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Mars rover continues sleep as NASA captures new imagery of planet-engulfing dust storm

[Credit: European Space Agency/Flickr]

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While the massive dust storm currently enveloping Mars continues to force the 14-year-old Opportunity Rover into silence, NASA’s other Martian missions are watching the spectacle at the Red Planet’s surface unfold from a distance.

NASA’s Opportunity Rover was situated on the slopes of Perseverance Valley when it the dust storm hit last June. As the storm broke out, NASA decided to keep the rover’s arm deployed on its rock target, dubbed as La Joya. As of mid-June, the dust storm covered 15.8 million square miles (41 million square kilometers), and it was so intense that it became impossible for Opportunity to recharge its batteries through its solar panels. The last power reading from Opportunity was recorded on Sol 5111 (June 10, 2018), when the veteran rover collected a measly 22 Wh of solar energy from the Sun. Since then, Opportunity has been silent.

NASA believes that Opportunity has put itself in hibernation, with the rover shutting down all of its systems except its mission clock. In a later statement, Dr. James Rice, co-investigator and geology team leader on NASA projects including Opportunity, noted that the timing of the Martian dust storm could actually work in Opportunity’s favor. The current storm on the Red Planet formed during the Martian Spring, which would likely help keep the rover’s electronics from becoming too cold during nights. Earlier this month, NASA Mars Exploration Program director Jim Watzin stated that the massive dust storm was already peaking. Nevertheless, according to a statement from NASA officials last Wednesday, it could take a long time before the dust in the Red Planet’s air clears properly.

Before and after images of the Mars dust storm (Photo: NASA/JPL)

“Based on the longevity of a 2001 global storm, NASA scientists estimate it may be early September before the haze has cleared enough for Opportunity to power up and call home,” NASA officials wrote.

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As Opportunity’s team continues to wait for the dust to settle, other Martian missions are on overdrive studying the remarkable dust storm from a distance. The nuclear-powered Curiosity Rover, for one, is currently analyzing how the dust storm evolves over time from Mars’ surface. Ashwin Vasavada, a scientist from NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California, who currently works with the Curiosity mission, stated that they are working “double-duty.”

“We’re working double-duty right now. Our newly recommissioned drill is acquiring a fresh rock sample. But we are also using instruments to study how the dust storm evolves,” the scientist said.

From above, NASA’s orbiters are intently studying the storm. Researchers are now utilizing the THEMIS (Thermal Emission Imaging System) instrument aboard NASA’s Mars Odyssey to monitor the temperatures on the surface and the atmosphere on the planet. The orbiter is also studying the dust loads in the air. The Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO), which was the first orbiter to spot the storm last June, is tracking the evolution of the storm and how it affects the planet’s atmospheric pressures. Furthermore, the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution orbiter (MAVEN) is analyzing dust storm particles from higher up, right at the point where Mars’ air meets space. MAVEN’s analysis could potentially provide clues as to how Mars seemingly lost its once-thick atmosphere.

In a way, all the instruments pointed at the dust storm on Mars’ surface today are almost poetic. While Opportunity continues to fight for its survival in the darkness of the storm, its siblings, both on the ground and in orbit, are giving the impression that the 14-year veteran rover is not really alone.

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Elon Musk

Tesla’s next-gen Optimus prototype with Grok revealed

The video shows a new Optimus prototype answering questions and taking some very robotic steps, evidently revealing that the next-generation version is in its early stages of development.

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Tesla’s next-generation Optimus robot with AI assistant Grok has been revealed in a new video shared on X.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk was with Salesforce CEO Marc Benioff last night, and it appears the frontman gave Benioff an exclusive look at some upcoming technology.

Tesla talks Semi ramp, Optimus, Robotaxi rollout, FSD with Wall Street firm

The video shows a new Optimus prototype answering questions and taking some very robotic steps, evidently revealing that the next-generation version is in its early stages of development. It features Grok for some additional utility, as it answered questions Benioff asked in the short video.

Here’s what was uploaded to X:

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It appears that there are several big changes to this next-generation version of Optimus, some of which have been discussed by Musk and Tesla in the past.

The first is purely cosmetic, but the gold color that Optimus is wearing in this is a new and fresh look that we have not seen before.

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Perhaps the most interesting change that is evident here is the hands, which are much more detailed than past versions of Optimus:

However, we’re not too sure that these are what will be released with the next-gen Optimus, because they don’t appear to be functional, and they are more reminiscent of mannequin hands than anything.

