Tesla is offering Solar customers an incentive in latest referral program update


Tesla is now offering a $250 award to new solar customers who purchase or subscribe to a solar panel system through the company’s referral program. The $250 incentive will also apply to anyone who refers a buyer through a referral link.

“Our goal is to build the best clean energy products and help Tesla owners share their excitement and experiences with others,” Tesla says in its updated referral program page.

For referring customers and their referrals to receive the $250 award, they must place their orders via Design Studio using the referrer’s unique referral link. The award is only applicable to orders placed on or after Oct. 1, 2019.

The referral cannot be credited after the order has been placed or at the time of product delivery. Customers will receive their awards after the solar panel system has been installed and activated.
Tesla’s referral program for solar only includes purchases and subscriptions of its solar panels. At the moment, it does not cover purchases of the Powerwall, Powerpack, or the new Solarglass.

 

Tesla Solar: Should you buy or subscribe?

Tesla offers a range of options for solar panel customers, depending on the needs and budget of the homeowner.

Buying a solar panel system allows you to choose from a range of four sizes. A small system is most suitable for 1,000 to 2,000-square-foot homes with an average electric bill of $90 to $110 per month. It can generate up to around 14 to 19 kWh per day.

On the other end of the spectrum, a large solar panel system produces an average of 58 to 77 kWh per day. It is best suited for large homes around 4,000 square feet. The price range for buying a solar panel system starts at $7,770 for the small system to $27,750 for the extra-large. This includes installation costs and federal tax incentives.

Tesla’s solar panel systems are available for purchase starting at $7,770.
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Homeowners can also opt for subscription solar, which makes it cheaper and easier to make the switch to sustainable energy. Tesla’s one-click subscription program is currently available in six states: Arizona, California, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and New Mexico.

Small solar panel systems in all states except for California are available for $50 per month, medium for $100 per month, and large for $150 per month. California users are charged higher fees of $65, $130, and $195 for small, medium, and large systems respectively. All subscription rates also include installation costs.

Canceling a subscription does not come with a cancellation fee, although Tesla charges a removal fee to cover the cost of removing the panels.

tesla solar subscription pricing guide

Tesla subscription solar panel systems are available for as low as $50 per month.

 

Tesla ramps up Solarglass production

The renewed focus on its solar product follows news of Tesla firing up its production of Solarglass, which Musk unveiled in October last year. The company’s new flagship solar product boasts increased power density, easy installation, better durability, and a lower cost per watt compared to conventional solar panels.

Musk previously announced that Tesla is “spooling up its production line rapidly” in hopes of building 1,000 solar roofs per week by the end of 2019.

The company has yet to make a report of its production numbers in its upcoming Q4 2019 earnings call set for Jan. 29. However, according to its third-quarter report, Tesla managed to deploy 43 MW of solar products, down from 93 MW during the same quarter of the previous year, but 43 percent higher than the number of installations in the quarter prior.

News of Tesla ramping up its solar panel production sparked in April last year, as Gigafactory 2 in Buffalo, NY began hiring for at least three dozen job openings. In August of the same year, Tesla obtained a building permit to build a new testing facility for its solar panels in Fremont, CA.

Tesla is offering Solar customers an incentive in latest referral program update

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NASA explores emotionally intelligent robots as human companions for long Mars journey


NASA is proposing sending emotionally intelligent robots with a crew of astronauts to help with keeping humans company in their long-duration mission to the moon and eventually Mars.

Throughout the sci-fi universe, you see droids and other sentient robots traveling with human companions and helping with a variety of tasks. Thanks to Stanley Kubrick, the thought of artificial intelligence in space can be a little unsettling.

Astrobees are cube-shaped robots designed to help astronauts with tasks on station. Credit: NASA
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But NASA and its astronauts currently work with a small group of benign, helpful robots on the International Space Station. To take that one step further, the agency is exploring sending emotionally intelligent robotic helpers along with the crew, to assist astronauts on future trips to Mars and the Moon.

Proponents of the project hope that the virtual assistant would be able to anticipate the needs of the crew and help out as needed. Recently, a medicine-ball-sized robot, called CIMON (for “crew interactive mobile companion”) launched to the space station. It’s tasked with assisting the crew with various tasks over the course of three years. 

