News
Relativity Space’s first 3D-printed rocket booster passes early tests
Relativity Space CEO Tim Ellis says that the startup’s first 3D-printed ‘Terran-1’ rocket booster has already completed a few significant tests after arriving at its Florida launch pad last month.
Terran-1 is an expendable two-stage launch vehicle that, when assembled for the first time, will measure around 33 meters (110 ft) tall, 2.3 meters (7.5 ft) wide, and weigh 9.3 tons (~20,500 lb) empty. Fueled by liquid oxygen and methane (methalox) and powered by nine small Aeon engines, the first Terran booster will produce around 90 tons (~200,000 lbf) of thrust at liftoff. Altogether, the rocket is designed to initially launch up to 1.25 tons (~2750 lb) to low Earth orbit, with plans to expand to 1.5 tons (~3300 lb) in the future. SpaceX’s Falcon 9, for context, measures 3.7 meters (12 ft) wide, 70 meters (~230 ft) tall, likely weighs around 30 tons (~65,000 lb) dry, and can launch 22.8 tons (~50,250 lb) to LEO in an expendable configuration. A single one of its nine Merlin 1D booster engines produces about as much thrust as the entire first stage of Terran-1.
While tiny in comparison, Terran-1’s booster is still a relatively large and powerful rocket, and testing it poses significant challenges. Instead of building a custom test stand elsewhere, Relativity has chosen to conduct almost all first-stage qualification testing at its Cape Canaveral Space Force Station (CCSFS) LC-16 pad.
That plan increases the risk of the rocket damaging Relativity’s only available launch pad, significantly delaying launch preparations, but it also has the potential to save time by doubling as a launch pad shakedown. Aside from basic concrete features and foundations, LC-16 was essentially a blank slate when Relativity arrived, so qualifying the pad – virtually all of which is new and recently installed – is no small feat on its own.
Relativity’s first Terran-1 flight hardware has performed shockingly well. The smaller single-engine upper stage sailed through a full program of proof tests – including a full-duration static fire – shortly before shipping to LC-16. Terran-1’s first booster, meanwhile, left Relativity’s California factory and arrived at LC-16 to begin its own qualification testing in early June.
On June 28th, CEO Tim Ellis revealed that the booster had already completed “pneumatic proof testing” and made it through its “first propellant loading” test less than a month after arriving at LC-16. That would be fast for the first prototype of any new orbital-class rocket, but Relativity’s Terran-1 has an extremely unique feature that makes that speed even more impressive: by mass, the vast majority (85%) of the rocket was manufactured with 3D printing. In effect, most of Terran’s airframe and tanks are just giant, continuous welds that were precisely manipulated into cylinders, domes, and more. While the rough surface finish leaves something to be desired and likely reduces the overall efficiency of the rocket’s airframe, Relativity says that the composition of the metal in its printed structures is almost identical to a more traditionally-manufactured component.
Relativity’s ultimate hope is that the technical groundwork it is laying will allow it to manufacture complex and high-performance rockets with minimal human intervention, drastically lowering production costs. One day, the descendants of those semi-autonomous factories might even be used to construct rockets and other complex machines and infrastructure on Mars or other extraterrestrial destinations.
-->First, though, the company needs to start successfully launching Terran-1 rockets and fully prove the concept. Up next, Relativity will likely perform a full wet dress rehearsal, a launch simulation in which the rocket is loaded with propellant and pressurized for flight. Once that step is complete, Relativity will attempt one or several static fire tests, culminating in a full-duration multi-minute static fire or “mission duty cycle.”
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
