I had a rare opportunity to visit Rocket Crafters, a small rocket company located in Cocoa, Florida, just 10 miles from the Kennedy Space Center, that is developing and testing what is known as ‘hybrid rocket engines’. These 3D printed engines are born in Colorado from a custom-made printer because none exist on the market that’s large enough to print these rocket engines that DARPA contracts them to build, with a $600,000 investment.
Press gathered inside Rocket Crafters control room to speak to the team. (Tom Cross)
After the hybrid fuel grains are printed, they’re shipped to Rocket Crafters in Florida where they are further processed by wrapping them in carbon for additional strengthening and then test fired. The company is testing three engines per week at an industrial location in the city of Cocoa. The only requirement the City has for testing these engines is to keep the noise level below a certain decibel, over concerns of disruption to neighboring residential.
Multiple small unwrapped 10-second burning test-engines on a shelf for future testing. (Tom Cross)
The engines, called fuel grains, are tubes made of ABS plastic, the same material LEGO are made of. The fuel grains are so safe, in fact, they can fly with them on airplanes as a carry on. They are specially shaped for the use of burning smoothly as a rocket engine, something only a printing process could form, which is a patented invention by Ronald Jones. The fuel grain needs an oxidizer in order to burn through, and without that, there’s really not much you can do with them because they’re just a tube of plastic.
-
- Rocket Crafters engine is a Patented printing process. (Tom Cross)
-
- A look inside the fuel grain. (Tom Cross)
-
- A fuel grain in the process of carbon-wrapping. (Tom Cross)
-
- Inventor, Ronald Jones. (Tom Cross)
When I arrived at Rocket Crafters the day of the test, I asked if I could set up my launchpad cameras to capture the flame of the engine during the test fire. Due to safety concerns over their oxidizer tanks that were already full, the team kindly advised against doing so. The oxidizer is nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas at the dentist. Needless to say, it probably would have been incredibly funny had it sprung a leak while I was setting up my camera. The whole test stand sits on the back of a flat-bed trailer that’s ratcheted down to the concrete and protected by mobile steel walls on three sides.
-
- Rocket Crafters engine test stand. (Tom Cross)
-
- Technicians take readings from the gauges on the test stand. (Tom Cross)
CEO Sid Gutierrez, a former Space Shuttle Pilot, and Shuttle Commander touted the safety aspects of their rocket engine. “What you won’t see are cryogenics, bi-propellant liquid fuel engines, no signs saying explosives,” he said during the video conference. Rocket Crafters are carving their slice into the new wave of affordable launches for small-scale cube satellites and have grand plans of creating their own rocket called Intrepid consisting of multiple hybrid rocket engines burning simultaneously.
They brought me into their testing facility to showcase their fuel grains, carbon wrapping process, and most importantly a 10-second test fire of one of the engines from inside their control room. During the test, the engine could be heard through multiple block walls and doors as if it was just 10 feet away. The building didn’t shake, the sound was intense, though. The video on the screen doesn’t do it justice. The whole experience was pretty awesome.
Rocket Crafters still has a bit of work to do trying and testing new components before they’re ready to launch but they’ve already begun making prototypes of their full-scale engine. The day I was there, engineers were testing a nozzle made of a material they hadn’t tried before. “You don’t see many 15-person companies developing a rocket,” said Robert Fabian, SVP of Propulsion.
SVP of Propulsion explains the components inside the test-tube. (Tom Cross)
I’m no rocket expert, I’d be a rocket scientist instead of a photographer if so, but I learn a lot by doing this. I think this particular hybrid rocket engine would be perfectly suited for a prosumer market of amateur rocketry, especially considering how safe they are and non-toxic to the environment. The few amateur rocket enthusiasts I’ve asked about hybrid engines said they’d be great to have after they fix the flaws of hybrid engines.
Here’s a video of one of their engine tests:
https://youtu.be/BVPxbdkC1y8
Tom Cross
Lifestyle
Tesla brings perhaps the coolest interior feature to cars in latest update
Tesla adds on to the “fun” aspect of its vehicles.
Tesla has brought perhaps the coolest interior feature to its cars in a new update that is rolling out to vehicles now.
The feature will require a newer vehicle that has interior ambient lighting, which is present on the new Model S, Model X, Model 3 “Highland,” and Model Y “Juniper.” The Cybertruck also has ambient lighting strips throughout.
Tesla Model Y’s ambient lighting design changes revealed in leaked video
With the Version 2025.26+ Software Update, Tesla is rolling out a new “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music” feature, which is available on the Tesla Toybox:
Turn your Tesla into a rave cave with the new Light Sync feature 🎶
Rolling out now in software update 2025.26+ pic.twitter.com/IIsQxZ9jDP
— Tesla (@Tesla) July 29, 2025
To enable the feature, you’ll access the Toybox, choose “Light Sync,” and then choose “Sync Accent Lights w/ Music.”
Although it does not improve the performance of the vehicle, it is yet another example of Tesla making one of the coolest cars out there. This is truly a cool add-on that can be used to impress your friends and family.
Elon Musk
xAI, Musk Foundation helps schools near Memphis supercomputer site
Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.
Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence startup xAI and the Musk Foundation have been supporting Memphis-Shelby County Schools with HVAC repairs and facility upgrades, while also funding youth programs for students in the area.
