“Version 14 of Tesla self-driving feels sentient…” – Elon Musk (@elonmusk)
■ TESLA ($323.90, -1.64%):
– Steve Jurvetson (@FutureJurvetson) observed a Santa Clara County worker using a Tesla Cybertruck for gas station leak inspections, noting that the vehicle saves the worker $30,000 annually in fuel costs compared to a standard utility truck. The inspector also loves the convenience of a 110V plug in the back, eliminating the need to carry a generator.
– Barbara Manca, Tesla’s Content & Communications Lead for South Europe, posted that in just three weeks after Portugal set the new Electric Mobility regulation, Tesla expanded the Supercharger network nationwide by 70%. Portugal is now the two largest Supercharger stations in Southern Europe; Mealhada (40 stalls) and Fátima (32 stalls). “Across the country, we’ve already added 60+ new stalls, with more coming soon.”
– The Celda Solar project in Camarones, Arica and Parinacota, Chile, developed by Colbún, has received 240 Megapacks at port Terminal Puerto Arica. The units were transported by sea across 11 vessels belonging to two different shipping companies: Maersk and MSC. Once unloaded, they were transferred to a storage area at the Terminal, where they will remain for a few days before being deconsolidated and loaded onto trucks for final transport to the Solar Cell project. They are for a $260 million 228 MW/912 MWh energy system, capable of supplying energy to 55,480 homes for four hours daily. The project is set to be operational by mid-2026.
– The Yurika Swanbank Battery Energy Storage System (BESS) project achieved practical completion submission. They delivered the plant system, high voltage substation, and connection asset yard while integrating 138 Megapacks and completed testing and commissioning. They have transformed the former coal-fired Swanbank B power station site into a 250MW/500MWh battery system that will power over two-thirds of Ipswich, Queensland, for two hours during peak demand. Energization and grid connection is planned for later this year.
– Cat Orman (@CatOrman1), Ops Lead at Astro Mechanica, hosted a cyberpunk/barbie-themed “Enforced Ratio” party at the Tesla San Francisco Showroom; 200 women/200 men. Attendees included the great and powerful Tiffany Fong (@TiffanyFong_) “bitches love cybertrucks,” Luci Holland (@lulu_holland) of The House Fund, and Madison Kanna (@Madisonkanna) of Baseten.
– William Blair analyst for Jed Dorsheimer, in a CNBC interview, expressed being pleasantly surprised by his Robotaxi beta rides in Austin last week. He noted it drove much more naturally and felt like a person was driving with no safety issues encountered. In contrast, he described Waymo rides as feeling somewhat robotic, with noticeable computer-like hesitation at intersections or left turns. Per Elon, “He was just on version 13. Version 14 is the second biggest update to Tesla AI/Autopilot ever after V12.”
– Tesla is doing FSD testing in Yokohama city south of Tokyo! Domestic release timing depends on development status and regulatory authority approvals.
FLYOVERS (flight links in sources section):
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Giga Texas: Joe Tegtmeyer (@JoeTegtmeyer), 20th of August, ’25. “Early morning flight with excellent views inside the W side 3rd floor where new production stations, robotic assemblers & lots more equipment has been installed. Beautiful lighting too, along with more equipment deliveries.”
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Giga Nevada Semi Factory: Zangler (@HinrichsZane), 19th of August, ’25. “Two Words – BRIDGE CRANES! Dateline: Giga Semi Factory Nevada August 19, 2025 The highly anticipated bridge cranes have arrived.”
■ SPACEX:
– Starship Flight 10 is now set for Monday, August 25th.
– SpaceX Falcon 9 OTV-8 (X-37B) (USSF-36) is vertical at Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. This is the eighth know flight of the once secretive X-37B spacedrone program. Launch is currently set for 11:50 p.m. ET. After launch booster B1092 will RTS (Return to Site) and land at Landing Zone 2 (LZ-2). I really hope we get some views X-37B attached to the Falcon 9 second stage during flight. Not holding my breath.
– Yesterday evening, SpaceX did what appeared to be a partial test of the gas generators used for Pad B’s water deluge system. These gas generators force out hundreds of thousands of gallons of water in under 30 seconds. I was not aware of this, but thanks to Zack Golden (@CSI_Starbase), they have been given the name “baby raptors” as in they employ Raptor-like propulsion technology to push the water through. I don’t know if Zack came up with “baby raptor” or if SpaceX did. Pic from @LabPadre live feed.
– Two massive water tanks delivered to the Kennedy Space Center turnaround basin heading for Launch Complex 39A’s Starship Pad deluge system. Pic from NSF’s (@NASASpaceflight) live feed.