The original version of CIMON was designed to work specifically with European Space Agency astronaut Alexander Gerst as he conducts different experiments on station. However, things didn’t go exactly as planned and the robot proved it came with more attitude than Gerst bargained for.

The current robots lack emotional intelligence, but engineers are working to change that. NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is working with the Australian tech firm, Akin to develop a virtual assistant that could one day not only help with daily tasks but also provide emotional support to astronauts on long-duration missions. 

The company says its goal is not to simply build a cosmic Alexa or Siri, but to have that technology act as a companion and be able to evaluate the crew’s mental and emotional health. This could prove useful as humans venture further out into space. Astronauts in low-Earth orbit are able to easily access a medical professional but those on long-duration missions will have to deal with longer lags in communication times. This type of virtual assistant could help diagnose issues.

Akin relies on JPL’s  Open Source Rover project, which makes NASA’s basic robotic designs available to the public. This even includes rover designs like the Mars Curiosity rover that launched to the red planet in 2012. The company has been using this program to build and test its AI. 

The result: an emotionally intelligent rover named Henry the Helper. Right now, Henry spends its time traveling around JPL to interact with employees, showcasing how well it can recognize human emotion. Future iterations will come online in the near future testing various other tasks. 

NASA explores emotionally intelligent robots as human companions for long Mars journey

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Tesla Model Y first deliveries expected in February, Performance variants first


Tesla Model Y deliveries will reportedly start next month with customers who ordered the Performance variant of the much-awaited electric crossover getting the first dibs. The Long Range All-Wheel Drive version will arrive in March or April, and deliveries of the full lineup set to be completed by Q3 this year.

The latest Model Y news was shared by Redditor u/Quaf4 who got a call from an employee at Tesla Oakville in Ontario, Canada on Tuesday.

“I just received a phone call from an employee at Tesla Oakville, ON who was calling to guide me through the upcoming delivery process for my Model Y. I asked when to expect delivery and he told me that the Performance variant will start deliveries next month, and that I could expect my LR AWD in March/April,” u/Quaf4 wrote. “Interesting to hear it officially from an employee, rather than pure speculation from media sources. NEXT MONTH.”

With this confirmation from a presumed Tesla employee, it appears Tesla CEO Elon Musk and his team underpromised and will over-deliver in terms of the Model Y production schedule. The electric crossover was first set to hit production in Fall 2020 and it was later moved up to Summer 2020. And now, it seems Model Y buyers will get their units sooner than expected.

Every Tesla Model Y sighting so far: Subtle refinements from unveiling event to today

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If Tesla indeed delivers soon, the Silicon Valley-based electric carmaker might have hit a jackpot in terms of production efficiency. Elon Musk said during a recent Gigafactory 3 event in China that they use advanced manufacturing technologies for the Model Y.

“Model Y will also have some advanced manufacturing technology that we will reveal in the future. I think it will be exciting to show the kind of manufacturing technology associated with the Model Y and it will be exciting to learn about these technologies,” Musk said.

There have been Tesla Model Y rumors recently that deliveries will happen in two weeks and this latest information from a soon-to-be Tesla Model Y owner seems to corroborate that earlier report. Coincidentally, the Tesla Q4 2019 Financial Results and earnings call is set for 3:30 PM PST on Jan. 29 and the electric vehicle community might officially hear an announcement they have been waiting for from Elon Musk and his team about the imminent Model Y delivery.

The confirmation from the Tesla employee is also consistent with the estimate that the Model Y Performance version will be delivered soon following the publication of its certificate from the California Air Resources Board (CARB) on Jan. 9. Tesla fans recalled that the first deliveries of the Model 3 in 2017 also happened less than a month after its CARB certificate was published. Likewise, the VINs have also been registered by Tesla with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), another hint that Model Y deliveries are really happening soon.

The recent sightings of Tesla Model Y units that are almost production-ready could have been a big clue that the next big thing of Tesla will soon officially hit the road. Perhaps imminent delivery could also be the reason why a Tesla employee allowed a Tesla Model 3 owner to check out the interior of the Model Y while Supercharging in San Luis, Obispo California over the weekend.

