News
China completes test flight of new spacecraft that resembles SpaceX Crew Dragon
China’s new uncrewed spacecraft successfully landed back on Earth on Friday, May 8, following a three-day mission. It touched down intact with the help of a trio of parachutes, making landfall in the Chinese desert at 1:49 a.m. ET (0549 UTC). The Chinese space agency released photos soon after that showed a spacecraft resembling a toasty marshmallow.
If you think have you deja vu while looking at this image, you’re not wrong. The new Chinese spacecraft resembles another spacecraft that is soon to carry its first crew of astronauts into space. That’s right; it looks similar to SpaceX’s Dragon capsule.
The mission is one of the first steps the Chinese are taking to prepare for future lunar missions. The spacecraft launched atop a Long March 5B — China’s most powerful rocket. During the test, the spacecraft soared to an altitude of nearly 5,000 miles above the Earth. The trial, which was similar to the initial flight test of Orion that NASA completed in late 2014, was heralded as a success.
China has not revealed any detailed plans for its deep space ambitions, but we do have a rough idea of what the country and its space program hope to achieve. With the help of the Long March 5B, China aims to build its space station in low-Earth orbit sometime in the new few years.
It’s been rumored that this new spacecraft will probably play some sort of role in the development and maintenance of this future space station.
-->China also has big plans for the moon and even Mars. The China Aerospace and Technology Corp is building an even larger Dragon-like spacecraft that could one day transport taikonauts (Chinese astronauts) to the moon. Chinese officials have expressed their desires to build a lunar outpost in the future as well as eventually send humans on to Mars.
The country made history in 2019 when it became the first to land a rover on the far side of the moon. Ever since the Chang’e 4 lander along with its Yutu 2 rover have been beaming back incredible photos of the lunar surface as well as taking scientific measurements.
But China’s lunar plans do not stop there. Although specific details and dates are scarce, the country has mentioned the notion of lunar landing sometime in the 2030s.
If all goes as planned, this summer, NASA will not be the only space agency sending a rover to Mars. The UAE also has plans to send a spacecraft to the red planet. The Hope spacecraft will launch from Japan this summer and spend two years studying the Martian atmosphere.
NASA’s Perseverance Mars rover will also launch in July and is expected to touch down on the red planet’s surface in Feb. 2021,it a region is known as Jezero Crater. Once it arrives, it will search for signs of past life, while collecting samples of Martian rock and soil to send back to Earth at a later time.
China is also expected to launch a spacecraft to Mars this summer. The Chinese space agency recently revealed that this mission would be called “Tianwen 1,” which means the quest for heavenly truth. To date, only the U.S. and the former Soviet Union have landed spacecraft on Mars. However, both the European Space Agency and the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) have operational spacecraft orbiting the red planet.
The Chinese spacecraft will consist of three parts: an orbiter, a stationary lander, and a six-wheeled rover. Together the trio will study the Martian atmosphere, analyze the regolith and rocks, as well as try to better understand the Martian environment as a whole.
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News
Tesla’s new Holiday perk is timed perfectly to make FSD a household name
Tesla AI4 owners get FSD (Supervised) through Christmas, New Year’s Eve and well into the post-holiday travel season.
Tesla quietly rolled out a free Full Self-Driving (Supervised) trial for roughly 1.5 million HW4 owners in North America who never bought the package, and the timing could very well be genius.
As it turns out, the trial doesn’t end after 30 days. Instead, it expires January 8, 2026, meaning owners get FSD (Supervised) through Christmas, New Year’s Eve and well into the post-holiday travel season. This extended window positions the feature for maximum word-of-mouth exposure.
A clever holiday gift
Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt first spotted the detail after multiple owners shared screenshots showing the trial expiring on January 8. He confirmed with affected users that none had active FSD subscriptions before the rollout. He also observed that Tesla never called the promotion a “30-day trial,” as the in-car message simply reads “You’re Getting FSD (Supervised) For the Holidays,” which technically runs until after the new year.
The roughly 40-day period covers peak family travel and gatherings, giving owners ample opportunity to showcase the latest FSD V14’s capabilities on highway trips, crowded parking lots and neighborhood drives. With relatives riding along, hands-off highway driving and automatic lane changes could become instant conversation starters.
