SpaceX’s Starship Mk1 prototype heads to the launch pad – but why?

SpaceX has transported (half of) its Starship Mk1 prototype to its South Texas launch pad for the first time ever, signifying that the company is about to enter a major new stage of testing. The move, however, raises the question: why is SpaceX transporting only half of Starship … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Tesla prepares EV owners, Powerwall customers for CA’s historic power outages

As California faces a historic power outage in several Bay Area counties, American electric car maker Tesla appears to have begun making preparations for its customers who are residing in affected areas. Reports from the Tesla community reveal that the company is sending charging … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Norway gas station replaces fuel pumps with electric car fast chargers

A gas company operating in Norway recently made history when it decided to replace all of its gas pumps at one of its stations with electric vehicle fast chargers. The update comes as Norway continues its aggressive push towards EV adoption, which is currently being augmented by … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

The Model Y is an understated Trojan Horse for Tesla’s manufacturing ambitions

The launch of the Tesla Model Y is, in several ways, an understated and undramatic event. There were no surprise vehicles at the end of the crossover’s presentation, nor were there any announcements about the number of pre-orders the electric car maker received for the seven-seat … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Cars and Coffee group responds to Tesla owners after members block Supercharger

The organizers of Cars & Coffee Yorktown, NY have issued a pledge for change to Tesla owners after a recent meetup among its members resulted in a Supercharger getting mass-blocked by non-Tesla vehicles. The update comes as images made the rounds online depicting a multi-stall ch … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Daimler abandons internal combustion engine development to focus on EVs

In a rather surprising announcement, German automaker Daimler has revealed that it will be stopping its internal combustion engine development initiatives as part of its efforts to embrace electric vehicles.  The update was announced by Daimler development chief Markus Schaefer. … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Tesla 'Plaid' Model S crushes Porsche Taycan's Nürburgring time, witness says

A German motoring publication recently reported that Tesla’s “Plaid Powertrain” Model S prototype on the Nurburgring has effectively destroyed the lap record of the Porsche Taycan around the iconic track. What’s particularly remarkable was that the Model S reportedly beat the Tay … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Tesla misses ‘Safest Cars’ list because its EVs don’t crash often enough

Teslas are among the safest cars on the road, and part of this is due to their suite of active and passive safety features. From Autopilot’s capabilities to standard features like Automatic Emergency Braking, Tesla’s electric cars are designed to avoid accidents, or protect its o … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Grasshopper 500ft Hovering

SpaceX’s Starhopper prototype has completed its second and final flight test, lifting off to an apogee of roughly 150m (500 ft) before nailing the bullseye on a landing pad adjacent to the launch mount. From start to finish, Starhopper spent almost a full minute (~57 seconds) in … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX’s Starhopper cleared by FAA for second and final flight test

After a full two weeks spent waiting for an FAA permit, SpaceX CEO Elon Musk and local South Texas authorities appear to be preparing Starhopper for a second major flight test as early as Monday, August 26th. Assuming the FAA comes through with a permit, Starhopper is scheduled t … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Tesla Model 3 owner implants RFID key card chip into her arm

Tesla owner, maker, and software engineer Amie DD has undertaken the ultimate hack: Implanting the chip from inside her Model 3 valet key card into her arm. The idea for the Tesla bio implant, as described by Amie, came from an RFID chip she already has inside her hand that conne … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

China's iSpace became first commercial entity to successfully reach orbit

Eric Ralph · August 1st, 2019 Welcome to the latest edition of DeepSpace! Each week, Teslarati space reporter Eric Ralph hand-crafts this newsletter to give you a breakdown of what’s happening in the space industry and what you need to know. Although the accomplishments aren’t qu … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX to mature Starship Moon landing and orbital refueling tech with NASA

NASA has announced 19 technology partnerships between the agency’s many spaceflight centers and 13 companies, including SpaceX, Blue Origin, and more. This round of Space Act Agreements (SAAs) shows a heavy focus on technologies and concepts that could benefit exploration of the … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX testing ceramic Starship heat shield tiles on flight-proven CRS-18

SpaceX announced during its CRS-18 Cargo Dragon webcast that the twice-flown orbital spacecraft will feature a handful of ceramic Starship heat shield tiles, meant to flight-test a critical component of the next-generation SpaceX spacecraft. Extremely unfavorable weather forced S … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Elon Musk says Starship, Super Heavy will have more than 40 Raptor engines

According to tweets published by CEO Elon Musk on July 21st, SpaceX’s combined Starship and Super Heavy launch vehicle (BFR) could have as many as 41 Raptor engines at liftoff. As with all other aspects of SpaceX’s next-generation rocket, this is a sign that things remain in flux … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Elon Musk’s Neuralink targets human trials for brain-machine interface in 2020

After operating in stealth mode for the past two years, Neuralink, the brain-machine interface startup co-founded by SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk, has revealed some of the innovations that it has been developing. The company also announced that it is aiming to start implanting … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Rivian’s full self-driving suite is designed to ignore inattentive driver input

