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SpaceX installs Starlink dish on upgraded Starship prototype

SpaceX has installed a Starlink dish on Starship SN15 and requested permission from the FCC to use the antenna both on the ground and in flight. (NASASpaceflight - bocachicagal)

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4 years ago

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In the latest in a long line of twists, SpaceX has requested permission from the FCC to operate a Starlink internet antenna installed on Starship serial number 15 (SN15).

The first in a planned batch of four or more upgraded Starship prototypes, SN15 was rolled a mile down the road from SpaceX’s South Texas factory to its suborbital launch pad late last week. Around the same time that its aft tank section was being prepped for nose installation on April 3rd, some of the first 360-degree views of the rocket revealed an unusual porthole-esque addition just above the Starship’s forward tank dome. As far back as Starhopper in 2019, Starships have used that space between tank and nosecone as an installation point for avionics, Tesla batteries, and a number of radio and GPS antennas, among other things.

The new hardware generally fell under the radar but most that took note assumed it was some kind of antenna upgrade. As it turns out, that speculation was almost certainly correct – but not in the way most expected.

Starship SN15 is scheduled to kick off a qualification test campaign as early as Monday, April 12th. (NASASpaceflight – bocachicagal)

When SN15’s new antenna first appeared, the author speculated that it bore a striking resemblance to a SpaceX Starlink dish. However, another forum user argued that it was more likely an upgraded S-band antenna akin to those used on SpaceX’s Falcon rockets. The author later noted that the S-band antenna pass-through located on the interstage of Falcon boosters was almost the same size as the new antenna and shroud visible on Starship SN15, seemingly closing the case.

Falcon 9 B1060’s S-band telemetry antenna and Starship SN15’s once-mystery antenna are almost the same size. Both rockets are roughly to scale here. (Richard Angle / NSF – bocachicagal)

Nine days later, SpaceX asked the FCC for permission to operate a Starlink dish (user terminal) in Boca Chica “at altitudes not to exceed 12.5 km” during operations “on the ground or during test flights.” In other words, the antenna installed on Starship SN15 is almost certainly a Starlink dish. Surrounded by an aerodynamic shroud, the antenna is firmly fixed on the rocket and would rely entirely upon cutting-edge phased array beamforming to electronically ‘steer’ itself to both transmit and receive from one or more of almost a thousand operational Starlink satellites currently in orbit.

In SpaceX’s FCC Special Temporary Authority (STA) request, the company curiously asked for the 60-day test period to begin on April 20th. Even if the FCC moves extremely quickly and grants the STA within a few days to a week of SpaceX’s April 9th request, it’s unlikely that the company would delay Starship SN15 test or launch plans by almost ten days to wait for permission to use the rocket’s new Starlink antenna. In other words, while SN15 is the first Starship to have a Starlink antenna installed, there’s a decent chance it won’t be the first to actually put that capability to the test – both on the ground or during a launch.

While unlikely, the fact that SpaceX’s Starship SN15 Starlink antenna installation is almost the same size as Falcon 9’s reliable but far more basic S-band setup also begs the question of whether success on Starship test flights could eventually lead to the addition of Starlink dishes on future Falcon boosters. Regardless, Starship SN15 is on track to kick off a busy week of qualification testing in South Texas. If the rocket suffers any significant delays, as has admittedly been the norm for Starship prototypes, there’s a good chance SN15 could begin testing its Starlink dish around the middle of next week.

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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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Elon Musk

Tesla confirms rollout of critical feature, but Cybertruck misses out

Tesla’s S3XY lineup will get the Adaptive Headlights, but Cybertruck will not.

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4 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Credit: @jojje167 on X

Tesla has confirmed the rollout of a new, critical feature that is coming to the United States for the first time.

However, the Cybertruck will unfortunately miss out on it.

Tesla has a distinct advantage among many automakers as their Over-the-Air updates make their vehicles better over time. While many automakers have the ability to roll out new features through these updates, Tesla has been shown to be one of the companies that can truly make things significantly better with their cars.

A new feature coming to the United States and now rolling out is Adaptive Headlights. This feature will be applied to Model S, Model 3, Model X, and Model Y vehicles with the proper hardware.

Adaptive Headlights are different than your typical auto highbeams in the way that they can dim certain pixels of the bulb to keep visibility for the Tesla driver high, while eliminating glare for those who are in oncoming cars:

For the first time, Tesla is rolling out the feature to these vehicles in the United States. European Tesla owners were able to use the function several months back, but it was pending approval in the U.S.

At first, Tesla VP of Vehicle Engineering, Lars Moravy, said that the Cybertruck would have this feature. However, in late February, he confirmed that he was incorrect and the all-electric pickup will not have the ability to get Adaptive Headlights, as the company could not fit the correct hardware in the Cybertruck’s module:

The feature certainly makes visibility better for everyone on the road and will improve overall safety while eliminating the pesky and annoying feeling of being blinded by high beams.

