News
ULA Delta IV Heavy rocket set for National Reconnaissance Office spysat launch
The massive United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta IV Heavy rocket last launched from Space Launch Complex 37 (SLC-37) at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in August of 2018 when it lifted NASA’s Parker Solar Probe to a highly-elliptical, heliocentric orbit on a mission to “touch the Sun.”
Two years later, ULA is ready to light its most impressive candle once again for its next launch campaign, NROL-44. This time around the protective payload fairing of the Delta IV Heavy rocket is packed with a sensitive – and highly classified – payload for the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO). The NRO is an office of national security that oversees a fleet of spy satellites for the United States government. Since becoming operational in 2004, ULA’s Delta IV Heavy rocket has completed eleven operational missions, seven of which were classified missions for the NRO.
A long launch campaign
The NROL-44 launch campaign has been a long one, to say the least. The three Delta IV common core boosters were delivered to ULA’s Horizontal Integration Facility during the summer of 2019. There the boosters were integrated with one another while the forward end of the center booster was mated with the Delta Cryogenic Second Stage (DCSS). The DCSS is outfitted with a single Aerojet Rocketdyne RL10B-2 engine capable of 24,750 lbf of thrust used to propel the secretive payload to orbit once the common core boosters have separated.
In November 2019, the rocket was rolled to the SLC-37 Vertical Integration Facility and raised by ULA’s Fixed Pad Erector into a vertical position to await the integration of its precious payload. In January 2020, ULA completed pre-launch initiatives including standard testing and a complete Wet Dress Rehearsal of Day of Launch activities involving fueling and de-tanking of the liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen propellants. Since then, the Delta IV Heavy has remained safed and in powered-off status.
Following the recent successful launch of NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover on a neighboring ULA Atlas V just weeks ago, ULA is ready to ignite Delta IV Heavy’s three Aerojet Rocketdyne RS-68A main engines to complete one of the rocket’s remaining final five flights as it nears retirement.
On July 27, the Delta IV Heavy was outfitted with a 5-meter payload fairing safely encapsulating the NROL-44 payload. The massive payload fairing was delivered to SLC-37, raised, and mounted to the top of the center booster and fully integrated DCSS via crane. The mated payload completes the 235 feet (72 meters) tall full stack of the Delta IV Heavy rocket which will weigh in at 1.6 million pounds (725,750 kg) once fueled before lift-off.
Reliability worth the cost
In a company blog post, ULA’s launch operations director and general manager, Tony Taliancich said, “The Heavy serves the nation’s high-priority U.S. Space Force and National Reconnaissance Office space programs with distinction as America’s proven heavy-lifter.” Although reliable, the Delta IV Heavy is very costly to fly costing nearly $300 million a launch. The heavy class launcher is almost exclusively chosen to fly missions for the U.S. government with the exception of a few NASA missions – Parker Solar Probe and the Orion capsule Exploration Flight Test -1. The five remaining flights of its career are all contracted to lift payloads for the NRO through 2023.
ULA is currently targeting 2:16 am EDT (0616 UTC) on Wednesday, August 26 for the launch of the Delta IV Heavy, however, tropical weather approaching the Florida peninsula is being closely monitored. Should there be any, ULA will publish all updates to the mission timeline on the company’s blog.
News
Tesla Semi factory looks nearly complete
Based on recent images taken of the facility, it appears that the Semi’s initial production might be right on schedule.
The Tesla Semi factory looks like it is nearing completion. Based on recent images taken of the facility, it appears that the Semi’s initial production might be right on schedule.
This was, at least, as per recent observations from a veteran Tesla watcher who has long been chronicling the progress of the facility.
Tesla Semi factory today
As per longtime Tesla Semi advocate @HinrichsZane, the Class 8 all-electric truck’s factory in Nevada looks almost completed. The facility’s exterior looks finished, which suggests that much of the work being done today is likely focused on the factory’s interior and equipment.
This was highlighted in recent photos taken by the drone operator, which show that the facility’s parking lots are now filled with vehicles. A photo taken before dawn also highlighted just how refined the factory has become over the past months. Needless to say, it appears that the factory is all but ready to start the initial production of the Tesla Semi.
Deliveries and targets
Tesla has stated that the Semi factory will start producing the Class 8 all-electric truck by 2026. This was stressed by Elon Musk in a previous comment on X, when he stated that “Tesla Semi will be in volume production next year.” Once ramped, the facility will be capable of producing about 50,000 Tesla Semi units annually. This should help the Semi disrupt and potentially saturate the United States’ transport sector.