– SpaceX is scrapping SN2, the oldest prototype vehicle at Starbase after Star Hopper.
– Yesterday, SpaceX, along with other companies, won a legal challenge through the U.S. Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans, Louisiana, against the structure of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Judge Kyle Duncan authored the majority opinion in a ruling that says the agency’s in-house judges and five-member board are unconstitutionally insulated from presidential oversight, violating the separation of powers.
NASA’s SpaceX Crew-10 Post-Flight News Conference
Starbase City Commission Meeting:
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Regular Meeting: 20th of August, at 7:00 p.m. CT. Located at 39046 LBJ Blvd, Unit 2, Brownsville, TX 78521
Countdown to 180 (100 – Falcon 9, 0 – Falcon Heavy, and 3 – Starship):
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Launch 104! Thursday, 21st of August, 11:40 p.m. ET, Falcon 9 OTV-8 (X-37B) (USSF-36) will launch from Launch Complex 39A (LC-39A) at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. This will be the sixth flight for first stage booster B1092. It previously launched NROL-69, CRS-32, GPS III-7, and two Starlink missions. The booster will RTS (Return to Site) and land at Landing Zone 2 (LZ-2) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.. This is the eighth flight of the X-37B program. The X-37B is a dynamic and responsive spacecraft responsible for conducting a range of tests and experiments. The OTV-8 mission in Low Earth Orbit includes operational demonstrations and experiments of next-generation technologies, including laser communications and the highest performing strategic grade quantum inertial sensor ever tested in space. Mission partners include the Air Force Research Lab and the Defense Innovation Unit.
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Launch 105! Friday, 22nd of August, at 8:44 a.m. PT, Falcon 9 Starlink 17-6 will launch from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The booster will land on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean.
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Launch 106! Sunday, 24th of August, at 2:45 a.m. ET, Falcon 9 Dragon CRS-2 SpX-33 will launch from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. This will be the third flight for Cargo Dragon C211. It previously flew the CRS-26 and CRS-29 missions. The booster will RTS (Return to Site) and land at Landing Zone 2 (LZ-2) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. This is the 33rd commercial resupply services mission to the International Space Station operated by SpaceX. The flight will be conducted under the second Commercial Resupply Services (CRS) contract with NASA.
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Launch 107! Monday, August 25th, at 6:30 p.m. CT, Starship Flight 10 will launch from the Orbital Launch Mount at Pad 1 in Starbase, Texas. Super Heavy Booster 16 will do a controlled splashdown in the Gulf of America. Starship 37 will test an in-space Raptor engine relight, validate the heat shield for re-entry, test the payload bay door and simulate payload deployment with faux Starlink satellites. S37 will then attempt a controlled splashdown in the Indian Ocean, off the northwest coast of Australia.
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Launch 108! Tuesday, 26th of August, at 11:53 a.m. PT, Falcon 9 NAOS will launch from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The booster will RTS (Return to Site) and land at Landing Zone 4 (LZ-4) at Vandenberg. NAOS (National Advanced Optical System) is the space component of Luxembourg’s Earth Observation System (LUXEOSys) governmental dual-use satellite system. Its purpose is to provide high resolution images to national and international governmental and military organizations such as NATO. Also on board the launch is Dhruva Space’s LEAP-1; Planet’s Pelican-3 and Pelican-4; and Exolaunch’s Acadia-6, FFLY-1, FFLY-2, and FFLY-3.
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Launch 109! Wednesday, 27th of August, at 1:49 a.m. ET, Falcon 9 Starlink 10-11 will launch from Space Launch Complex 40 (SLC-40) at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station, Florida. The booster will land on a drone ship in the Atlantic Ocean.
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Launch 110! Friday, 29th of August, at 7:05 p.m. PT, Falcon 9 Starlink 17-7 will launch from Space Launch Complex 4E (SLC-4E) at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California. The booster will land on drone ship Of Course I Still Love You in the Pacific Ocean.
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■ THE BORING COMPANY:
– The Vegas LOOP plans for the Virgin Surface Station Site have been released. This will occupy the lot in front of the Virgins Hotel where The Boring Company is currently working. In other news.
– The Clark County commission should have a vote on whether to approve TBC’s proposal for the multi-use development at 4300 Paradise this week. It has been approved I have not found anything.
■ NEURALINK: N/A…
■ STARLINK:
– SpaceX and the U.S. National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) have being using the Operational Data Sharing (ODS) system since August of 2024 to protect radio telescopes from interference caused by low Earth orbit satellites like Starlink. The system sends real-time telescope observation schedules to SpaceX, and the Starlink Telescope Boresight Avoidance algorithm redirects satellite beams or mutes their electronics during overflights autonomously. It was tested successfully at the Very Large Array (VLA) in New Mexico, and the system is now being expanded to other facilities like the Very Long Baseline Array and Green Bank Telescope in West Virginia.