Rivian’s CEO RJ Scaringe has teased Jurassic Park-style self-driving tours with the company’s all-electric R1T pickup truck and R1S SUV several times now, but specific details on the car maker’s autonomy approach have been few and far between. Oliver Jeromin, Rivian’s Associate D … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX says Crew Dragon capsule exploded due to exotic titanium fire

SpaceX has announced via an official update and conference call the preliminary results of a failure investigation convened immediately after Crew Dragon capsule C201 exploded in the midsts of an April 20th static fire test. Hosted by SpaceX Vice President of Mission Assurance Ha … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX’s response to Crew Dragon explosion unfairly maligned by head of NASA

In a bizarre turn of events, NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine has offered harsh criticism of SpaceX’s response to Crew Dragon’s April 20th explosion, suffered just prior to a static fire test of its eight Super Draco abort engines. The problem? The NASA administrator’s criticis … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Elon Musk’s Neuralink to livestream special project update on July 16

Elon Musk’s Neuralink, the venture working to bridging the gap between potential superhuman artificial intelligence (AI) and the human brain itself, is finally providing an update on the research it’s been doing since its formation in 2016. The event will take place on July 16th … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Tesla and other EVs will be overtaken by hydrogen cars by 2030

An automotive industry expert in Germany recently issued a bold dismissal of electric vehicles, declaring that EVs will be overtaken by hydrogen-powered cars. Before an audience, Dr. Felix Gress, head of Continental’s corporate communications and public affairs, argued that batte … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Tesla Model 3 makes BMW racer squeal in delight while riding shotgun in hot lap

BMW enthusiast and AR-G Motorsports boss Daniel Rose had spent a great weekend at the Laguna Seca Raceway, with his team proving victorious at the United States Touring Car Championship (USTCC). After the event, one of his AR-G BMW M3 race car drivers, Doug Makishima, decided to … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Tesla, other EVs required to have 'traditional engine' sound to meet new EU rule

Electric vehicles such as Teslas are known for being incredibly quiet. Without an internal combustion engine’s controlled explosions under the hood, electric cars are capable of operating in near-total silence. This, according to a new EU rule, will be changed soon.  A new EU rul … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk explains why Falcon Heavy’s center core missed the drone

Some 12 hours after Falcon Heavy successfully completed what Elon Musk described as the SpaceX’s “most difficult launch ever”, the CEO took to Twitter to offer some insight into the mission’s only sad note – an unsuccessful center core recovery attempt. The second Falcon Heavy Bl … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

A SpaceX surprise: Falcon Heavy booster landing to smash distance record

In an unexpected last-second change, SpaceX has moved Falcon Heavy Flight 3’s center core landing on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) from 40 km to more than 1240 km (770 mi) off the coast of Florida. Drone ship OCISLY is already being towed to the landing site, nec … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX Cargo Dragon capsule ends its second flawless trip to space and back

On June 4th, SpaceX Cargo Dragon capsule C113 departed from the International Space Station 250 miles (400 km) above Earth’s surface, tapped its thruster ‘brakes’, and reentered the atmosphere soon after. After a month spent in orbit, the uncrewed Dragon returned more than 1900 k … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Tesla on Autopilot seamlessly handles construction zone with no lane lines

Tesla’s Navigate on Autopilot continues to evolve at a rapid pace, as shown by a Model 3 owner who recently shared footage of his vehicle navigating a construction site in Goshen, IN without any issues. During the duration of the clip, the electric sedan was able to maintain high … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX wants to offer Starlink internet to consumers after just six launches

SpaceX has created a brand new website dedicated to its Starlink satellite constellation, a prelude to offering Internet service to consumers after as few as six launches. Additionally, Starlink.com reiterated CEO Elon Musk’s estimate that SpaceX will conduct 2-6 dedicated Starli … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Tesla Model 3 owner catches Autopilot acting bizarre only to find it saved him

A Tesla Model 3 owner is thanking his electric sedan’s driver-assist system for saving him from getting sideswiped on the freeway. Surprisingly, the Model 3 owner only realized this hours after the incident happened, when he was reviewing footage from his vehicle’s built-in dashc … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX’s Starlink satellites spark fights between astronomy, spaceflight fans

Just a handful of hours after SpaceX successfully placed all 60 of its first Starlink v0.9 satellites in orbit, ground observers began capturing and sharing spectacular nighttime views of the spacecraft. Soon after, fans and practitioners of astronomy and spaceflight began bicker … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Elon Musk to Receive 2019 Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication

Elon Musk has been selected as one of the recipients of the 2019 Stephen Hawking Medal for Science Communication, an award created in honor of the legendary theoretical physicist for individuals who promote the public awareness of science. The SpaceX and Tesla CEO will be receivi … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk reveals radical Starlink redesign for 60-satellite launch

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has published the first official photo of the company’s near-final Starlink design and confirmed that Falcon 9 will launch a staggering 60 satellites on May 15th. Known internally as Starlink v0.9, this mission will not be the first launch of operational sate … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX’s Starlink launch debut to orbit dozens of satellites later this month