Tesla’s Fremont factory will produce the Model Y units but the carmaker is also getting ready for its production at the Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai. Once operational, the Gigafactory 4 in Germany will also produce about 150,000 Model Ys during its initial phase of production.

Tesla Model Y first deliveries expected in February, Performance variants first

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SpaceX surprises after recovering spacecraft ‹trunk› in one piece


In a surprise twist, SpaceX has recovered an expendable ‘trunk’ that launched with Crew Dragon on its January 19th In-Flight Abort (IFA) test, in which the spacecraft successfully escaped from an exploding Falcon 9 rocket.

While recovering pieces of Dragon’s disposable trunk would not have been shocking, SpaceX has returned this particular Crew Dragon trunk to shore in a condition that can only be described as unscathed. The surprise came first on the evening of January 19th, when two separate SpaceX ships returned to Port Canaveral — first and foremost bringing Crew Dragon capsule C205 back to dry land for inspection and possible reuse. However, a separate ship – GO Navigator – followed the ship carrying Crew Dragon not long after, revealing a shockingly intact Dragon trunk on its deck.

At 10:30 am EST (15:30 UTC) on January 19th, Falcon 9 booster B1046, an expendable upper stage, and the newest Crew Dragon spacecraft lifted off from Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex 39A (Pad 39A) on the spacecraft’s second-ever integrated launch. Designed to push Crew Dragon’s abort systems to their limits, the spacecraft ignited its SuperDraco thrusters around 85 seconds after liftoff, soaring away from a supersonic Falcon 9 and triggering the rocket’s catastrophic (but expected) explosion around 10 seconds later.

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A bit like pushing against a wall, Crew Dragon had to fight uphill against a continuous supersonic blast of air to escape the Falcon 9 rocket that launched it, likely adding tens of thousands of pounds (several dozen metric tons) of additional pressure spread out over the top of the capsule. The spacecraft and its detachable trunk section – carrying a solar array, radiators, and four fins – appeared to survive the experience without issue.

Crew Dragon C205 detaches its trunk section. (SpaceX)

The capsule’s SuperDraco engines shut off after about 10 seconds, leaving the integrated spacecraft to coast to an apogee of ~40 km (25 mi), where it finally detached its trunk (pictured above). Designed to be disposable, Crew Dragon features a trunk functionally similar to the one SpaceX has flown almost 20 times on Cargo Dragon (Dragon 1) missions. Crew Dragon’s trunk looks quite a bit different, stretching taller and featuring an interesting conformal solar array (vs. Dragon 1’s deployable panels), as well as radiators (white rectangular panels) the spacecraft needs to maintain thermal equilibrium while in space.

Nominally, Crew Dragon and Cargo Dragon launch on Falcon 9, reach orbit, and go about their business of delivering astronauts and cargo to and from the International Space Station (ISS). After completing their given mission, the trunk section is eventually detached an hour or two before one last reentry burn, eventually returning the spacecraft to Earth. The trunk is thus left in low Earth orbit (LEO), eventually reentering on its own days, weeks, or months later and vaporizing into plasma before it hits Earth’s surface.

While it’s thus surprising that Crew Dragon C205’s trunk section – built primarily out of carbon composites like Falcon 9’s payload fairing and interstage – survived its In-Flight Abort mission more or less intact, the unexpected recovery sadly doesn’t mean that SpaceX has any plans to try to routinely recover or reuse the hardware. If Dragon trunks detached well before orbit, SpaceX might reconsider, but that would defeat their purpose of providing Dragons with power and thermal management while in orbit.

Surviving a terminal-velocity ocean splashdown is certainly no mean feat, but surviving an orbital-velocity atmospheric reentry is magnitudes more challenging, although SpaceX is certainly cognizant of the trade-off. Starship, for example, is expected to include thermal management and power generation systems as an integral part of the (nominally) fully-reusable spaceship and upper stage. At the scale of Crew Dragon, it’s just hard to rationalize doubling or tripling the mass of the spacecraft’s trunk just to tack on a complex recovery system.

All told, both NASA and SpaceX have since indicated that preliminary telemetry from Crew Dragon’s In-Flight Abort test paints an extremely positive picture and effectively confirmed that the test was a total success. With a little luck, it’s safe to say that Crew Dragon will be sacrificing a trunk section in orbit before returning NASA astronauts to Earth just a few months from now.

