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ULA rocket set to launch Solar Orbiter as NASA, ESA near golden era of sun science
Just a year and a half after sending NASA’s Parker Solar Probe to study the Sun, United Launch Alliance (ULA) is ready to once again support a science mission on its way to the center of our solar system. The Solar Orbiter, a unique spacecraft jointly developed by NASA and the European Space Agency, will launch aboard a ULA Atlas V 411 booster, propelling it to the Sun to snap the first photos of its north and south poles.
The Solar Orbiter will work in conjunction with NASA’s Parker Solar Probe in unlocking the mysteries of our closest star. Parker Solar Probe occasionally dips into the Sun’s atmosphere – referred to as the corona – learning about the environment and the solar wind that propels energy and radiation into our solar system. The Solar Orbiter will – as the name suggests – orbit the Sun, but will remain further away than Parker (about 26 million miles away) allowing it to produce the first images of the Sun’s northern and southern poles. This advancement could potentially offer more insight into the Sun’s powerful magnetic field.
The ULA Atlas V 411 booster arrived in Florida back in November 2019. Since the completion of the previous Atlas V mission that supported the Boeing Starliner Orbital Flight Test in December 2019, ULA has been continuously prepping for the launch of the Solar Orbiter. In early January 2020, the booster was vertically hoisted into ULA’s Vertical Integration Facility. Following final booster preparations, including rolling it out to the launchpad for pre-launch testing twice, the safely encapsulated Solar Orbiter payload was carefully stacked on top during final integration on January 31st.
According to ULA, the Atlas V 411 configuration was selected to provide the necessary “Earth departure trajectory for making repeated close encounters with the sun.” The configuration used to launch the Solar Orbiter consists of a dual-nozzle main engine and one solid-fuel booster mounted to the side. This allows the rocket to utilize steering capability provided by the main engine while maintaining a center of gravity stabilized by the additional booster. ULA states that while this is a rather unique configuration, it is one that has been successfully utilized to support missions five times since 2006.
Ahead of the February 9th launch attempt, teams rolled the mighty Atlas V 411 out to the launchpad at Space Launch Complex-41 at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station to complete a full Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR) – a full run-through of launch day operations including fueling the rocket and proceeding through terminal count. The first attempt at WDR resulted in a minor delay of launch due to a “wind-blown ECS cold air duct” that had to be replaced before testing could be completed, according to CEO of ULA, Tory Bruno. The second attempt of the WDR on January 24th was completed without a hitch.
On Friday morning February 7th, Bruno announced that all of pre-flight rehearsals and verifications were completed and the Solar Orbiter was ready to begin its journey to the Sun.
Currently, ULA and NASA are targeting a launch on Sunday, February 9th at 11:03 pm EST (0403 UTC) with a two-hour launch window. The launch weather is at 80% “GO” conditions with cumulus clouds as the primary concern for violation. Should the launch need to 24-hr recycle for a launch attempt on Monday, February 10th, weather conditions deteriorate slightly to 70% “GO.”
A live launch webcast will be provided on NASA TV beginning approximately 30 minutes prior to lift-off at 10:30 pm EST (0330 UTC).
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SpaceX reached an incredible milestone with its Starlink program with a launch last night, as the 3,000th satellite of the year was launched into low Earth orbit.
On Monday, SpaceX also achieved its 32nd flight with a single Falcon 9 rocket from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.
The mission was Starlink 6-92, and it utilized the Falcon 9 B1067 for the 32nd time this year, the most-used Falcon booster. The flight delivered SpaceX’s 3000th Starlink satellite of the year, a massive achievement.
There were 29 Starlink satellites launched and deployed into LEO during this particular mission:
Falcon 9 launches 29 @Starlink satellites from Florida pic.twitter.com/utKrXjHzPN
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) December 9, 2025
SpaceX has a current goal of certifying its Falcon boosters for 40 missions apiece, according to Spaceflight Now.
The flight was the 350th orbital launch from the nearby SLC-40, and the 3,000 satellites that have been successfully launched this year continue to contribute to the company’s goal of having 12,000 satellites contributing to global internet coverage.
There are over five million users of Starlink, the latest data shows.
Following the launch and stage separation, the Falcon 9 booster completed its mission with a perfect landing on the ‘Just Read the Instructions’ droneship.
The mission was the 575th overall Falcon 9 launch, highlighting SpaceX’s operational tempo, which continues to be accelerated. The company averages two missions per week, and underscores CEO Elon Musk’s vision of a multi-planetary future, where reliable connectivity is crucial for remote work, education, and emergency response.
As Starlink expands and works toward that elusive and crucial 12,000 satellite goal, missions like 6-92 pave the way for innovations in telecommunications and enable more internet access to people across the globe.