SpaceX President and COO Gwynne Shotwell has revealed that the company’s first dedicated Starlink launch is scheduled for May 15th and will involve “dozens” of satellites. Corroborated by several sources, the actual number of Starlink satellites that will be aboard Falcon 9 is ha … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX hits new Falcon 9 reusability milestone, retracts all four landing legs

SpaceX appears to have selected Falcon 9 B1056 to become the first booster to have all four landing legs retracted and stowed. While relatively minor in the scope full Falcon 9 booster reuse, in-situ leg retraction could save SpaceX days of recovery and preflight work, a big help … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk Teases Steel Starship on the Moon and Mars

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has published the first official renders of the company’s updated stainless steel Starship, offering glimpses of the spacecraft on both the Moon and Mars. Although the designs of Starship and Super Heavy (formerly BFS and BFR) have shifted significantly over … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Tesla’s next-gen Roadster will exceed 1k km of battery range, says Elon Musk

When Elon Musk unveiled the next-generation Tesla Roadster back in November 2017, he shocked the electric car community by revealing that the all-electric supercar has a range of 620 miles per charge. That’s 1,000 kilometers between charges. The figures are pretty much insane, ev … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Tesla’s Approach for Full Self-Driving Gets Validated by Cornell Researchers

Tesla CEO Elon Musk is not a fan of LiDAR, a key technology used by leaders in the autonomous vehicle market such as Waymo. For Musk, vehicles should be able to drive themselves much like humans, through cameras and a neural network. While Musk’s stance on autonomous driving rema … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

Spacex SpaceX’s steel Starship gets new official render with a Nasa telescope

SpaceX recently provided NASA with the third known official render of its stainless steel Starship, focused on the vehicle’s potential utility for launching massive scientific spacecraft for NASA. Starship’s only direct competition for the proposed LUVOIR telescope: NASA’s own SL … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX’s Crew Dragon suffers catastrophic explosion during static fire test

Six weeks after the spacecraft completed its orbital launch debut, SpaceX’s first flight-proven Crew Dragon capsule suffered a catastrophic explosion seconds before a planned SuperDraco test fire. In the last nine years, SpaceX has successfully built, tested, launched, and recove … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX reveals Falcon Heavy Block 5 in first official photo, timelapse

SpaceX has revealed the first official media (including a timelapse video) of its Falcon Heavy Block 5 rocket, including one of the most spectacular photos of Falcon Heavy (and the Falcon family in general, for that matter) ever. Over a period of 24-48 hours in early April, Space … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX fires up Falcon Heavy Block 5 for the first time, launch date announced

SpaceX has successfully ignited a Block 5 variant of its Falcon Heavy rocket for the first time ever, also marking the second-ever integrated static fire of the heavy-lift launch vehicle. According to SpaceX, the company will aim for an extraordinary four-day turnaround from stat … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX goes all-in on steel Starship, scraps expensive carbon fiber BFR tooling

In a wholly unforeseen turn of events, SpaceX has taken the extraordinary step of permanently scrapping both its Port of Los Angeles-based BFR development tent and what seem to be the majority of what it contained, irreparably destroying custom-built tooling meant to support the … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX seems to go “all in” on steel starship, scaps carbon fiber tooling

In a wholly unforeseen turn of events, SpaceX has taken the extraordinary step of permanently scrapping both its Port of Los Angeles-based BFR development tent and what seem to be the majority of what it contained, irreparably destroying custom-built tooling meant to support the … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 5 years ago

SpaceX's Crew Dragon settles on Feb 9 launch debut as Falcon 9 nears static fire

In the midst of several confusing delays, schedule updates, and official statements, the orbital debut of SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft has made its way onto the Eastern range’s planning schedule for the first time, placing Falcon 9 B1051’s static fire and Crew Dragons launch n … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 6 years ago

SpaceX’s Starship prototype proceeds at breakneck pace towards hop tests

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@teslarati.com | 6 years ago

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk: Starship prototype to have 3 Raptors and “mirror finish”

Taking to Twitter once more to reveal additional information about SpaceX’s radically changing BFR/Starship prototype program, CEO Elon Musk has made an unexpected visit to the company’s South Texas BFR testing facilities to oversee rapid progress with a low-fidelity hop test pro … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 6 years ago

SpaceX's Starlink eyed by US military as co. raises $500-750M for development

In a reasonably predictable turn of events, SpaceX has been awarded a healthy $28.7M contract to study, develop, and test possible military applications of its prospective Starlink internet satellite constellation. Previously reported by Teslarati in August 2018, FCC applications … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 6 years ago

Makani: A giant kite that can gain access to wind energy sources almost anywhere

A Google X division company named Makani has designed a giant “kite” that can generate enough wind energy to power about 300 homes. Named the “M600” after the 600 kW of electricity produced by its movement, the craft resembles a sport glider with two levels of multiple propellers … | Continue reading


@teslarati.com | 6 years ago