News
Elon Musk’s Reddit AMA: Mars mission, upgrades to Falcon 9 and more
Yesterday, Elon Musk oh-so-kindly reached out on reddit to curious minds in an “Ask Me Anything” (AMA) session as a follow up to his September 27, 2016 talk at the 67th International Astronautical Congress in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Thousands of questions were put forth by AMA contributors, and he provided 15 answers in true, Elon fashion. By that I mean taking fairly complicated questions and answering them in ways that make the original questions more understandable for the layperson (layperson = me). Also, one word responses to two-paragraph long questions.
This will be under /r/spacex, not the general AMA. Meant to be supplemental to the IAC talk.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) October 23, 2016
General Outline of AMA Topics
Elon couldn’t put every inquiry to rest, but he did provide some interesting things to chew over. The audience, of course, actively participated every step of the way. Among the topics, there was…
- Discussion on the types of power to be used for energy in the initial base of operations on Mars: Bets were on solar, doubts were on nuclear, and Elon seemed to play the methane card by referencing the Sabatier Reaction;
- A clarification on upgrades to the Falcon 9, including a new naming scheme that doesn’t exactly coincide with the current semi-scheme;
- A broad outline of steps planned for setting up the initial Martian base, Elon referring to it as “Mars Base Alpha”;
- Discussion on the technical clarifications, details, and priorities for actualizing the missions, including perhaps even changing the name of the rocket…again.
Oh and sadly, no details on any fantastic spray parks or coffee bars in the crew cabin. We’ll have to wait a “year or two” before knowing what’s actually going to go inside the thing. He did mention geodesic domes and underground tunnels for “city” considerations, though!
Top Takeaways (IMO)
While Elon’s remarks definitely set some mental wheels in motion, these were my top takeaways:
- Elon believes that the final Falcon 9 booster will be able to be reused indefinitely, production on that version to start in about three months;
- Early Mars missions will be cargo-centric, twelve-passenger crews assumed;
- The transport system booster should be able to withstand 30 to 50 g’s without breaking up (20 being the usual expected amount);
- SpaceX will release mockups of the Mars spacecraft interior “in a year or two”;
- The transport system booster will have an easier time landing than Falcon 9 due to mass ratio and density differences.
[Author’s note: It is going to be insane to watch those boosters land. Can you imagine the Saturn V landing itself? Wowza.]
Of course, my favorite part of reddit (no, really) is the humor. Here are a couple of funnies from this thread:
Final Words
Just a note of sympathy to anyone who’s ever felt a little overwhelmed by the technical knowledge discussions on the SpaceX subreddit (ahem, moi): I view it as akin to thinking you are a pretty knowledgeable cook and then watch an episode of Julia Child’s “The French Chef”. Just because you don’t know 182 ways to cook an egg doesn’t mean you’re not informed about cooking eggs nor are you disqualified from enjoying them. Some people just really really like knowing everything about eggs and can really get you thinking about eggs as multiple organ systems-turned gourmet meals instead of just the side that comes with your toast and home fries.
Onwards!
News
Tesla begins Grok AI chatbot rollout to Australia and New Zealand fleet
The update follows earlier deployments in the United States and Europe.
Tesla has rolled out its Grok AI assistant to Australia and New Zealand, embedding the conversational chatbot directly into compatible vehicles via an over-the-air update.
The system, developed by Elon Musk’s xAI, is now live on select models, giving drivers access to a voice-based assistant that goes well beyond traditional command-driven controls.
The update follows earlier deployments in the United States and Europe.
Tesla Australia confirmed Grok is available on Model S, Model 3, Model X and Model Y vehicles equipped with an AMD processor and running software version 2025.26 or later.
“Grok is coming to Teslas in Australia and New Zealand. It can answer almost any question using real-time information & also add/edit navigation destinations to become your personal guide. Phased rollout has now begun to eligible vehicles,” Tesla Australia and New Zealand wrote in a post on its official X account.
Drivers can activate Grok using the steering wheel controls once the update is installed. Access requires either a Premium Connectivity subscription or a stable Wi-Fi connection.
Unlike conventional in-car voice assistants that rely on fixed prompts, Grok is designed to respond conversationally. It can adjust navigation mid-trip, locate nearby points of interest, explain dashboard warnings, provide driving guidance and reference the owner’s manual.
Tesla noted that interactions with Grok are processed by xAI and remain anonymous to Tesla, adding that conversations are not linked to a specific driver or vehicle.
Grok has attracted attention overseas for offering multiple interaction modes. In the U.S., users can select personalities such as Assistant, Language Tutor, Therapist, Storyteller and Meditation. Additional optional modes for adult users include settings labeled Unhinged, Motivation, Argumentative, Romantic and even Sexy.