The Adaptive Headlight feature for Tesla is part of the company’s Spring Update for 2025.

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Tesla Model 3 wins ‘most economical EV to own’ title in new study

The Tesla Model 3 has captured another crown in a recent study showing the most cost-effective EVs

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8 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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tesla model 3 driving on a wet road
(Credit: Tesla)

The Tesla Model 3 recently captured the title of “most economical electric vehicle to own” in a new study performed by research firm Zutobi.

Perhaps one of the biggest and most popular reasons people are switching to EVs is the cost savings. Combining home charging, lower maintenance costs, and tax credits has all enabled consumers to consider EVs as a way to save money on their daily drivers. However, there are some EVs that are more efficient and cost-effective than others.

Tesla police fleet saves nearly half a million in upkeep and repair costs

Zutobi‘s new study shows that EV cost-effectiveness comes at different levels. For example, some cars are simply better than others on a cost-per-mile basis. The study used a simple process to determine which EVs are more cost-effective than others by showing how much it would cost to drive 100 miles.

National averages for energy rates have been used to calculate the cost as they widely vary from state to state.

The Rear-Wheel Drive Tesla Model 3 was listed as the most economical vehicle in the study:

“The standard Tesla Model 3 is the most economical electric vehicle to drive in 2025. With a usable battery capacity of 57.5 kWh and a real-world range of 260 miles, it costs just $3.60 to drive 100 miles. That translates to an impressive 2,781 miles per $100 of electricity—making it the most efficient choice for EV owners nationwide.”

It had an estimated cost of just $3.60 to drive 100 miles.

The Tesla Model 3 Long Range All-Wheel Drive was second, the study showed:

“Next is the Long Range version of the Model 3, which offers extended range and dual-motor all-wheel drive. With a larger 75 kWh battery and 325 miles of range, the cost to drive 100 miles is slightly higher at $3.75, still equating to a strong 2,665 miles per $100.”

This version of the Model 3 had a price of just $3.75 to drive 100 miles.

In third, the BMW i4 eDrive35 surprised us with a cost of just $4.12 to drive 100 miles:

“Rounding out the top three is the BMW i4 eDrive35, with a 67.1 kWh battery and a real-world range of 265 miles. Drivers can expect to pay $4.12 per 100 miles, which still allows for 2,429 miles per $100—a solid choice for those seeking luxury and efficiency.”

Several other Teslas made the list as well. The Model 3 Performance ($4.34 per 100 miles) was sixth and tied with the Volkswagen ID.3 Pure, the Tesla Model S Long Range ($4.35 per 100 miles) was 8th, and the Tesla Model Y Long Range was ninth ($4.36 per 100 miles).

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Tesla offers new discounts on Cybertruck inventory

Tesla is knocking up to $10,550 off of Cybertruck units in inventory

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9 hours ago

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April 17, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is offering new discounts on Cybertruck units in inventory, giving customers a chance to snag a unit of the all-electric pickup for a slight reduction in price. Some are even coming with additional perks to make the offer even sweeter.

Tesla is now offering up to $10,550 off of Cybertruck inventory units across the United States. This is up from previous discounts of $6,000 on inventory Cybertrucks, and it will apply to 2024 model year vehicles.

Non-Foundation Series Cybertrucks are getting up to $10,550 off of their original prices, while Foundation Series pickups are getting up to $10,000 off. These are great deals and should help clear out some inventory from last year’s models.

Additionally, Foundation Series Cybertrucks purchased will receive free lifetime Supercharging, another great addition to make the deal even better than the $10,000 off.

The move comes as Tesla is still ramping Cybertruck production and is hoping to stimulate some additional demand for the vehicle, as it is holding on to these units. These are not Demo Drive units that have been driven by any number of people who were looking for a quick test drive.

Tesla launched a new configuration of the Cybertruck just last week with the Long Range Rear-Wheel-Drive, which undercuts the All-Wheel-Drive option by roughly $10,000.

Tesla released the Cybertruck RWD to make the AWD look like a deal

However, Tesla stripped the vehicle of several features, including Air Suspension, a tonneau cover, and interior features. For example, the Rear-Wheel-Drive trim of the Cybertruck has textile seats and no rear touchscreen, two things that come standard in the other trim levels.

The Cybertruck is the best-selling electric pickup in the United States, outperforming formidable competitors like the Ford F-150 Lightning and Chevrolet Silverado EV. However, Tesla is still working to get the vehicle to a lower price point that makes it more accessible to consumers, as its current pricing is a far cry from what was intended.

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