Check out Teslarati’s newsletters for prompt updates, on-the-ground perspectives, and unique glimpses of SpaceX’s rocket launch and recovery processes.

SpaceX surprises after recovering spacecraft ‹trunk› in one piece

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Tesla sets the record straight on ‘unintended acceleration’ claims


Tesla has put its foot down on claims that its vehicles are prone to sudden “unintended acceleration,” which was alleged in a petition to the NHTSA submitted by a short-seller. In a recently-published blog post, the electric car maker explained that claims of SUA are false simply because its cars are designed to accelerate only when they are told to do so. 

News recently broke that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is reviewing a petition claiming that all Tesla models are prone to SUA, and are therefore rife with a dangerous safety defect. The petition, which covers about 500,000 Teslas produced from 2013 to 2019, included 127 complaints that were submitted either by owners themselves, or others filing on their behalf.  

The petition was submitted by Brian Sparks, who happens to be shorting Tesla stock. This means that he is financially incentivized to help push TSLA prices down. Unfortunately for the short-seller, claims of SUA on Teslas have never really borne fruit, as the vehicle’s logs have always proven that “unintended acceleration” happened because the driver pressed the accelerator by mistake. 

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And it’s not just Tesla that has defended its vehicles, either. Jason Hughes, a Tesla owner who has delved deep in the company’s software, and who has been critical of the company in the past, has gone on record offering a financial reward to anyone who can prove that a Tesla was involved in a sudden unintended acceleration incident. So far, no one has proven Hughes wrong yet, and he is confident enough to state that vehicle logs always show that SUA is simply not possible. 

These are the points Tesla outlined in its recent blog post. In a firmly-worded manner, the electric car maker stated that there is no “unintended acceleration” in its vehicles. The company also noted that it has worked with the agency to ensure that its vehicles are safe, and that it has reviewed claims of SUA with them. In every instance, vehicle logs proved that the electric cars functioned as intended. 

Following is Tesla’s blog post about the recent “unintended acceleration” claims. 

There is no “unintended acceleration” in Tesla vehicles

The Tesla Team – January 20, 2020

This petition is completely false and was brought by a Tesla short-seller. We investigate every single incident where the driver alleges to us that their vehicle accelerated contrary to their input, and in every case where we had the vehicle’s data, we confirmed that the car operated as designed. In other words, the car accelerates if, and only if, the driver told it to do so, and it slows or stops when the driver applies the brake.

While accidents caused by a mistaken press of the accelerator pedal have been alleged for nearly every make/model of vehicle on the road, the accelerator pedals in Model S, X and 3 vehicles have two independent position sensors, and if there is any error, the system defaults to cut off motor torque. Likewise, applying the brake pedal simultaneously with the accelerator pedal will override the accelerator pedal input and cut off motor torque, and regardless of the torque, sustained braking will stop the car. Unique to Tesla, we also use the Autopilot sensor suite to help distinguish potential pedal misapplications and cut torque to mitigate or prevent accidents when we’re confident the driver’s input was unintentional. Each system is independent and records data, so we can examine exactly what happened.

We are transparent with NHTSA, and routinely review customer complaints of unintended acceleration with them. Over the past several years, we discussed with NHTSA the majority of the complaints alleged in the petition. In every case we reviewed with them, the data proved the vehicle functioned properly.

Tesla sets the record straight on ‘unintended acceleration’ claims

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SpaceX fires up rocket for second launch in two days but high seas threaten delays


SpaceX has static fired a Falcon 9 barely 24 hours after its most recent launch and could launch a second mission with that rocket less than 24 hours from now. However, bad weather in the Atlantic Ocean – threatening the booster’s drone ship landing – could cause delays.

At 10:30 am EST (15:30 UTC) on January 19th, SpaceX threaded the needle through clouds, sea states, and winds to successfully launch a Falcon 9 rocket in support of Crew Dragon’s In-Flight Abort (IFA) test – flawlessly completed shortly after liftoff. A bit less than 28 hours after and 3.5 miles (5.5 km) south of Crew Dragon’s liftoff, a separate Falcon 9 rocket – complete another batch of 60 Starlink v1.0 satellites tucked inside its payload fairing – was fully loaded with liquid oxygen, refined kerosene propellant (RP-1), helium, and nitrogen in what is known as a Wet Dress Rehearsal (WDR).