With regulatory approvals in over 100 countries and millions of current subscribers, SpaceX continues to democratize space, proving that reusability is not just feasible, but it’s also revolutionary.
Tesla expanded its new Full Self-Driving program, which gives people the opportunity to experience the company’s suite, in Europe.
Tesla recently launched an opportunity for Europeans to experience Full Self-Driving, not in their personal vehicles, but through a new ride-along program that initially launched in Italy, France, and Germany back in late November.
People could experience it by booking a reservation with a local Tesla showroom, but timeslots quickly filled up, making it difficult to keep up with demand. Tesla expanded the program and offered some additional times, but it also had its sights set on getting the program out to new markets.
It finally achieved that on December 9, as it launched rides in Denmark and Switzerland, adding the fourth and fifth countries to the program.
Tesla confirmed the arrival of the program to Denmark and Switzerland on X:
Now available in Denmark & Switzerland
🇩🇰 https://t.co/IpCSwHO566 https://t.co/V2N5EarLNX
— Tesla Europe & Middle East (@teslaeurope) December 9, 2025
The program, while a major contributor to Tesla’s butts in seats strategy, is truly another way for the company to leverage its fans in an effort to work through the regulatory hurdles it is facing in Europe.
Tesla has faced significant red tape in the region, and although it has tested the FSD suite and been able to launch this ride-along program, it is still having some tremendous issues convincing regulatory agencies to allow it to give it to customers.
CEO Elon Musk has worked with regulators, but admitted the process has been “insanely painful.”
The most recent development with FSD and its potential use in Europe dealt with the Dutch approval authority, known as the RDW.
Tesla says Europe could finally get FSD in 2026, and Dutch regulator RDW is key
Tesla said it believes some regulations are “outdated and rules-based,” which makes the suite ineligible for use in the European jurisdiction.
The RDW is working with Tesla to gain approval sometime early next year, but there are no guarantees. However, Tesla’s angle with the ride-along program seems to be that if it can push consumers to experience it and have a positive time, it should be easier for it to gain its footing across Europe with regulatory agencies.
News
Tesla ramps hiring for Roadster as latest unveiling approaches
Tesla published three new positions for the Roadster this week, relating to Battery Manufacturing, General Manufacturing, and Vision Engineering.
Tesla is ramping up hiring for positions related to the Roadster program, the company’s ultra-fast supercar that has been teased to potentially hover by CEO Elon Musk.
The company seems to be crossing off its last handful of things before it plans to unveil the vehicle on April Fool’s Day, just about four months away.
Tesla published three new positions for the Roadster this week, relating to Battery Manufacturing, General Manufacturing, and Vision Engineering. All three are located in Northern California, with two being at the Fremont Factory and the other at the company’s Engineering HQ in Palo Alto.
Technical Program Manager, Battery Manufacturing
Located in Fremont, this role specifically caters to the design of the Roadster to factory operations. It appears this role will mostly have to do with developing and engineering the Roadster’s battery pack and establishing the production processes for it:
“You will foster collaboration across design engineering, manufacturing, quality, facilities, and production to align with company priorities. Additionally, you will understand project opportunities, challenges, and dependencies; translate scattered information into concise, complete messages; and communicate them to every team member. As the business process development lead, you will develop, maintain, and implement tools and processes to accelerate battery manufacturing execution, achieve cross-functional alignment, and deliver highly efficient systems.”
Manufacturing Engineer, Roadster
Also located in Fremont, this role also has to deal with the concept development and launch of battery manufacturing equipment. Tesla says:
“In this role, you will take large-scale manufacturing systems for new battery products and architectures from the early concept development stage through equipment launch, optimization, and handover to local operations teams.”
Manufacturing Vision Engineer, Battery Vision
This position is in Palo Alto at Tesla’s Engineering Headquarters, and requires the design and scale of advanced inspection and control systems to next-generation battery products:
“You’ll work on automation processes that directly improve battery performance, quality, and cost, collaborating with world-class engineers in a fast-paced, hands-on environment.”
Developing and deploying 2D and 3D vision and measurement systems from proof-of-concept to deployment on high-volume battery manufacturing lines is part of the job description.
Roadster Unveiling
Tesla plans to unveil the Roadster on April 1, and although it was planned for late this year, it is nice to see the company put out a definitive date.
Musk said on the Joe Rogan Experience Podcast in late October:
“Whether it’s good or bad, it will be unforgettable. My friend Peter Thiel once reflected that the future was supposed to have flying cars, but we don’t have flying cars. I think if Peter wants a flying car, he should be able to buy one…I think it has a shot at being the most memorable product unveil ever.”
Production should begin between 12 to 18 months after unveiling, so we could see it sometime in 2027.
SpaceX reaches incredible milestone with Starlink program
Tesla expands new Full Self-Driving program in Europe
