

News
NASA to livestream first Mars landing in six years on November 26 with InSight lander
On Monday, November 26, 2018, a Mars lander will arrive on the surface of the red planet for the first time in six years, and NASA will broadcast the event live on their TV channel and website. The craft’s name is “InSight”, and it’s scheduled to complete its journey begun May 5, 2018 on an Atlas V rocket by setting down onto Martian regolith at approximately 3 pm EST. A video stream of Mission Control at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California will be available where viewers can listen to live landing commentary. InSight’s descent itself will not have a video component; however, photographs of the craft while parachuting and shortly after landing may be transmitted.
Truly enjoyed the experience of my first AtlasV launch, and all the excitement surrounding this incredible mission! Rather surprised my remote cams survived AND managed to capture *anything* in that totally rude fog. 🙂 Here are a couple shots. @NASAInSight @ulalaunch pic.twitter.com/XEH4zBLWpu
— Pauline Acalin (@w00ki33) May 5, 2018
InSight’s name is short for “Interior Exploration using Seismic Investigations, Geodesy and Heat Transport”, and as the name implies, its mission is to collect seismographic data from the surface of Mars in order to gather information about the planet’s core. The lander has six instruments on board that will propogate seismic waves through Mars’s interior after hammering a probe about 10-16 feet into the ground, a process which will take about 2-3 months to complete. The vibrations measured at the surface will then be measured and interpreted to reveal details about its layers and, by extension, the early formation of both it and Earth.
Unlike a rocket launch where delays are always possible, you can safely mark your calendar for this event. NASA can’t change this date even if they wanted to thanks to the physics involved in the lander’s interplanetary flight. If you’re interested in celebrating InSight’s Martian arrival in a community setting, watch parties open to the public are planned at scientific facilities and libraries around the world.

InSight in a clean room at Vandenberg AFB in California. | Credit: Pauline Acalin
Viewers of the live streamed landing will hear updates from scientists as they track InSight’s journey from a fiery entry speed of 12,300 mph to a 5 mph landing speed. Drag against the craft’s heat shield, parachutes, and retrorockets will slow its descent. The mission’s scientists hope to receive an image of the Martian surface shortly after, but they’ve cautioned that the initial photos will likely be cloudy due to dust kicked up from the event.
InSight will land in Mars’s Elysium Planitia (“the biggest parking lot on Mars”), an area near the planet’s equator. Its closest Earth-sent neighbor, the Curiosity rover, will be 240 miles away, and twin rovers Spirit and Opportunity will be located 1,600 and 5,200 miles away, respectively. Once on the surface, InSight’s first steps will be to unpack and deploy its solar panels to ensure power for the rest of its instruments.
The solar panels will provide about 600-700 watts on a clear Martian day, 200-300 during dustier conditions. For more perspective on this power source, NASA’s press release likened its maximum wattage to the requirements of a household blender (500 watts). The amount of energy converted just falls short of running a coffee machine (1000 watts), but plenty to “wake up” the lander after sleep, even if not a human.
As a bonus for space fans, InSight did not set out on its interplanetary mission alone. Twin demonstration mini satellites named “Mars Cube One” (MarCO) launched with the lander and traveled separately to the planet. Along with having completed successful radio, antennae, steering, and propulsion tests during their journey, MarCo will test a new kind of data relay from Mars orbit during InSight’s descent to the surface. InSight will not depend on successful transmissions to and from MarCo to land.
MarCO also marks the first deep space mission for a type of tiny satellite called “CubeSats”, a class characterized by a small form factor and miniaturized technologies that are often commercial, off-the-shelf components. MarCO fits this category and each satellite is about the size of a briefcase. The significantly lower development and launch costs of CubeSats compared to larger satellites have already opened space science to students and limited budget commercial initiatives. The success of MarCO in the deep space environment will now potentially open up interplanetary exploration beyond government agencies to encompass more civilian initiatives.
Watch NASA’s video below to learn more about the lander:
News
Tesla posts Optimus’ most impressive video demonstration yet
The humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network.

When Elon Musk spoke with CNBC’s David Faber in an interview at Giga Texas, he reiterated the idea that Optimus will be one of Tesla’s biggest products. Seemingly to highlight the CEO’s point, the official Tesla Optimus account on social media platform X shared what could very well be the most impressive demonstration of the humanoid robot’s capabilities to date.
Optimus’ Newest Demonstration
In its recent video demonstration, the Tesla Optimus team featured the humanoid robot performing a variety of tasks. These include household chores such as throwing the trash, using a broom and a vacuum cleaner, tearing a paper towel, stirring a pot of food, opening a cabinet, and closing a curtain, among others. The video also featured Optimus picking up a Model X fore link and placing it on a dolly.
What was most notable in the Tesla Optimus team’s demonstration was the fact that the humanoid robot was able to complete all the tasks through a single neural network. The robot’s actions were also learned directly from Optimus being fed data from first-person videos of humans performing similar tasks. This system should pave the way for Optimus to learn and refine new skills quickly and reliably.
Tesla VP for Optimus Shares Insight
In a follow-up post on X, Tesla Vice President of Optimus (Tesla Bot) Milan Kovac stated that one of the team’s goals is to have Optimus learn straight from internet videos of humans performing tasks, including footage captured in third person or by random cameras.
“We recently had a significant breakthrough along that journey, and can now transfer a big chunk of the learning directly from human videos to the bots (1st person views for now). This allows us to bootstrap new tasks much faster compared to teleoperated bot data alone (heavier operationally).
“Many new skills are emerging through this process, are called for via natural language (voice/text), and are run by a single neural network on the bot (multi-tasking). Next: expand to 3rd person video transfer (aka random internet), and push reliability via self-play (RL) in the real-, and/or synthetic- (sim / world models) world,” Kovac wrote in his post on X.
News
Starship Flight 9 nears as SpaceX’s Starbase becomes a Texan City
SpaceX’s launch site is officially incorporated as Starbase, TX. Starship Flight 9 could launch on May 27, 2025.

