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SpaceX readies for upcoming February launches

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Although no major announcements from SpaceX regarding its upcoming February 14th and February 28th missions have been released, small details about the company’s progress have been picked up through social media and press inquiries as SpaceX fans count down to the next launches.

Under Construction: Launch Pads

First up is the construction status of historic Launch Complex 39A, the pad that SpaceX has been renovating from its Apollo-era days. Upon completion, this pad will host the Falcon Heavy vehicle once development has completed along with all upcoming Falcon 9 Florida launches until other pads currently under construction become available. Some of the pad progress being made in preparation for launch has been tracked by fans and shared on social media.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BQHUvzjFLz8/

Next are the reconstruction plans for Launch Complex 40 to repair the damage caused from the September 1, 2016 launch pad fire. SpaceX President Gwynne Shotwell confirmed in a recent Reuters article that this pad will be repaired for Falcon 9 use rather than refitted for Falcon Heavy. Shotwell quoted a $100 million dollar price tag to make a complete switch, an amount not justified given the 50% less cost estimate to only repair the damaged pad.

Countdown to Launch: NASA

Other than rescheduling the mission ahead of the EchoStar 23 launch, SpaceX’s upcoming February 14, 2017 CRS-10 launch to the International Space Station (ISS) has not had any major updates (or rescheduling) published. The pre-launch static fire is tentatively scheduled for February 8th, and this will be the first SpaceX rocket to launch from pad 39A.

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As an interesting note for fans, however, NASA included this launch in its NASA Social program wherein 50 social media communicators were selected to attend a two-day behind the scenes event. Per NASA’s web site, selected participants will have the opportunity to:

  • View the launch of SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket
  • Tour NASA facilities at Kennedy Space Center
  • Speak with representatives from NASA
  • View and take photographs of the Falcon 9 rocket at SpaceX’s Launch Complex 39A
  • Meet fellow space enthusiasts who are active on social media
  • Meet members of NASA’s social media team

NASA opens events up to social media participants regularly, and past events have included other launches, the arrival of the Juno spacecraft at Jupiter, and behind the scenes opportunities during major discussion panels and announcements.

A Twitter search for tweets containing the @NASASocial handle will reveal several of the winners who chose to announce their acceptance into the February 14th SpaceX launch event. The hashtags #NASASocial and #Dragon will also be used.

Countdown to Launch: EchoStar 23

The February 28, 2017 launch of EchoStar 23 will attempt to set a spaceflight record by launching with the first recovered and refurbished rocket core. As previously reported, the recovered core being used will aim to make history twice, one being the first core landed on an autonomous droneship off the coast of Florida, and the other being the first recovered rocket core to be re-flown.

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SpaceX’s facility in McGregor, Texas has been busy testing the first stage core for re-use in the EchoStar 23 mission. Residents near the location who are active on unofficial SpaceX social media outlets aren’t shy to tell all about the tests as they hear them. Some residents even provide regular reports of the activity, including the number and length of the fires, and further speculate what else the company is up to.

SpaceX took to social media itself regarding these tests and published a photo of one on its Instagram account.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BP8zK2DFxhq/?taken-by=spacex

No News is Good News

As the dates move closer, the scheduling for the upcoming launches will likely adjust as many factors affecting them are still in the air. Weather is always a question, and the status of launch pad 39A is still unknown.

Despite the numerous, multi-front approach SpaceX is tackling to meet all of its launch and construction objectives, the company is still confident it will be able to meet its fast-paced launch schedule over the next year.

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Accidental computer geek, fascinated by most history and the multiplanetary future on its way. Quite keen on the democratization of space. | It's pronounced day-sha, but I answer to almost any variation thereof.

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Tesla set to roll out two massive new features to Cybertruck

Cybertruck owners are about to see a few important improvements to FSD Supervised.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is set to roll out a couple of highly anticipated Full Self-Driving (FSD) features to the Cybertruck in the coming weeks, effectively putting the truck’s semi-automated driving capabilities on par with the company’s other vehicles.

