SpaceX's midnight spy satellite launch quietly set a new record

Key Points:

• SpaceX successfully launched a Falcon Heavy rocket carrying the classified NROL-97 payload for the National Reconnaissance Office from Kennedy Space Center, marking the first NRO mission on Falcon Heavy and the quickest turnaround between Falcon Heavy missions to date.
• The two side boosters landed back at Cape Canaveral, setting a new SpaceX record of landing four boosters in a single day, while the center core was expended to achieve the high-energy orbit; this mission may be the last landing at Landing Zone 1 due to lease expiration.
• Tesla plans to improve its Full Self-Driving (FSD) system by addressing major issues such as pothole avoidance and navigation, with recent software updates already enhancing route preferences and traffic visualization.
• Tesla reported strong Q3 2026 results, delivering 486,532 vehicles and deploying 13.7 GWh of energy storage, marking its second-best quarter for energy storage and demonstrating continued growth despite a slight year-over-year delivery decrease.
• Tesla introduced an Emergency Drive Away feature allowing drivers to move their vehicles while still plugged into a Supercharger during emergencies, though it warns of potential damage and penalties for misuse; this follows recent safety concerns after violent incidents at Supercharger stations.