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Time Is Money

Aug 21, 2024 • 4 min read

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Waymo Robotaxi Rides
SpaceX Launches

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Waymo Robotaxi Rides:

Waymo announced on Tuesday that it is now providing over 100,000 paid robotaxi rides weekly across Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Phoenix, its three primary markets. This milestone, shared by Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana on social media platform X, represents a significant increase from previous figures. Earlier this year, Alphabet and Google CEO Sundar Pichai mentioned during the company's earnings call that Waymo was delivering well over 50,000 paid rides per week, a number also highlighted in a June blog post by the company.
Waymo has achieved this growth with a fleet of fully autonomous and electric Jaguar I-Pace vehicles, though specific fleet numbers are not disclosed. However, a Freedom of Information Act request to the California Department of Revenue revealed that Waymo has 778 robotaxis registered under its deployment permit in California. It remains unclear how many of these vehicles are also operating in Phoenix, where Waymo has maintained a strong presence for several years.
The expansion of Waymo's robotaxi service in these key markets reflects the broader trend toward autonomous taxis, which are increasingly being seen as a viable and scalable solution for urban transportation. As these services expand, they offer the promise of reducing traffic congestion, lowering emissions, and providing more efficient and accessible transportation options. However, the industry still faces challenges, including regulatory hurdles, public trust, and the technical complexities of operating fully autonomous vehicles in diverse environments.

SpaceX Launches:

On August 20, 2024, SpaceX conducted a successful launch of a Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station in Florida. This mission, which took place yesterday as part of the Starlink Group 10-5, placed 22 Starlink satellites into orbit, further contributing to the expansion of SpaceX's satellite internet network. A key aspect of this launch was the use of a new Falcon 9 booster, which completed a successful landing on the drone ship "A Shortfall of Gravitas" in the Atlantic Ocean. This mission is part of SpaceX's ongoing efforts to enhance the coverage and capacity of its Starlink constellation, which is designed to provide global broadband service.
In the coming days, SpaceX has additional launches scheduled. On August 23, 2024, another Falcon 9 rocket is set to launch from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California, deploying more Starlink satellites as part of the Group 9-5 mission. Following that, on August 24, another launch from Cape Canaveral will continue the deployment of Starlink satellites under the Group 8-6 mission. One of the most anticipated upcoming missions is Polaris Dawn, scheduled for August 26, 2024, from Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
This mission will involve a five-day orbital flight in a high-altitude polar orbit, allowing the spacecraft to pass over the Earth's poles, thus providing extensive coverage of the planet's surface. The mission is notable for planning the first-ever commercial spacewalk and for testing the crew's exposure to higher levels of space radiation—an important consideration for future long-duration space missions, such as those to the Moon or Mars. These launches underscore SpaceX's dual objectives of expanding its satellite internet services while advancing human spaceflight capabilities.

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