

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.
News
NHTSA probes 2.9 million Tesla vehicles over reports of FSD traffic violations
The agency said FSD may have “induced vehicle behavior that violated traffic safety laws.”

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into nearly 2.9 million Tesla vehicles over potential traffic-safety violations linked to the use of the company’s Full Self-Driving (FSD) system.
The agency said FSD may have “induced vehicle behavior that violated traffic safety laws,” citing reports of Teslas running red lights or traveling in the wrong direction during lane changes.
As per the NHTSA, it has six reports in which a Tesla with FSD engaged “approached an intersection with a red traffic signal, continued to travel into the intersection against the red light and was subsequently involved in a crash with other motor vehicles in the intersection.” Four of these crashes reportedly resulted in one or more major injuries.
The agency also listed 18 complaints and one media report which alleged that a Tesla operating with FSD engaged “failed to remain stopped for the duration of a red traffic signal, failed to stop fully, or failed to accurately detect and display the correct traffic signal state in the vehicle interface.”
Some complainants also alleged that FSD “did not provide warnings of the system’s intended behavior as the vehicle was approaching a red traffic signal,” as noted in a Reuters report.
Tesla has not commented on the investigation, which remains in the preliminary phase. However, any potential recall could prove complicated since the reported incidents likely involved the use of older FSD (Supervised) versions that have already been updated.
Tesla’s recent FSD (Supervised) V14.1 update, which is currently rolling out to drivers, is expected to feature significantly improved lane management, intersection handling, and overall driving accuracy, reducing the chances of similar violations. It should also be noted that Tesla maintains that FSD is a supervised system for now, and thus, is not autonomous yet.
While autonomous systems face scrutiny, NHTSA’s own data highlights a much larger danger on the road from human error. The agency recorded 3,275 deaths in 2023 caused by distracted driving due to activities like texting, talking, or adjusting navigation while operating a vehicle manually. It is also widely believed that a good number of traffic violations are unreported due to their frequency and ubiquity.
News
Tesla quietly files for Model Y+ in China, and its range numbers could be wild
The upcoming variant was listed in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s (MIIT) public catalog.

Tesla has filed for regulatory approval of a new Model Y+ in China, hinting at a long-range update to its best-selling crossover SUV.
The upcoming variant was listed in the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology’s (MIIT) public catalog.
Mirroring Model 3+ Range
Based on the MIIT’s catalog, the Model Y+ will feature a 225 kW/302 horsepower single-motor setup. It will also feature ternary LG Energy Solution batteries, similar to the long-range Model 3+, which was launched earlier this year. The vehicle is expected to offer around 800 kilometers of CLTC range, potentially making it the longest range Model Y in Tesla China’s lineup.
The new Model Y+, identified under model number TSL6480BEVBR0, retains the same five-seat configuration and dimensions as the current Model Y. Though Tesla has not yet confirmed official range figures, industry observers expect it to be quite similar to the Model 3+’s 830-kilometer CLTC performance, as noted in a CNEV Post report.
Intensifying Competition
Tesla’s filing comes amid intensifying domestic competition in China. The U.S. EV maker sold 57,152 vehicles in August, down nearly 10% year-on-year, though up almost 41% from July’s 40,617 units, as noted by data from the China Passenger Car Association (CPCA). Still, the Model Y+ could help Tesla regain traction against strong local players by offering class-leading range and improved efficiency, two factors that have become a trademark of the electric vehicle maker in China.
Tesla’s experience with the Model 3+, which received a RMB 10,000 price cut within a month of launch, suggests that raw range numbers alone may not guarantee stronger sales. With this in mind, the rollout of features such as FSD could prove beneficial in boosting the company’s sales in the country.
Elon Musk
‘I don’t understand TSLAQ:’ notable investor backs Tesla, Elon Musk

One notable investor that many people will recognize said today on X that he does not understand Tesla shorts, otherwise known as $TSLAQ, and he’s giving some interesting reasons.
Martin Shkreli was long known as “Pharmabro.” For years, he was known as the guy who bought the rights to a drug called Daraprim, hiked the prices, and spent a few years in Federal prison for securities fraud and conspiracy.
Shkreli is now an investor who co-founded several hedge funds, including Elea Capital, MSMB Capital Management, and MSMB Healthcare. He is also known for his frank, blunt, and straightforward responses on X.
His LinkedIn currently shows he is the Co-Founder of DL Software Inc.
One of his most recent posts on X criticized those who choose to short Tesla stock, stating he does not understand their perspective. He gave a list of reasons, which I’ll link here, as they’re not necessarily PG. I’ll list a few:
- Fundamentals always have and will always matter
- TSLAQ was beaten by Tesla because it’s “a great company with great management,” and they made a mistake “by betting against Elon.”
- When Shkreli shorts stocks, he is “shorting FRAUDS and pipe dreams”
After Shkreli continued to question the idea behind shorting Tesla, he continued as he pondered the mentality behind those who choose to bet against the stock:
“I don’t understand ‘TSLAQ.’ Guy is the richest man in the world. He won. It’s over. He’s more successful with his 2nd, 3rd, and 4th largest companies than you will ever be, x100.
You can admit you are wrong, it’s just a feeling which will dissipate with time, trust me.”
i dont understand “$TSLAQ”. guy is the richest man in the world. he won. it’s over. he’s more successful with his 2nd, 3rd and 4th largest companies than you will ever be, x100.
you can admit you are wrong, it’s just a feeling which will dissipate with time, trust me. https://t.co/dkqrISCldp
— Martin Shkreli (@MartinShkreli) October 8, 2025
According to reports from both Fortune and Business Insider, Tesla short sellers have lost a cumulative $64.5 billion since Tesla’s IPO in 2010.
Shorts did accumulate a temporary profit of $16.2 billion earlier this year.
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