– SpaceX has partnered with FPT, Vietnam’s leading telecom provider, to establish its first two Starlink Gateway stations in Vietnam. Today during the launch of the FPT Fornix HCM02 data center in Ho Chi Minh City, Nguyen Van Khoa, CEO of FPT Corporation, stated the following, “Three weeks ago, Starlink was licensed for trial operations. The first two ground stations are located at FPT’s data centre in Tan Thuan (formerly District 7) and at the Saigon Hi-Tech Park in Ho Chi Minh City.”
– According to India’s Ministry of Electronics & IT, SpaceX has officially partnered with the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) to integrate Aadhaar-based e-KYC for rapid customer verification in India for Starlink. This enables Starlink to comply with Indian regulations by using Aadhaar’s digital identity system for online and offline verification, streamlining the onboarding process.
– Alaska Airlines has officially announced they will equip Starlink to its entire mainline fleet of over 200 Boeing aircraft by the end of 2026. The installs will start shortly, and the first Starlink-equipped aircraft will enter service by end summer 2025. The airline will retrofit its Boeing 737s and integrate Starlink on new Boeing 737 MAX deliveries. The service will be free to passengers. Alaska Airlines will also trial Starlink on its Embraer E175 regional jets operated by Horizon Air and SkyWest. The move will displace Alaska’s longtime IFC provider Intelsat, which is now owned by SES.
– Telstra has partnered with Australia Post to deploy Starlink at over 270 rural and remote post offices across Australia. Per Australia Post Executive Josh Bannister, “Australia Post has the largest nationwide retail network with more than 4,000 post offices located in every corner of the country. This upgrade is a game-changer for remote locations and just one way we are investing in programs and technology that benefits customers no matter where they live.” To show just how remote some post offices are, at Cape Barren, an island off Tasmania’s north coast, the process to transport a Starlink kit involved two planes, a boat, a car, and a truck!
– Today, Ecuador’s Minister of Telecommunications, Roberto Kury, along with the President of the Galapagos Governing Council, Tito Gavilanes, attended the presentation of “Galapagos Chooses to Connect: A Strategic Alliance with Starlink” to celebrate the CNT Community Starlink Gateway. This introduces Starlink connectivity to Santa Cruz, San Cristóbal, Isabela, and Floreana. The overall goal is to enhance digital access while preserving the natural heritage of the Galapagos Islands.
– In South Korea, SpaceX received final approval from the Ministry of Science and ICT and the National Radio Research Agency for the UTA-252 ground station radio equipment. This enables Starlink Korea to provide user antennas and equipment domestically. Commercial launch will potentially be in September, initially targeting B2B and B2G sectors like maritime, aviation, industrial plants, public services, and disaster response. It will be sold through its reseller SK Telink.
■ X:
– X Global Government Affairs (@GlobalAffairs) posted that the UK’s new National Internet Intelligence Investigations team exemplifies how online safety efforts can veer into excessive scrutiny. Their focused on monitoring social media for unrest. “This should alarm all free speech advocates. Layered with the Online Safety Act’s mandates, it threatens individual liberties and fosters a chilling effect on expression. At X, we continue to stand firm in protecting our users from such excessive actions.”
– The X Marketing SEA (Southeast Asia) (@XMarketingSEA) will have an exclusive X Lounge at Coinfest Asia 2025 in Bali, starting tomorrow, August 21st. This crypto festival is expected to have over 15,000 attendees and blockchain investment deals in the billions of dollars. The X Lounge will be in the exhibition area.
– Tomorrow, August 21st, at 10 a.m. PT, X Devs will do an X Spaces for a deep dive into real-time data streaming using the X API v2.
– X Corp has submitted comments to the U.S. Trade Representative (USTR) investigation under Section 301, highlighting Brazil’s policies that unfairly burden U.S. commerce, particularly by threatening free expression on social media platforms. X points to recent Supreme Court rulings by Justice Alexandre de Moraes, which declared parts of the 2014 Marco Civil da Internet (MCI) unconstitutional. This ruling allows platforms like X to be held liable for user content without judicial review, reversing MCI protections and increasing compliance costs. This also bypasses the U.S.-Brazil Mutual Legal Assistance Treaty.