SpaceX’s Starbase is officially incorporated as a city in Texas, aligning with preparations for Starship Flight 9. The newly formed city in Cameron County serves as the heart of SpaceX’s Starship program.
Starbase City spans 1.5 square miles, encompassing SpaceX’s launch facility and company-owned land. A near-unanimous vote by residents, who were mostly SpaceX employees, led to its incorporation. SpaceX’s Vice President of Test and Launch, Bobby Peden, was elected mayor of Starbase. The new Texas city also has two SpaceX employees as commissioners. All Starbase officials will serve two-year terms unless extended to four by voters.
As the new city takes shape, SpaceX is preparing for the Starship Flight 9 launch, which is tentatively scheduled for May 27, 2025, at 6:30 PM CDT from Starbase, Texas.
SpaceX secured Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) approval for up to 25 annual Starship and Super Heavy launches from the site. However, the FAA emphasized that “there are other licensing requirements still to be completed,” including policy, safety, and environmental reviews.
On May 15, the FAA noted SpaceX updated its launch license for Flight 9, but added: “SpaceX may not launch until the FAA either closes the Starship Flight 8 mishap investigation or makes a return to flight determination. The FAA is reviewing the mishap report SpaceX submitted on May 14.”
Proposed Texas legislation could empower Starbase officials to close local highways and restrict Boca Chica Beach access during launches. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Jr., opposes the Texas legislation, insisting beach access remain under county control. This tension highlights the balance between SpaceX’s ambitions and local interests.
Starbase’s incorporation strengthens SpaceX’s operational base as it gears up for Starship Flight 9, a critical step in its mission to revolutionize space travel. With growing infrastructure and regulatory hurdles in focus, Starbase is poised to become a cornerstone of SpaceX’s vision, blending community development with cutting-edge aerospace innovation.
News
The Boring Company accelerates Vegas Loop expansion plans
The Boring Company clears fire safety delays, paving the way to accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion plans.

After overcoming fire safety hurdles, the Boring Company is accelerating its Vegas Loop expansion. The project’s progress signals a transformative boost for Sin City’s transportation and tourism.
Elon Musk’s tunneling company, along with The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) and Clark County, resolved fire safety concerns that delayed new stations.
“It’s new. It’s taken a little time to figure out what the standard should be,” said Steve Hill, LVCVA President and CEO, during last week’s board meeting. “We’ve gotten there. We’re excited about that. We’re ready to expand further, faster, than we have.”
Last month, the company submitted permits for tunnel extensions connecting Encore to a parcel of land owned by Wynn and Caesars Palace. The three tunnels are valued at $600,000 based on country records.
Plans for a Tropicana Loop are also advancing, linking UNLV to MGM Grand, T-Mobile Arena, Allegiant Stadium, Mandalay Bay, and the upcoming Athletics’ ballpark. Downtown extensions from the convention center to the Strat, Fremont Street Experience, and Circa’s Garage Mahal are also in the permitting process.
“Those are all in process,” Hill noted. “We’ve got machines that are available to be put in the ground. I think we’ve reached a framework for how these projects are going to work and how they’ll be permitted from a safety standpoint, as well as a building standpoint.”
The Boring Company has six boring machines, with three currently active in Las Vegas. Last week, TBC announced that it successfully mined continuously in a Zero-People-in-Tunnel (ZPIT) configuration, enabling it to build more tunnels faster, safer, and at a more affordable rate.
Tunneling under Paradise Road is underway as The Boring Company works on the University Center Loop. The University Center Loop is expected to connect to the Las Vegas Convention Center within two months, linking to the Westgate tunnel. The full Vegas Loop will span 104 stations and 68 miles. Even though The Boring Company’s tunnel network in Las Vegas isn’t nearly finished, it has already become a key attraction in the city.
“It’s such a great attraction for shows that are looking at this building (convention center) and we’re going to be connected to everybody in town,” Hill said. “It’s a real difference-maker.”
A few Vegas Loop stations are already operational, including those connected to Resorts World, Westgate, Encore, and all the Las Vegas Convention Center Loop stations. The Downtown Loop, which connects to the downtown area, and the Riviera Station, the hub that leads to Resorts World with Westgate destinations, are also operational.
As The Boring Company accelerates the Vegas Loop, its tunnels are poised to redefine mobility and tourism in Las Vegas, blending cutting-edge technology with practical urban solutions.
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla Cybertruck Range Extender gets canceled
-
Elon Musk6 days ago
Tesla seems to have fixed one of Full Self-Driving’s most annoying features
-
Lifestyle2 weeks ago
Anti-Elon Musk group crushes Tesla Model 3 with Sherman tank–with unexpected results
-
News2 weeks ago
Starlink to launch on United Airlines planes by May 15
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla Semi gets new adoptee in latest sighting
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla launches its most inexpensive trim of new Model Y
-
News2 weeks ago
US’ base Tesla Model Y has an edge vs Shanghai and Berlin’s entry-level Model Ys
-
News2 weeks ago
Tesla Cybertruck owners get amazing year-long freebie