About 35 minutes after that process began, Falcon 9 booster B1051 fired up its nine Merlin 1D engines for around 7-10 seconds – a routine static fire meant to verify the overall health of the booster and ensure its launch readiness. SpaceX rapidly confirmed that the static fire data looked good just a few minutes after booster shutdown, verifying that Falcon 9 is ready for its second Starlink satellite launch of 2020. Carrying the third batch of 60 upgraded Starlink v1.0 satellites, the mission – deemed Starlink V1 L3 – was most recently scheduled to launch no earlier than 11:59 am EST (16:59 UTC), January 21st. It appears, however, that weather in the Atlantic Ocean might trigger some minor delays.

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Normally, SpaceX’s routine static fire confirmation tweet also includes the associated mission’s targeted launch date. This time around, SpaceX announced that it was still analyzing conditions and orbital mechanics to determine a launch window, uncertainty triggered by “extreme weather in the recovery area”.

Headed some 630 km (390 mi) downrange, drone ship Of Course I Still Love You (OCISLY) departed Port Canaveral for its Starlink V1 L3 booster recovery mission on January 17th. Meanwhile, twin SpaceX fairing recovery ships Ms. Tree (formerly Mr. Steven) and Ms. Chief made their own Port Canaveral departure on January 18th and are headed around 740 km (460 mi) downrange. SpaceX did not specify, so it’s possible that weather in both areas of the Atlantic Ocean are currently unfavorable.

Historically, the giant arms and nets that adorn SpaceX’s fairing recovery ships have been uniquely sensitive to even mildly rough seas, suffering repeated damage over the last year. At the same time, large swells and/or high winds also pose a big risk for any Falcon boosters attempting drone ship landings, as those boosters don’t actually account for the motion of the deck, instead assuming it will be at a certain position and aiming for that fixed bullseye.

Ms. Chief, for reference, suffered arm damage and lost one of its arm’s two white supports on its most recently fairing catch attempt. (Richard Angle)
OCISLY is far more resilient but Falcon boosters could be easily damaged if they shut off their engines while the drone ship deck was at the peak or trough of a large swell. (Richard Angle)

As such, it’s sadly likely that SpaceX’s Starlink L3 launch will slip a bit later into the week, although there is certainly a chance that weather at the recovery zone will clear up in the next 12 or so hours. Stay tuned for updates!

Check out Teslarati’s newsletters for prompt updates, on-the-ground perspectives, and unique glimpses of SpaceX’s rocket launch and recovery processes.

SpaceX fires up rocket for second launch in two days but high seas threaten delays

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Tesla and other EV owners get some peace of mind as UK takes firm stance against ICE-ing


New regulations in the United Kingdom will make the act of “ICE-ing” a crime in the County of Lancashire in North West England. The adaptation of these new regulations will assist electric vehicle drivers when they are in need of a charge and a non-electric car is parked in their designated charging spot.

The proposed law by the Lancashire County Council’s cabinet will require all cars occupying electric vehicle spaces to be battery-powered and in the process of charging.

The county is already in the process of installing 150 charging stations across the area. Some of these charging stations are already fully operational. The addition of these charging points is part of Lancashire County’s attempts to become a more sustainable area and reduce its residents’ carbon footprint.

The already installed charging stations are located in on-street parking spaces that were previously spots for any vehicle. The county decided to designate some spaces for electric cars as the popularity of battery-powered vehicles continued to increase.

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However, some motorists who were not driving electric cars were taking advantage of these empty spaces by parking there. This prompted action from the council members, who then approved the idea of penalties against parties who violated the parking privilege by not using the EV charging points.

The rise of electric vehicles caused Lancashire County Council members to adapt and change some of the parking rules and regulations that were in effect, making them more appropriate for the growing EV market. As the growth of the electric car industry has surged at an increasing rate, the council realized the new vehicle type needed to be catered to so drivers would have a less stressful time finding charging stations.

“Modern developments have outstripped the regulations and need addressing,” Lancashire County Council leader Geoff Driver said. The county is currently surveying areas where it would be suitable to install additional charging points. They are to be installed in areas that have “expected need, where an electric supply was sufficient and convenient to ensure the connection costs were financially viable, [and] had to be positioned so that they were clear of other electrical equipment, including lighting columns,” according to The Lancashire Post.