Justice Alexandre de Moraes asserts global jurisdiction, ordering worldwide content removal even when lawful in the U.S. and other countries. The Secret orders to suspend accounts of politicians, journalists, and U.S. individuals without notice or appeal have been issued. As we all remember, noncompliance led to X’s nationwide ban, frozen accounts, and the seizure of $2 million from SpaceX’s Starlink, despite no legal connection. X argues this regulatory climate undermines the rule of law and cross-border trade and are urging USTR scrutiny.
– On October 21, X Japan CEO Ayumu Matsuyama (@ayumu_matsuyama), will speak at PR TIMES College Vol.10, a free event for PR/media pros on “learning” and “connection.” It will be held in-person at five Japanese locations (Sapporo, Tokyo, Nagoya, Umeda, Tenjin) and online from 15:00–18:00, with networking until 19:30–20:00. Matsuyama will be interviewed by Saya Tsukahara and discuss PR adaptations, X, and Grok. Registration starts September 4th for venues and online.
■ xAI:
– The xAI Companions now have Outfits. The Companion feature is still only available on iOS. My rant from the other day achieved nothing… 😆
– Per Elon, “The idea of Grok Imagine is to generate images as fast as your imagination, giving you many options to choose in exploration space, then zero in on a particular concept and animate rapidly, iterating many times in animation. This is just the early Beta release of Imagine.”
– Forbes is reporting (grain of salt) that xAI inadvertently made hundreds of thousands of private user conversations from Grok publicly accessible and searchable on Google. They claim it included highly sensitive content such as a detailed plan to assassinate Elon and instructions for making fentanyl and bombs.
– xAI’s Cheng Wan (@ChengWan17) will talk on large-scale expert parallelism for trillion-parameter MoE models at the SGLang & AMD SF Meet-Up. It is scheduled for August 22nd from 4:30 – 8:30 p.m. PT at Shack15, Ferry Building, Suite 201, in San Francisco. The event features a hands-on GPU workshop led by the AMD and SGLang team, and will be followed by tech talks. Cheng’s talk is at 6:05 p.m. Registration is required and subject to host approval. Limited seats available. Link is in the SOURCES SECTION.
– The Memphis City Council approved a plan on Tuesday to allocate 25% of the property tax revenue from xAI’s Colossus projects in Boxtown and Whitehaven directly to those communities. While the specific uses for the funds are not yet defined, councilmembers advocate for significant investments in education, sustainability, and community-based advisory committees that include local residents. Mayor Paul Young emphasized that the community will have the final say in how the money is spent, with public input guiding the allocation process.
■ DOGE:
Estimated Savings: $205 Billion
Amount Saved Per Taxpayer: $1,273.29
■ ELON NEWS:
– The Wall Street Journal published a report that Elon want to focus more on his companies, so he is easing off plans to start the America political party and will just support JD Vance if he runs for president… Per Elon, “Nothing the WSJ says should ever be thought of as true.”
– This past weekend, Elon was spotted with Lil X in Bella Bella, British Columbia. Bella Bella, also known as Waglisla, is the home of the Heiltsuk and is an unincorporated community and Indian reserve community of about 1,400 people. It is located within the Bella Bella Indian Reserve No. 1 on the east coast of Campbell Island in the Central Coast region of British Columbia, Canada. H/T Drive Tesla Canada (@DriveTeslaca).
– Gamers Rob2628 (@Rob_2628), Mekuna (@Mekuna), and Elon at Tesla’s Engineering HQ in Palo Alto. Per Rob, “The energy in Silicon Valley is something else. Got to see Tesla HQ with a tour from the man himself.“
Per Elon, “Nice to meet Rob and Mekuna in person after playing Diablo with them online for 2 years.”
■ WAYS TO SUPPORT:
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REFERRALS:
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Tesla: 3 free months of FSD or $400 Off Solar Panel Installation. ts.la/stephen746292
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Starlink: Free Month for either Residential or Roam service! https://www.starlink.com/residential?referral=RC-3527509-65487-76
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T-Mobile (Starlink Direct-to-Cell): $50 credit 45 days after you activate. Direct-to-Cell has dropped from $20 to $10 per month! https://share.t-mobile.com/stephenr-3419
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SOFI (ARK Venture Fund): $25 worth of stock. SOFI is the only outlet the public can invest in Cathie Wood’s ARK Venture Fund ($ARKVX). This ARK fund includes SpaceX, xAI, Tesla, X, and a ton of other major AI, Tech, and Bio companies. Of note, investing in the fund requires an initial $500. https://www.sofi.com/invite/invest?gcp=ecf25d1c-7bc9-4ee0-a407-a51849297288&isAliasGcp=false
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Robinhood: Get a Free stock. https://join.robinhood.com/stepher-fcc938
Have a great day!
■ SOURCES:
Tesla:
SpaceX:
Starlink:
xAI:
Elon News: