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SpaceX preparing for an inaugural Falcon Heavy launch in November

NASASpaceflight's famed graphic designer okan170 has produced multiple gorgeous renders of Falcon Heavy over the years. (NASASpaceflight)

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8 years ago

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All three Falcon Heavy cores are believed to be at Cape Canaveral

As we inch closer to SpaceX returning to a regular launch schedule, evidence is adding up that Falcon Heavy is fast approaching launch readiness.

Over at SpaceX’s Cape Canaveral facilities, workers are busily modifying LC-39A and are deep into the reconstruction and reactivation of LC-40, which was severely damaged just over 11 months ago. Members of the SpaceX fan community have taken regular tours of the Kennedy Space Center and offered glimpses into part of the process as workers relentlessly dismantle previous LC-39A pad structures.

Before SpaceX, the pad hosted the first manned launches of the vast Saturn V rocket and hosted the launch of Apollo 11, which landed the first humans on the Moon in 1969. Decades later, that same pad was recycled for the Space Shuttle and supported dozens of Shuttle launches. SpaceX is deep into the process of dismantling the old pad structures used for the Shuttle, and Elon Musk has recently reported that the Rolling Service Structure (RSS) is expected to be entirely removed before the first launch of Falcon Heavy. While bittersweet for many observers, LC-39A will eventually host both the return of massive rockets to the U.S., as well as the first American-supported launch of crew to the ISS in more than six years.

With this progress, we find ourselves in the pleasantly foreign situation of SpaceX beating one of Musk’s aggressive schedules. In early June, he tweeted about Falcon Heavy cores arriving at the Cape within two or three months. Surprisingly, it has been confirmed that three of three Falcon Heavy cores are already at LC-39A and have been for at least a week or two. At the moment, pad readiness is the main constraint for its inaugural launch. SpaceX is preparing for a period of pad gymnastics as they ready LC-40 to take over for LC-39A. Once this happens, all Falcon 9 launches will be transferred over to LC-40, and this will allow SpaceX workers to conduct necessary modifications to LC-39A’s launch hardware in preparation for Falcon Heavy. These modifications are expected to take about two months.

Current best guesses peg the first launch from LC-40 in late August or sometime in September, fitting nicely with Musk’s Falcon Heavy launch estimate of November. Falcon Heavy will nevertheless likely require several weeks of fit checks, wet dress rehearsals (like a static fire but without the ignition), and one or several static fires before its first official launch attempt. While Musk has recently been on a warpath of expectation management for Falcon Heavy, going so far as to imply that a failure was a likely outcome, let there be no doubt that SpaceX and Musk will privately do everything realistically possible to ensure a safe launch. If major issues are discovered during pre-launch testing, SpaceX will almost certainly scrub the launch indefinitely.

However, if Falcon Heavy does indeed lift off above a more controlled fireball later this year, fans can look forward to what will be a stunning show of force. Musk once again confirmed that both side cores will land at LZ-1, SpaceX’s land-based landing facilities, and the center core will land on Of Course I Still Live You somewhere in the Pacific. While not guaranteed, Musk’s myriad comments on the spectacular nature of the launch mean that SpaceX’s live coverage will offer some truly incredibly views. Fans have long eagerly anticipated the synchronized landings of the side cores, as well as possible live shots of booster separation during the launch.

At the ISSR&D Conference, Musk reiterated the fact that SpaceX’s primary focus is preparation for Commercial Crew. LC-39A is needed for SpaceX’s crewed launches, so it is highly unlikely that the company will risk a Falcon Heavy launch if there is anything more than the slimmest of chances of the pad being lost in a launch failure. Regardless of the outcome, as Musk himself has often said, Falcon Heavy’s inaugural launch is guaranteed to be a spectacle.

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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 launches cheapest and longest range Cybertruck trim yet

The new Cybertruck trim features a single rear motor and 350 miles of range.

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2 hours ago

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April 10, 2025

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Credit: Cybertruck/X

Tesla has launched the Cybertruck Long Range Rear Wheel Drive (RWD) in the United States. The vehicle was announced by the electric vehicle maker on social media platform X Thursday night.

The Cybertruck Long Range RWD is the cheapest variant of the all-electric pickup truck.

Cybertruck Long Range RWD Price and Range

The new Tesla Cybertruck trim is the most affordable variant of the vehicle yet, starting at $69,990 before incentives such as the $7,500 federal tax credit. With the federal tax credit, the Cybertruck Long Range RWD could be acquired for $62,490 before options.

In comparison, the dual motor Cybertruck Long Range All Wheel Drive (AWD) is priced at $79,990 before incentives, while the top of the line Cyberbeast is priced at $99,990 before incentives.

For its price, the Cybertruck Long Range RWD offers a range of 350 miles per charge if equipped with its 18’’ Standard Wheels. This is longer than the 325 miles of range offered by the dual motor Cybertruck AWD and the 320 miles of range offered by the tri-motor Cyberbeast. It can also add up to 147 miles of range in 15 minutes using a Supercharger, compared to up to 137 miles for the Cybertruck AWD and up to 135 miles for the Cyberbeast. 