ICE-ing has been a particularly annoying and aggravating problem for electric vehicle drivers. While the act has been done in multiple countries, there are usually not many things electric car owners can do in the event that someone has parked in a designated charging spot. Fortunately for Lancashire’s electric vehicle owners, the new legislation may make owning an EV that much more convenient.

Tesla and other EV owners get some peace of mind as UK takes firm stance against ICE-ing

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Tesla China is subtly flexing the MIC Model 3’s stellar build quality


High-quality images of a recently-delivered Made-in-China Model 3 sedan have proven that potentially lower labor costs do not result in inferior products.

The latest photos of the MIC Model 3 shared by Tesla Model S and X owner and Twitter user Ray4Tesla featured immaculately-finished and perfectly-aligned panels and trims of a blue all-electric sedan.

If Tesla’s Gigafactory 3 in Shanghai will consistently produce top-quality vehicles, the mass-produced Model 3 sedan may indeed become a cash cow for the electric car maker in the biggest automotive market in the world.

MIC Model 3 panels and trim (Source: Ray4Tesla | Twitter)

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The high-quality production of vehicles in China may also help improve the process of Tesla in its other factories as needed. Tesla has been known to listen to its customers and for its willingness to improve processes based on its experiences in past projects, just like how it solved production and logistics issues when it started making the Model 3.

Quality vehicles at this early stage of production at Gigafactory 3 ultimately proved that Tesla’s move to launch Model Y program in the country was indeed the next big step in the company’s plans to establish its presence in China.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk also announced during a recent Gigafactory 3 event that the company will launch a design and R&D center in the country that will design Chinese-style Teslas and other vehicles that can then be released to other markets.

Chinese equity firm Chuancai Securities recently published a study that stated that Tesla can further improve the profit margin for the locally-produced Model 3 when it increases the domestication of its components. At present, the firm estimated the gross margin of Tesla for the mass-produced sedan at 35% in China.

“We assume that depending on the progress of Tesla’s parts domestication, the cost of raw materials will fall by 10%-20%. In this case, gross profit margin of Model 3 produced by the Chinese factory will reach more than 35%, which is much higher than the American factory by about 20% gross profit level,” the report stated.

Last December, Tesla posted 6,643 new vehicle registrations in China compared to November’s 5,597 units and posted a 161% increase year-over-year despite car sales slump in the country.

With car buyers knowing that they can trust the quality of the vehicles made from China’s shores, it will not be surprising to see Tesla sell even more vehicles in the country in the near future. If Elon Musk sees China as the gateway for the brand to dominate the rest of the region, the high-quality images of the recently delivered unit can be considered a very good sign that Tesla is ready to chomp a bigger chunk of the sales pie.

Tesla China is subtly flexing the MIC Model 3’s stellar build quality

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Tesla, SpaceX confirm Model X will be official ride of astronauts


SpaceX and Tesla CEO Elon Musk made sure his crew travels to the launch pad in style and even provided Tesla electric vehicles during the recent launch dress rehearsal at the Kennedy Space Center.

A SpaceX spokesperson confirmed on Sunday that Teslas will be the official transport for crew missions in the future, the Associated Press reported. Meanwhile, Boeing will reportedly stick to the Airstream vans used by NASA for decades to bring its astronauts to the pad.

Tesla Model X for SpaceX astronauts (Source: Robert Behnken | Twitter)

NASA astronauts Robert Behnken and Doug Herley did a dry run of SpaceX pre-launch activities in preparation for their upcoming crew mission that may happen as soon as April this year. The two spacemen donned their spacesuits but instead of riding a shiny astrovan, they took a sleek white Model X from their crew quarters going to the launch pad. A SpaceX employee drove the astronauts to the pad while support staff aboard a Model X followed them.

NASA spokesman Joshua Santora sees the development as part of the collaboration with SpaceX and Tesla. “This is part of the game of us learning to work with a commercial provider,” Santora said.

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Both astronauts shared their excitement about the SpaceX launch escape system test, their Tesla rides, and the thought of launching American astronauts again from American soil.

