The SpaceX and Tesla CEO had a busy year in his quests to get to Mars and develop electric cars.
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🎵On the 12th day of Musk’s year ...
🎵we covered in Musk Reads...
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🎵 11 — 11.0 Tesla Software 🎵
In November 2020, Musk teased the company’s “holiday software release is 🔥🔥 […] So many things you want & some you didn’t know you wanted.” Tesla's software updates have gradually added more entertainment features.
Neuralink
🎵10 — More than 10 electrodes 🎵
Neuralink, a firm that Musk co-founded with the goal of linking up brains to computers, unveiled its latest research in August.
Existing linkup devices, the firm explains, have less than 10 electrodes. The “Link,” as demonstrated on a pig called Gertrude, will offer 1,024 information channels.
Tesla
🎵9 — Under nine seconds 🎵
Tesla unveiled the Model S Plaid at its September Battery Day event. The car can race a quarter-mile in under 9 seconds. Tesla calls it the "quickest 0-60 mph and quarter-mile acceleration of any production car ever."
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🎵 8 — Eight cameras driving 🎵
Tesla rolled out the first beta of its full self-driving software in October, which uses eight cameras to drive. Musk said in December he's “extremely confident” the company will be able to release the software next year.
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🎵 7 — Seven Falcon 9 landings 🎵
This year, SpaceX landed two different boosters after their seventh launches. The feat helps reduce the cost of spaceflight.
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🎵 6 — Six people in space 🎵
SpaceX launched its first humans into space this year. The first two were Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley on May 30, while a further four launched on November 15. SpaceX's long-term goal is to send enough humans to Mars to establish a city.
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🎵 5 — 500,000 cars per year 🎵
Work started this year on Giga Berlin, expected to produce 500,000 Model 3 and Model Y vehicles for the European market when completed.
Tesla
🎵 4 — 4680 batteries 🎵
Tesla unveiled its advanced new "4680" battery cells in September.
Not sure what to make of it all? Read our Musk Reads+ interview earlier this month with YouTube host Jordan Giesige from “The Limiting Factor.”
SpaceX
🎵 3 — Three Raptors firing 🎵
SpaceX successfully launched its "SN8" prototype to a height of 12.5 kilometers, or 41,000 feet. The ship used three Raptor engines to make its ascent, but the final vehicle will pack six in the ship and 28 on its booster.
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🎵2 — Second richest person 🎵
As Tesla stock soared over the past 12 months, Musk was elevated to the second-richest person in the world behind Jeff Bezos. Bloomberg lists Musk’s net worth at just over $150 billion.
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