CURRENT NEWS
White House · Science · Honors
Trump hands Musk the National Medal of Science today
Musk, Brin, Huang and Su get the nation’s top science honor; Dell and Nadella get the technology medal. It’s the first time Trump has presented either award.
At the White House’s “Science: A New Golden Age” summit on Thursday, President Trump is set to award the National Medal of Science to Elon Musk, Google co-founder Sergey Brin, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and AMD CEO Lisa Su. Dell Technologies CEO Michael Dell and Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella will receive the National Medal of Technology and Innovation.
“These recipients are helping ensure America keeps leading the world in innovation.” — White House spokeswoman Liz Huston, to AFP
CNBC notes that every recipient has contributed in some way to Trump or Republican campaigns and causes. Fox News calls it Musk’s latest return to Trump’s orbit after his departure from the administration and their public rupture last year. Musk and Huang were also at Trump’s state dinner for Xi Jinping last month and signed last week’s White House AI self-policing pledge.
Sources: The Hill · CNBC · Fox News · AFP (via Geo)
Also today
Starlink · India · Regulation
Musk blames Indian “oligarchs” for Starlink delay; New Delhi calls it “baseless”
Replying on X Wednesday to a post saying 11,256 Indian villages still lacked 4G as of May, Musk accused unnamed business interests of keeping Starlink out of India.
“Unfortunately, we are being blocked by certain oligarchs in order to maintain their monopolistic chokehold on the Indian people. You can guess who they are… This is a crime against the people of India!” — Elon Musk on X, Oct. 7
Earlier that day, Starlink VP Lauren Dreyer told India Mobile Congress that SpaceX has built 20 gateway sites in India and keeps Indian user data in the country. On Thursday the government called discrimination claims “baseless and misconceived,” saying Starlink, Eutelsat OneWeb and Jio Satellite are “at broadly the same regulatory stage” of security clearance. Musk kept at it overnight: “Starlink can fill in the coverage gaps for those who most need it.”
SpaceX · FCC · Starlink Mobile
FCC clears 15,000 Starlink Mobile satellites
The FCC on Oct. 6 approved SpaceX’s next-generation direct-to-phone constellation, up to 15,000 satellites at roughly 326–335 km, and waived the rule that would have required a lease with a ground carrier. That lets SpaceX sell service on spectrum it’s acquiring from EchoStar.
Business Insider frames it as a path to compete with Verizon, AT&T and current partner T-Mobile. The FCC deferred some of SpaceX’s requests.
Canada · Politics · Musk on X
Musk tells Quebec, Alberta and Saskatchewan to leave Canada
Reacting to Quebec premier-elect Paul St-Pierre Plamondon’s independence hopes, Musk wrote: “Good. Quebec should separate. They would be better off. Alberta and Saskatchewan should separate too.”
“No.” — Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe, quote-replying on X
Alberta Premier Danielle Smith said her government supports Alberta staying in Canada. Albertans vote Oct. 19 on whether to move toward a binding separation referendum.
Tesla · Europe · Semi
Model Y tops Germany; Semi charging reaches the East Coast
Model Y was Germany’s best-selling car in September with 8,038 registrations, ahead of the VW Golf’s 6,580, per KBA data. Back home, Tesla’s first East Coast Megacharger is open in Conley, Georgia, outside Atlanta, with eight stalls at up to 1.2 MW each.
NASA · SpaceX · Crew-12
Crew-12 splashes down this morning
Dragon Freedom undocked from the ISS on Wednesday with Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Sophie Adenot and Andrey Fedyaev. Splashdown off California is set for about 10:34 a.m. CT today.
Briefs · Calendar
SPCX slips 2.5%
SpaceX shares fell 2.5% Wednesday to $167.60, a day after the FT reported SpaceX is lining up $40 billion of debt to buy Nvidia chips.
Stores: Tesla Semi swag (catch-up)
On Oct. 1, Tesla’s shop added Semi gear: the Semi Wireframe, Instant Torque and Beast tees plus a Semi snapback. There’s nothing new at the SpaceX, xAI or Boring Company stores since the Oct. 2 Terafab hoodie and tee.
Coming up
The Paris Motor Show with Cybercab and Optimus runs Oct. 12–18. CRS-35, a cargo Dragon carrying the ISS’s final roll-out solar arrays, launches Oct. 13 at 5:33 a.m. CT. Then come the Tesla Roadster demo Oct. 15, Alberta’s referendum and Starship Flight 15 (no earlier than) Oct. 19, and Tesla’s Q3 earnings Oct. 21.
From Wednesday’s edition (context)
Wednesday’s edition led with Musk insisting Tesla and SpaceX, not TSMC, will build and run Terafab, plus SpaceX’s reported $40 billion Nvidia-chip debt and Tesla’s Powershare home backup for Model 3 and Y.