The hands on Optimus have been a significant part of the program, as they are among the most crucial pieces of equipment on a robot. It needs to be able to perform both delicate and more imposing tasks. Tesla has aimed for Optimus to be able to thread needles or play the piano.

It was one of the most discussed improvements the company mentioned in past comments regarding how it planned to improve from Gen 2 to this next version.

Musk mentioned regarding Optimus:

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“Next-generation Optimus hand, which we have in prototype form, has actuators that have moved to the forearm, just like humans, and they operate the fingers through cables, just like human hands.”

Within Optimus lies a significant opportunity for Tesla to gain considerable strength in terms of market share and valuation.

If Tesla can efficiently develop and deploy the humanoid robot over the next several years, the company stands to gain, as companies will utilize it for tasks that require tedious labor.

Musk recently said Optimus will be a major contributor to Tesla’s valuation moving forward. He believes it will make up roughly 80 percent of the company’s value.

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Tesla CEO Elon Musk to provide more details for Master Plan Part IV

Musk stated that he would be adding specifics to the plan in a later update.

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Credit: xAI/X

Tesla CEO Elon Musk will be adding more specifics to the recently-released Master Plan Part IV. Musk shared the update on social media platform X amidst conversations about the general nature of the Master Plan Part IV. 

In a conversation on X, Musk responded to a post from Tesla retail shareholder and bull Dave Lee, who observed that the currently released Master Plan Part IV could really just be the introduction to the real plan due to its absence of specifics.

Elon Musk responded, stating that he would be adding specifics to the plan in a later update. “Fair enough. Will add more specifics,” Musk wrote in his post.

Tesla has been following Elon Musk’s Master Plans for decades. The first Master Plan, released in 2006, outlined the company’s path from the original Tesla Roadster to the Model 3, as well as the first steps for Tesla Energy. Master Plan Part Deux, released in 2016, covered the ramp of Tesla Energy, the expansion of Tesla’s vehicle lineup, and the rollout of a Robotaxi service.

Master Plan Part 3 was more ambitious as it was generally an in-depth proposal for achieving a global sustainable entry economy by transitioning to electricity-powered vehicles, homes, and industry, which will, in turn, be powered by renewable energy sources like solar and wind. Master Plan Part 3 also included a five-step plan to accomplish this, allowing the world to transition to a fully electrified future. 

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Master Plan Part IV, which was released a few days ago, focused on automation and artificial intelligence to achieve sustainable abundance. But while the first two Master Plans were very clear and specific and Master Plan Part 3 was very in-depth, Master Plan Part IV was quite general and vague in comparison. It was easy to tell that Optimus would play a big role in the pursuit of sustainable abundance, but apart from that, there were no specifics as to how Tesla intended to achieve its goals.

Fortunately, these specifics would be discussed by Musk in a later update to the plan.

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Tesla just had its best wholesale month this year in China

Tesla China’s wholesale figures include both vehicles that are sold domestically and exported abroad.

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Credit: Tesla China

Tesla China just had its best wholesale month this 2025 so far. In August, the electric vehicle maker sold 83,192 vehicles wholesale, a 22.55% increase compared to July 2025’s 67,886 units.

Tesla China’s wholesale figures are still down year-over-year, but the company’s momentum seems notable, especially with the arrival of the Model Y L.

August 2025 figures

As noted in a CNEV Post report, August 2025’s 83,192 wholesale figures are 4.04% less than the 86,697 units that were sold in the same period last year. It is, however, a 22.55% improvement from the previous month. From January to August, Tesla China sold 515,552 units wholesale, a 12.24% year-over-year decrease. 

It should be noted that Tesla China’s wholesale figures include both vehicles that are sold domestically and exported abroad. With this in mind, August’s results bode well for Tesla China, as it suggests that Gigafactory Shanghai is now hitting its pace with both its domestic deliveries and its exports. Giga Shanghai serves as Tesla’s primary vehicle export hub.

Model Y L factor

Tesla had a challenging first quarter this year, thanks in part to the changeover to the Model Y across the Fremont factory, Giga Texas, Giga Shanghai, and Giga Berlin-Brandenburg. This changeover resulted in low sales in the first quarter. Political controversies surrounding Elon Musk and violence against Tesla stores and vehicles in the first and second quarters in the United States and Europe did not help much either.

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This Q3, however, Tesla seems to be hitting its stride, especially in China. The launch of the new Model Y L has allowed Tesla to compete in the six-seat, large SUV segment, a market that was previously closed to the standard Model Y. Reports have suggested that Tesla China has been seeing a lot of demand for the Model Y L, which should help the company achieve higher sales this quarter and the remaining months of the year.

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