Reports of xAI and the Musk Foundation’s work were recently posted by local news media.
xAI’s school visits lead to facility repairs
Representatives from xAI visited John P. Freeman Optional School, Fairley High School, and Westwood High School, all of which are located near its Colossus supercomputer site, to assess HVAC systems, plumbing, gym facilities, and athletic fields. The visits resulted in a list of priority repairs, some of which were completed in April and May.
In addition to the repairs, xAI also shared a number of initiatives that are planned for students in the area, as stated in a Commercial Appeal report.
“xAI is working on providing STEM workshops for local students, donating equipment to technical training programs, and supporting job fairs to boost employment opportunities. These initiatives reflect xAl’s commitment to fostering education and economic growth in Memphis,” xAI noted in a statement.
Musk Foundation donation
Apart from xAI, the Musk Foundation also donated $350,000 to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis, enabling the reopening of two club sites located at Booker T. Washington High School and Westwood High School. Both locations had closed earlier this year due to lapses in funding. As per xAI, the Musk Foundation’s donation allows clubs to reopen for almost 1,000 students.
The donation will fund staffing, supplies, and transportation, among others. “Kids are the future of humanity,” Elon Musk said in a statement, adding that students need “every chance to shoot for the stars.”
“We’re honored to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Memphis in reopening these sites, giving kids in underserved communities the tools to build brighter futures,” Musk said.
The gift was praised by local officials, including Boys & Girls Clubs board chair Michael Garriga, who stated that the “commitment will ensure the youth of our community have the opportunities they need to develop their skills and talents to become successful students and future citizens.”
Lifestyle
EV fans urge Tesla to acquire Unplugged Performance for edge in fleet and security industry
Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles.
A growing number of Tesla enthusiasts and longtime community voices are calling on the electric vehicle maker to acquire Unplugged Performance, a California-based aftermarket company best known for tuning Tesla vehicles and developing specialized government fleet solutions under its UP.FIT division.
The idea was once considered a niche proposal among EV fans, but it is now gaining serious attention not just as a performance play but as a strategic move to deepen Tesla’s roots in the fleet and security industry.
A strategic fit
Unplugged Performance has built a name for itself by producing performance upgrades for Tesla vehicles, from track-optimized components to visual and aerodynamic upgrades. But in recent years, its UP.FIT division has pivoted toward a more functional future by outfitting Tesla vehicles like Model Ys for police, military, and government use.
That work has sparked growing calls for closer collaboration with Tesla, especially as the EV maker increasingly leans into autonomy, AI, and fleet services as core components of its next chapter.
“I posted this four years ago, but I think it’s more true now than ever,” wrote Whole Mars Catalog, a well-known Tesla investor and FSD Beta tester, on X. “Tesla should buy Unplugged. But not just as a Performance division. What they are doing with UP.FIT unlocks large government and commercial fleet purchases that can improve utilization.”
Tesla fans such as shareholder Sawyer Merritt echoed the sentiment, calling Unplugged a “great fit within Tesla.” adding, “They are literally located directly next to Tesla’s design studio in Hawthorne.”
Enabling the next wave
Supporters of the idea noted that integrating Unplugged into Tesla’s corporate structure could help accelerate the adoption of autonomous technologies in government sectors. With UP.FIT patrol cars already in use across some U.S. police departments, Tesla fans envisioned a future where self-driving Teslas could potentially revolutionize law enforcement, search-and-rescue, and public service logistics.
“Just imagine how autonomous patrol cars could transform policing and bring us into a safer future,” the veteran FSD tester wrote.
The benefits could also extend to Tesla’s existing consumer base. “They also have some incredible products in the works that I think will appeal to many ordinary Tesla drivers — not just those looking for performance or mods. Stuff that’s so good it should have come straight from the design studio next door,” Whole Mars Catalog noted.
Unplugged Performance, founded in 2013, shares not just a product vision with Tesla, but also geography. Its Hawthorne headquarters sits directly adjacent to Tesla’s design studio, and the two companies have maintained a close working relationship over the years. The aftermarket firm has long positioned itself as a “mission-aligned” partner to Tesla.
In response to the recent calls for acquisition, Unplugged Performance acknowledged the support from the community. “Our very existence is to support the Tesla mission with @UpfitTesla and @UnpluggedTesla,” Unplugged CEO Ben Schaffer posted on X. “We love working with Tesla and are grateful for the community’s support since 2013!”
Elon Musk reveals when SpaceX will perform first-ever Starship catch
Tesla Robotaxi rival Waymo confirms massive fleet expansion in Bay Area
Tesla launches Full Self-Driving in a new region
-
Elon Musk2 days agoSpaceX Starship Flight 10 was so successful, it’s breaking the anti-Musk narrative
-
News2 days agoTesla Semi earns strong reviews from veteran truckers
-
News5 days agoTesla makes big change to encourage Full Self-Driving purchases
-
News1 day agoTesla appears to have teased a long-awaited Model Y trim for a Friday launch
-
News2 days agoTesla China working overtime to deliver Model Y L as quickly as possible
-
News4 days agoTesla Model Y L sold out for September 2025
-
News21 hours agoTesla AI6 chips will start sample production at surprising Samsung site
-
News19 hours agoTesla launches Full Self-Driving in a new region