Rave reviews for FSD V14 highlight demo potential
FSD has been receiving positive reviews from users as of late. Following the release of FSD v14.2.1, numerous owners praised the update for its smoothness and reliability. Tesla owner @LactoseLunatic called it a “huge leap forward from version 14.1.4,” praising extreme smoothness, snappy lane changes and assertive yet safe behavior that allows relaxed monitoring.
-->Another Tesla owner, @DevinOlsenn, drove 600 km without disengagements, noting his wife now defaults to FSD for daily use due to its refined feel. Sawyer Merritt also tested FSD V14.2.1 in snow on unplowed New Hampshire roads, and the system stayed extra cautious without hesitation. Longtime FSD tester Chuck Cook highlighted improved sign recognition in school zones, showing better dynamic awareness. These reports of fewer interventions and a more “sentient” drive could turn family passengers into advocates, fueling subscriptions come January.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk predicts AI and robotics could make work “optional” within 20 years
Speaking on entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, Musk predicted that machines will soon handle most forms of labor, leaving humans to work only if they choose to.
Elon Musk stated that rapid advances in artificial intelligence and robotics could make traditional work unnecessary within two decades.
Speaking on entrepreneur Nikhil Kamath’s podcast, Musk predicted that machines will soon handle most forms of labor, leaving humans to work only if they choose to.
Work as a “hobby”
During the discussion, Musk said the accelerating capability of AI systems and general-purpose robots will eventually cover all essential tasks, making human labor a choice rather than an economic requirement. “In less than 20 years, working will be optional. Working at all will be optional. Like a hobby,” Musk said.
When Kamath asked whether this future is driven by massive productivity growth, Musk agreed, noting that people will still be free to work if they enjoy the routine or the challenge. He compared future employment to home gardening, as it is something people can still do for personal satisfaction even if buying food from a store is far easier.
“Optional” work in the future
Elon Musk acknowledged the boldness of his claim and joked that people might look back in 20 years and say he was wrong. That being said, the CEO noted that such a scenario could even happen sooner than his prediction, at least if one were to consider the pace of the advancements in AI and robotics.
-->“Obviously people can play this back in 20 years and say, ‘Look, Elon made this ridiculous prediction and it’s not true,’ but I think it will turn out to be true, that in less than 20 years, maybe even as little as ten or 15 years, the advancements in AI and robotics will bring us to the point where working is optional,” Musk said.
Elon Musk’s comments echo his previous sentiments at Tesla’s 2025 Annual Shareholder Meeting, where he noted that Optimus could ultimately eliminate poverty. He also noted that robots like Optimus could eventually provide people worldwide with the best medical care.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk reiterates why Tesla will never make an electric motorcycle
Tesla CEO Elon Musk preemptively shut down speculations about a Tesla road bike once more.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk preemptively shut down speculations about a Tesla road bike once more, highlighting that the electric vehicle maker has no plans to enter the electric motorcycle market.
Musk posted his clarification in a post on X.
Musk’s reply to a fun AI video
X user @Moandbhr posted an AI video featuring the Tesla CEO on the social media platform, captioning it with “Mr. Elon Musk Just Revealed the Game-Changing Tesla Motorcycle.” The short clip depicted Musk approaching a sleek, single-wheeled vehicle, stepping onto it, and gliding off into the distance amid cheers. The fun video received a lot of traction on X, gaining 3.1 million views as of writing.
Musk replied to the post, stating that a Tesla motorcycle is not going to happen. “Never happening, as we can’t make motorcycles safe. For Community Notes, my near death experience was on a road bike. Dirt bikes are safe if you ride carefully, as you can’t be smashed by a truck,” Musk wrote in his reply.
Musk’s Past Comments on Two-Wheelers
Musk also detailed his reservations about motorcycles in a December 2019 X post while responding to questions about Tesla’s potential ATV. At the time, he responded positively to an electric ATV, though he also opposed the idea of a Tesla road-going motorcycle. Musk did state that electric dirt bikes might be cool, since they do not operate in areas where large vehicles like Class 8 trucks are present.
-->“Electric dirt bikes would be cool too. We won’t do road bikes, as too dangerous. I was hit by a truck & almost died on one when I was 17,” Musk wrote in his post.
Considering Musk’s comments about dirt bikes, however, perhaps Tesla would eventually offer a road bike as a recreational vehicle. Such a two-wheeler would be a good fit for the Cybertruck, as well as future products like the Robovan, which could be converted into an RV.
Tesla’s new Holiday perk is timed perfectly to make FSD a household name
Elon Musk predicts AI and robotics could make work “optional” within 20 years
