tesla has indicated that it is in talks with another major automaker regarding the licensing of Full Self-Driving. Many speculated that the company was Ford, but neither it nor Tesla confirmed this.
Musk said today that Tesla has been in touch with “a number of automakers” that have inquired about licensing FSD. Tesla has yet to sign any deal to do so.
Here is the full interview with @elonmusk talking about Tesla and the Cybercab! pic.twitter.com/992njb0lPS
— Robin (@xdNiBoR) May 20, 2025
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