Viral clips shared online have shown Grok adopting sarcastic or playful tones that differ from more neutral digital assistants, with the AI assistant typically catching drivers off-guard with its sharp personality and wit.
News
Ford is charging for a basic EV feature on the Mustang Mach-E
When ordering a new Ford Mustang Mach-E, you’ll now be hit with an additional fee for one basic EV feature: the frunk.
Ford is charging an additional fee for a basic EV feature on its Mustang Mach-E, its most popular electric vehicle offering.
Ford has shuttered its initial Model e program, but is venturing into a more controlled and refined effort, and it is abandoning the F-150 Lightning in favor of a new pickup that is currently under design, but appears to have some favorable features.
However, ordering a new Mustang Mach-E now comes with an additional fee for one basic EV feature: the frunk.
The frunk is the front trunk, and due to the lack of a large engine in the front of an electric vehicle, OEMs are able to offer additional storage space under the hood. There’s one problem, though, and that is that companies appear to be recognizing that they can remove it for free while offering the function for a fee.
Ford is now charging $495 on the Mustang Mach-E frunk (front trunk). What are your thoughts on that? pic.twitter.com/EOzZe3z9ZQ
— Alan of TesCalendar 📆⚡️ (@TesCalendar1) February 24, 2026
Ford is charging $495 for the frunk.
Interestingly, the frunk size varies by vehicle, but the Mustang Mach-E features a 4.7 to 4.8 cubic-foot-sized frunk, which measures approximately 9 inches deep, 26 inches wide, and 14 inches high.
When the vehicle was first released, Ford marketed the frunk as the ultimate tailgating feature, showing it off as a perfect place to store and serve cold shrimp cocktail.
Ford Mach-E frunk is perfect for chowders and chicken wings, and we’re not even joking
It appears the decision to charge for what is a simple advantage of an EV is not going over well, as even Ford loyal customers say the frunk is a “basic expectation” of an EV. Without it, it seems as if fans feel the company is nickel-and-diming its customers.
It will be pretty interesting to see the Mach-E without a frunk, and while it should not be enough to turn people away from potentially buying the vehicle, it seems the decision to add an additional charge to include one will definitely annoy some customers.
News
Tesla to improve one of its best features, coding shows
According to the update, Tesla will work on improving the headlights when coming into contact with highly reflective objects, including road signs, traffic signs, and street lights. Additionally, pixel-level dimming will happen in two stages, whereas it currently performs with just one, meaning on or off.
Tesla is looking to upgrade its Matrix Headlights, a unique and high-tech feature that is available on several of its vehicles. The headlights aim to maximize visibility for Tesla drivers while being considerate of oncoming traffic.
The Matrix Headlights Tesla offers utilize dimming of individual light pixels to ensure that visibility stays high for those behind the wheel, while also being considerate of other cars by decreasing the brightness in areas where other cars are traveling.
Here’s what they look like in action:
-
- Credit: u/ObjectiveScratch | Reddit
-
- Credit: u/ObjectiveScratch | Reddit
As you can see, the Matrix headlight system intentionally dims the area where oncoming cars would be impacted by high beams. This keeps visibility at a maximum for everyone on the road, including those who could be hit with bright lights in their eyes.
There are still a handful of complaints from owners, however, but Tesla appears to be looking to resolve these with the coming updates in a Software Version that is currently labeled 2026.2.xxx. The coding was spotted by X user BERKANT:
🚨 Tesla is quietly upgrading Matrix headlights.
Software https://t.co/pXEklQiXSq reveals a hidden feature:
matrix_two_stage_reflection_dip
This is a major step beyond current adaptive high beams.
What it means:
• The car detects highly reflective objects
Road signs,… pic.twitter.com/m5UpQJFA2n— BERKANT (@Tesla_NL_TR) February 24, 2026
According to the update, Tesla will work on improving the headlights when coming into contact with highly reflective objects, including road signs, traffic signs, and street lights. Additionally, pixel-level dimming will happen in two stages, whereas it currently performs with just one, meaning on or off.
Finally, the new system will prevent the high beams from glaring back at the driver. The system is made to dim when it recognizes oncoming cars, but not necessarily objects that could produce glaring issues back at the driver.
Tesla’s revolutionary Matrix headlights are coming to the U.S.
This upgrade is software-focused, so there will not need to be any physical changes or upgrades made to Tesla vehicles that utilize the Matrix headlights currently.
Tesla begins Grok AI chatbot rollout to Australia and New Zealand fleet
Ford is charging for a basic EV feature on the Mustang Mach-E