Within the next 14 days, Tesla is set to roll out the ability to start FSD Supervised from park, according to a Tuesday report from Not a Tesla App citing unnamed sources at the company. The feature was initially launched on other vehicles in November as part FSD v13.2, letting drivers go from “park to park” by simply pressing and holding a start FSD button.

Additionally, while Tesla launched Actually Smart Summon in September 2024, the company is planning to launch the feature in the Cybertruck in the coming update, allowing drivers to summon their vehicles remotely over distances of up to 213 feet using the mobile app.

Along with the start from park FSD feature and Actually Smart Summon, the report also says that Tesla is looking to launch the system’s ability to reverse in the Cybertruck, enabling multi-point turns and other tight maneuvers that require reversing. Crucially, the update will also include an improved traffic controller, which should improve the accuracy of predictions, 3D position tracking, and overall evaluations of the environment, enabling faster decision-making and smoother operation.

READ MORE ON TESLA’S FSD SUPERVISED: Tesla’s Full Self-Driving faces a new hurdle in UK rollout plans

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While all of these updates are significant, the improved controller should make FSD in the Cybertruck as good as the software in other vehicles with HW4. In the past, the automaker has also said that it plans to debut a suite of new parking features, which will let drivers select whether the vehicle simply pulls over, or pulls into a parking spot or driveway.

Tesla has prioritized its other vehicles over the Cybertruck with FSD Supervised features since the electric vehicle (EV) launched. Although the Cybertruck was first debuted in November 2023, Tesla only launched FSD Supervised for the vehicle last September after months of anticipation.

In December 2023, Elon Musk explained that the Cybertruck was the “necessarily the lowest priority” for Tesla’s FSD Supervised rollout, due to it being much lower-volume than the company’s other vehicles—and especially around the time it was first released.

Tesla to launch unsupervised Full Self-Driving as a service in Austin in June

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Rivian launches hands-off driving assist in latest software update

Rivian is finally making its way into the world of automated driving.

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Electric vehicle (EV) maker Rivian debuted a new software update this week, and as part of it, the company has started rolling out a hands-off driving assistance system.

Rivian announced the software update in a press release on Tuesday, featuring the newly launched Enhanced Highway Assist for its Gen 2 R1T and R1S, as well as a performance upgrade and a few other improvements. In a separate release, Rivian has also detailed some of the gears behind its approach to autonomy, highlighting that the Enhanced Highway Assist is available for use on as many as 135,000 miles of highway in North America.

Below is a video from CEO RJ Scaringe and VP of Autonomy and AI James Philbin, along with a few more details about the software update and some information from the automaker about the in-house Rivian Autonomy Platform.

Credit: Rivian

READ MORE ON RIVIAN: Rivian’s $6.6B federal loan for its Georgia Plant is in limbo

Enhanced Highway Assist for Gen 2 vehicles

The company’s latest software update is deploying the new Enhanced Highway Assist to Gen 2 vehicles, which will let drivers take their hands off the wheel for extended periods of time, not unlike Tesla’s Supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD). For the time being, the feature is being offered to owners for free, though it’s not clear if Rivian plans to eventually start charging for the suite.

Enhanced Highway Assist is able to control the vehicles’ steering, acceleration, and braking, and Rivian also uses an infrared cabin camera embedded in the interior rearview mirror to monitor driver attention.

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Rivian Autonomy Platform

In the press release dedicated to its autonomy program, Rivian notes that its vehicles include a multimodal suite of 11 cameras and five radars, offering sensor redundancy and a 360-degree view. The company also says that its internally developed cameras have the highest resolution of any vehicle in North America, while its radar systems are intended to help detect objects over longer distances and in low-visibility conditions.

“We are excited to continue releasing new updates and dramatically expanding our autonomy features,” Philbin said. “Everything on our Gen 2 roadmap is capable with the hardware on our vehicles today.”