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What You Miss With the Cybertruck LR RWD

While the Cybertruck Long Range RWD offers the cheapest price and the longest range, it does offer fewer amenities compared to its more expensive stablemates. Its towing capacity is the lowest in the lineup at 7,500 lbs, and payload capacity is just at 2,006 lbs. It is also the slowest Cybertruck in the lineup, with a 0-60 mph time of 6.2 seconds.

Inside, the Cybertruck Long Range RWD features textile seats, tactical gray interior, and front heated seats. The vehicle is also equipped with a standard console and no 9.4” second-row display. The vehicle’s audio system is equipped with just seven speakers with no active noise cancellation as well. 

For its exterior, the Cybertruck Long Range RWD is equipped with a standard 6′ x 4′ bed with upgradable soft tonneau cover that adds 12 miles of range, headlamps with no signature lamps, standard bed lamps, and standard tail lamps. The LR RWD also does not have the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast’s 2x 120V and 1x 240V power outlet on the bed, or the 2x 120V power outlets in the cabin. Lastly, the cheapest Cybertruck trim is equipped with an adaptive coil spring suspension instead of the adaptive air suspension in the Cybertruck AWD and Cyberbeast. This means that the Long Range RWD does not have adjustable ride height.

Credit: Tesla

What You Still Get with the Cybertruck LR RWD

Just like its more expensive trims, the Cybertruck LR RWD features a steer-by-wire system, a suite of eight exterior cameras, an AI4 computer for the latest and best version of FSD, and a powered frunk. It also features mechanical rear locking differentials, which should give it some fair performance off-road. Of course, the Cybertruck Long Range RWD also features Tesla’s industry leading active and safety features, which should make it one of the safest pickup trucks in the market.

First deliveries of the Cybertruck Long Range RWD are estimated to start at June – July 2025.

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Tesla rival brings back trade-in promo to poach customers

Companies are doing anything to convince them to switch from Tesla.

Published

9 hours ago

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April 10, 2025

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Tesla rival Polestar has brought back its promotion that will offer up to $20,000 in discounts for those looking to trade in their Teslas for another EV.

In late February, Polestar launched a similar campaign, and based on the success it said it had with it, the company has decided to bring it back for April in an attempt to woo more customers away from the Elon Musk-headed car company.

A spokesperson for Polestar told Reuters in a statement that:

“We piloted a conquest campaign in late February. Based on the positive response we ran a new campaign for the month of March. We are currently running a similar campaign for April.”

The campaign is very obviously an attempt to poach Tesla owners who might be willing to switch cars as some have expressed distaste with CEO Elon Musk’s involvement in politics, or they are just hoping to try something different.

Anti Elon Musk protester attacks Polestar after mistaking it for a Tesla

The offer is only valid on the Polestar 3, a vehicle that is built in South Carolina at Volvo’s factory just outside of Charleston. Volvo is Polestar’s parent company, which is why it is handling the production of the vehicle.

Evidently, the promotion was something that had Polestar encouraged, especially as some Tesla owners are looking to switch.

Polestar’s head of sales for the United States, Jordan Hofmann, even said in a post on LinkedIn that the company saw success after offering the Tesla trade-in promotion:

“The numbers speak for themselves. This week saw some of the highest order days for Polestar 3, and the response to our Tesla Conquest Offer has been incredible.”

Lucid currently also has a similar promotion going on with an up to $4,000 discount on the Air sedan for Tesla owners who choose to trade in.

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Cybertruck

Tesla unveils new Cybertruck configuration, but not in the U.S. (yet)

Tesla’s Rear-Wheel-Drive trim of the Cybertruck has arrived, but not in the U.S. quite yet.

Published

12 hours ago

on

April 10, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla has officially unveiled a new configuration of the Cybertruck with a new Long Range Rear-Wheel-Drive trim, but it is not yet available in the United States.

Instead, Tesla is advertising the vehicle on its website in Saudi Arabia, a market where it launched deliveries for the first time today, April 10.

Tesla has always planned to launch this configuration of the Cybertruck, as in November 2019, at the vehicle’s unveiling event, it was the most affordable and most accessible trim, priced at just $39,990.

However, Tesla did not launch it right away, instead focusing on the All-Wheel-Drive trim levels that appeared to be in higher demand. Now, it is gearing up for its launch as planned for late 2025, but it is limiting orders to the Middle East, at least for now.

Specs

The specs of the new Tesla Cybertruck trim are as follows:

  • Range – 350 miles/563 kilometers
  • Acceleration – 6.6 seconds 0-100 km/h
  • Top Speed – 180 kmh/111 MPH
  • No adjustable air suspension
  • No rear touchscreen
  • Price not listed

U.S. Launch

While Tesla has not listed this specific trim of the Cybertruck in North America yet, it is likely that the company will launch it in the United States later this year.

Tesla has said that this trim level would be available in the U.S. in late 2025, and we would imagine that is still the plan. The reasoning for launching it in the Middle East before it heads to the U.S. is unknown, but it could have something to do with regulatory processes, specifically the EPA and its approval processes.

In the broader scope of things, launching this Cybertruck version in the U.S. could help to improve Tesla’s delivery figures for years to come after its launch.

Many people have been hoping for Tesla to launch a Cybertruck that is more affordable, and it could be a big reason the pickup has not been a bigger seller (despite being the best-selling EV pickup on the market).

This could be the key to unlocking more demand for the Cybertruck, especially in the U.S.

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