Progress in the Tesla Semi factory has been notable in the past months. Just a few months ago, drone footage of the site revealed that Tesla was shipping extremely large production equipment into the facility. These included what appeared to be a gigantic stamping machine that was so large and heavy that it was shipped to the Semi factory using two diesel trucks and a triple trailer.
Cybertruck
FIRST LOOK: Tesla Cybertruck police cruiser interior
The LVMPD released a new video of the police cruisers that were donated by billionaires Ben and Felicia Horowitz.
The first look at the Tesla Cybertruck police cruisers for the Las Vegas Metro Police Department has been going around as the city begins to add them to its active fleet.
The LVMPD released a new video of the police cruisers that were donated by billionaires Ben and Felicia Horowitz, showing their design, as well as the first look at the front of the vehicle where police will sit, as well as the back where the criminals will think about their actions.
Tesla Cybertruck police fleet in Las Vegas pic.twitter.com/Z8t2wLMVR3
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) October 30, 2025
Sheriff Kevin McMahill commented on the addition of the Cybertrucks to the fleet, which includes recognition of their symbolism regarding the mission of the Department itself:
“These represent something bigger than a police vehicle. They represent innovation and our continued commitment to serve this community with the best tools available — safely, efficiently, and responsibly. They can handle everything from Fremont Street to Red Rock Canyon.”
The LVMPD had the Cybertrucks primed for law enforcement use by Upfit Tesla, a division of Unplugged Performance, the unequivocal leader in performance upgrades for Teslas.
The first look at the interior of the police cruisers is awesome to see, especially as it shows the Cybertruck’s ability to cater to every and any application for personal or professional use.
The front of the Cybertruck police vehicle shows an interior fully outfitted for a shift in Las Vegas. A laptop is mounted next to the center touchscreen, and siren and light controls are located in the center for easy access for officers:
The rear of the cruiser is plain and fitted with plastic seats, typical for the transportation of criminals and suspects, as well as a partition that appears to be made of ballistic glass, helping to protect officers from those they have arrested. It is also reinforced with steel and foam lines the top of the partition:
The fleet was donated shortly after a Cybertruck exploded at the front entrance of Trump Tower in Las Vegas in January. While the person inside lost their life, the Cybertruck’s ability to muffle most of the blast and keep damage relatively limited to the building impressed many.
News
Tesla Cybercab spotted testing on public roads for the first time
The car was spotted just minutes from Tesla’s Engineering Headquarters in Los Altos, California. There are a few interesting tidbits we can gather from the photo and the information shared with it.
The Tesla Cybercab has been spotted testing on public roads for the first time, marking a substantial step forward in the vehicle’s development.
The car was spotted just minutes from Tesla’s Engineering Headquarters in Los Altos, California. There are a few interesting tidbits we can gather from the photo and the information shared with it:
BREAKING: Tesla’s Cybercab spotted testing on public roads for the first time!
This was in Los Altos, California, about 10 minutes from Tesla’s Engineering HQ. As would be expected at this stage, a person was in the driver seat.
The future is autonomous 🤖 pic.twitter.com/cvd6UrnKZo
— Sawyer Merritt (@SawyerMerritt) October 29, 2025
The vehicle had a driver and side view mirrors equipped on it, which seems to be pretty expected, especially at this stage.
Tesla might have been using its Full Self-Driving software with the vehicle as it enters this new stage of testing on public roads. This seems most likely, especially as the car, which has long been developed to be void of a steering wheel and pedals, will totally rely on autonomous tech to transport one or two passengers to their destination.
Additionally, side view mirrors are required by law at delivery, and Tesla was likely looking to keep things as safe and elementary as possible, especially with this early stage of testing.
As this is the first time the vehicle has been spotted on public roads and the first time it was likely testing on them, Tesla was being cautious.
There have been a lot of developments with Cybercab over the past few weeks, as the car has been spotted testing on the Fremont Factory’s test track, units have been seen outside of Gigafactory Texas’s crash testing facility, and there has been some additional speculation about what the vehicle’s standard equipment will be.
There have also been quite a few job postings by Tesla for manufacturing and production roles related to Cybercab over the past few weeks.
Yesterday, Tesla’s Board Chair, Robyn Denholm, revealed that the company could end up building Cybercab with a steering wheel and pedals, contrary to what Tesla and CEO Elon Musk have wanted to do.
The vehicle has yet to reach that stage of regulatory testing, but Tesla wants to start volume production in Q2. If it wants to release the vehicle without any manual controls, that means that Full Self-Driving will need to be completed within the next eight months.
Tesla Semi factory looks nearly complete
FIRST LOOK: Tesla Cybertruck police cruiser interior
Tesla Cybercab spotted testing on public roads for the first time
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