Rivian says its vehicles also include an on-board compute module that’s capable of more than 200 trillion operations per second, while the company’s machine learning models are trained on the latest ML research and transformer architectures.

Performance Upgrade for Dual-Motor (Gen 1 and Gen 2)

Rivian has also debuted a $5,000 Performance Upgrade for Gen 1 and Gen 2 vehicles with the Standard+, Large and Max battery packs, unlocking 665 horsepower and 829 lb.-ft. of torque. The upgrade also adds three new drive modes, dubbed Sport, Rally, and Soft Sand, to the currently available All-Purpose, All-Terrain, and Snow modes.

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Owners can purchase the upgrade from the Rivian mobile app or account page, and it will be downloaded to the vehicle through an over-the-air (OTA) software update.

Credit: Rivian

Rally Mode comes to Performance Dual-Motor vehicles

The update also adds Rally Mode to Performance Dual-Motor vehicles, offering heightened throttle response, crisper steering on just about any terrain. To use the feature, drivers will simply need to switch into Off-Road mode, which will let them select Rally Mode.

Wheel Swap

Owners will now be able to change the vehicles’ wheel type in the settings menu, offering improved range estimates.

Credit: Rivian

Go Chime

Rivian has added an audible chime for when a stopped vehicle ahead starts moving, signaling to the driver that they can start driving too. The chime will first be added to the EV maker’s Gen 2 models, before later rolling out to Gen 1.

Side Mirror Auto-Tilt on Reverse

When drivers shift into reverse, Rivian’s sideview mirrors will now automatically tilt downward to show the curb and road, making parallel parking easier. This feature will also go out to both Gen 1 and Gen 2 vehicles.

Control Chargeport Door from Mobile App

Drivers will now be able to control their charging port door remotely using the mobile app, adding an extra layer of protection for those who walk away without closing it manually.

Tire Puncture Detection

Rivian has added proactive detection for tire punctures and slow leaks, set to notify drivers of a potential flat tire before it happens.

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Rivian teams up with Ben & Jerry’s on an electric ice cream truck

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President Donald Trump buys a Tesla at the White House – Here’s which model he chose

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Credit: cb_doge | X

U.S. President Donald Trump was greeted by a convoy of Tesla electric vehicles today at the White House after he said last evening he would be buying one of the company’s cars in support of Elon Musk.

A variety of Tesla EVs, including the Model S, Cybertruck, and Model Y, all arrived in Washington on Tuesday around lunch time where the President sat in, examined, and mulled over which car he would choose. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters today that President Trump would be paying “full market price” for the vehicle.

CEO Elon Musk was alongside Trump to help make his decision:

Which Tesla did President Trump Choose?

After mulling the decision for several minutes, President Trump seemed to have gravitated toward the Tesla Model S Plaid in Deep Red, the company’s quickest and most luxurious offering, suitable for the leader of the U.S.

Trump said:

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“The one I like is that one (Model S). And I want that same color. I’m going to give [Tesla] a check. I don’t want a discount.”

According to images shared from Washington, it seems Musk brought two Model S vehicles — one in Deep Red and another in Deep Blue Metallic — knowing that the President would probably choose that vehicle, but was unsure about the color.

Tesla makes a decision on the future of its flagship Model S and Model X

President Trump’s Comments on Tesla and Elon Musk

President Trump has truly gained a meaningful working relationship with Musk, who he has called “a genius” and “brilliant” on several occasions. Regarding Tesla, the President said:

“Tesla’s a great company; They’re American cars, it’s American made. He employs thousands of people. He has the most modern plants in the world.”

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In regards to the Tesla lineup, President Trump said:

“I know people that have these cars; It blows them away. They love them.”

When talking about the polarizing design of the Cybertruck, he said:

“In terms of imagination, and I think I have a pretty great imagination, who else but this guy would design this and everybody on the road is looking at it. As soon as I saw it, I said, ‘That’s the coolest design.’ You gotta give him (Elon) credit.”

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