On Sunday, SpaceX hit a big milestone by successfully completing an in-flight abort test for its Crew Dragon spacecraft. During the test, SpaceX intentionally destroyed a Falcon 9 rocket to simulate failure during a flight from the launch pad to Earth’s orbit and to test the launch escape system of the Crew Dragon’s capsule.

The IFA test is the last major step before Crew Dragon is cleared to ferry astronauts from Earth to the International Space Station and back. The successful test proves that SpaceX and its Crew Dragon can safely fly astronauts into orbit and keep them safe in case an emergency happens during flight.

“This critical flight test puts us on the cusp of returning the capability to launch astronauts in American spacecraft on American rockets from American soil. We are thrilled with the progress NASA’s Commercial Crew Program is making and look forward to the next milestone for Crew Dragon,” said NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.

SpaceX CEO and chief engineer Elon Musk expressed his concerns about the supersonic abort test but he was pleased with the results.

“As far as we can tell thus far, it’s a picture-perfect mission. It went as well as one can possibly expect. This is a reflection of the dedication and hard work of the SpaceX and NASA teams to achieve this goal. Obviously, I’m super fired up. This is great,” Musk said.

Tesla, SpaceX confirm Model X will be official ride of astronauts

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Tesla owner gets rare Model Y interior tour after spotting crossover while Supercharging


One lucky Tesla owner had the rare opportunity to go inside a Model Y and give their account of how the interior of the all-electric crossover compares to their Model 3 sedan.

Michael Hughes, who goes by the handle @mickthughes on Twitter,  shared his experience with the Model Y after spotting it at the San Luis Obispo Supercharger station on the central coast of California. According to the Model 3 owner, the Tesla employee that was driving the Model Y allowed him to briefly explore the vehicle’s front and second-row seating.  “I got to sit in front passenger and back passenger seats,” noted Hughes, adding that the vehicle had an “amazing layout/storage space & seating.”

 

Hughes wasn’t able to snap photos of the Model Y’s interior upon the request of the Tesla employee but was able to share some interesting details about the crossover.

According to the Model 3 owner, the Model Y’s front looks very similar to the mass-produced sedan up close but the back clearly differed. Hughes also pointed out Model Y’s glass roof that no crossbeam, making for an expansive and unobstructed overhead view. The interior is far roomier than the Model 3 and its rear seats can accommodate three adult passengers comfortably, according to Hughes.

The storage of the Model Y is also bigger than that of the Model 3. The speakers have been moved to free more side storage. He also noticed that the seats can “power” fold with a press of a button.

A recent sighting of the Model Y next to a Model X revealed how the size of the crossover is surprisingly close to the Tesla SUV. The Model Y was almost as tall as the Model X, which has a standard height of 66 inches. The width of the two vehicles shows that the flagship SUV is larger than the Model Y but it appears Tesla was able to design the upcoming crossover to have a roomy interior despite sharing most of its DNA with the smaller Model 3 sedan.

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The Tesla Model Y that Hughes checked out at the charging station did not have a third-row seat but he noticed a space that might be allotted for the optional configuration. Over the weekend, a Japanese blog posted a new photo of the Tesla Model Y third-row seats and there were also car seat rails that will allow occupants to adjust the second-row seats to provide comfortable legroom for the occupants at the rearmost passenger seats. With third-row seats, the Model Y will be able to accommodate seven passengers, perhaps a big advantage over its competitors such as the Audi Q5, BMW X3, and the Jaguar I-PACE that’s designed to seat five passengers.

 

The Model Y isn’t just a chunkier Model 3 and a smaller Model Y but it’s sounding that it will have a character of its own. The Tesla Model Y’s CARB certification was recently published, hinting that deliveries might come sooner than expected. Model Y production was initially planned to begin Summer 2020 but now expected to begin as early as this quarter.

The Model Y will be sold in three variants. The Rear-wheel Drive Long Range version will go for $48,000 while the Dual Motor All-Wheel Drive Long Range and Performance versions will sell for $52,000 and $62,000, respectively, before potential savings.

Tesla owner gets rare Model Y interior tour after spotting crossover while Supercharging

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var disqus_title = «Tesla owner gets rare Model Y interior tour after spotting crossover while Supercharging»;
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