Connect with us

News

Rocket Lab launches 40th mission, first re-flown Rutherford engine

Electron launches from the Mahia Peninsula, New Zealand (Credit Rocket Lab)

Published

on

Rocket Lab’s ‘We Love the Nightlife’ mission lifted off at 11:45 a.m. NZST (23:45 UTC), bringing the Acadia satellite to orbit and advancing its flight-proven capabilities. The mission took place from Launch Complex 1 on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand, utilizing Pad 1B.

Acadia is Capella Space’s next-generation Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) Earth-imaging satellite and the first of four of their next-gen SAR satellites to launch in the coming months. The satellite was launched into a 53-degree orbital inclination and will orbit approximately 640 km above the Earth.

Electron was originally meant to launch on July 30th but shut down its engines shortly after ignition due to low igniter pressure on one of the Rutherford engines. Rocket Lab then attempted another launch on August 5th but stood down with less than 30 minutes left in the countdown due to out-of-family sensor data.

Rocket Lab then moved forward and decided to switch out Electron’s first stage, and with that came the opportunity for another first stage recovery and the first reflown Rutherford first stage engine.

The 9 Rutherford engines on Electron, including the re-used engine at the bottom of the image (Credit Rocket Lab)

This specific Rutherford first flew on Electron’s ‘There and Back Again’ mission in May 2022. Rocket Lab Founder and CEO Peter Beck said they had “perfect performance from the reused engine and the stage.”

After re-entering the atmosphere from space, a drogue chute was deployed from the first stage to stabilize the booster, followed by the main parachute deployment. Electron then splashed down in the Pacific Ocean nineteen and a half minutes following launch, followed by the recovery crew moving into position to pick up the first stage booster from the ocean.

Advertisement

This mission brings Rocket Lab much closer to a full re-use of the first-stage booster. Rocket Lab currently plans for the first re-use of the first stage in 2024.

Disclosure: Richard Angle is not an RKLB shareholder.

Questions or comments? Shoot me an email at rangle@teslarati.com, or Tweet me @RDAnglePhoto.

Advertisement

Launch journalist, specializing in launch photography. Based on the Space Coast, a short drive from Cape Canaveral and the SpaceX launch pads.

Advertisement
Comments

Elon Musk

New details emerge on The Boring Company’s Universal tunnel plans

The materials outline staffing, construction timelines, tunnel configuration, and operational details that were not previously public.

Published

on

Credit: Grok Imagine

Newly released bidding documents have shed light on how Elon Musk’s Boring Company plans to connect Universal Orlando Resort’s north campus to Universal Epic Universe. 

The materials outline staffing, construction timelines, tunnel configuration, and operational details that were not previously public about the planned Loop system.

The Shingle Creek Transit & Utility Community Development District voted Feb. 11 to begin contract negotiations with The Boring Company after ranking it the top bidder for the Universal Orlando transport project. Now, evaluation documents obtained by local news media reveal how the company intends to execute the project, according to Attraction Insight.

The proposal describes a twin-tunnel configuration, with one tunnel in each direction. It also noted that permitting, design, and construction could take roughly a year and a half once approvals are secured. The company indicated it could deploy multiple tunnel boring machines and install temporary support infrastructure, including muck storage pits and stormwater systems, during construction.

Advertisement

Bid documents list eight internal specialists assigned to the project, including tunnel engineers, structural engineers, and tunnel boring machine experts. Six subcontractors would handle fire protection, communications, soil treatment, and concrete work.

The company stated it “has the necessary internally produced tunneling equipment and personnel immediately available to complete this project for the district as quickly as permits and approvals can be obtained.”

Operationally, the system would mirror the company’s Las Vegas Loop model, using Tesla vehicles to provide point-to-point transport rather than fixed-route buses. The proposal frames the concept as “on-demand, express transportation,” with vehicles dispatched as needed and capacity adjustable in real time.

Stations could be built underground or above ground with ramp access into tunnels. The documents also referenced potential future integration of a configurable Robovan for passengers and cargo, though capacity projections for the Orlando tunnels have not yet been disclosed.

Advertisement

The proposal states that the Loop can integrate “easily into environmentally sensitive areas,” but it does not provide detailed mitigation plans for Central Florida’s high water table and limestone geology, which is susceptible to sinkholes. The company has stated that it intends to hire an Orlando-based geotechnical firm to evaluate soil conditions.

Continue Reading

News

Tesla Giga Berlin dispute against IG Metall union leads to investigation

As per a report from rbb24, police seized a laptop belonging to an IG Metall member at Tesla Giga Berlin on Tuesday afternoon.

Published

on

Credit: Tesla Manufacturing/X

German authorities have opened an investigation into an IG Metall union representative following allegations that a confidential works council meeting at Tesla’s Gigafactory Berlin was secretly recorded. The probe follows a criminal complaint filed by Tesla management last week.

As per a report from rbb24, police seized a laptop belonging to an IG Metall member at Tesla Giga Berlin on Tuesday afternoon. Prosecutors in Frankfurt (Oder) confirmed that an investigation is underway into a possible unauthorized audio recording of an internal works council meeting.

Under German law, recording a non-public meeting without consent may constitute a criminal offense.

Tesla stated that Gigafactory Berlin employees alerted management after allegedly discovering that an external union representative, who was attending the event as a guest, had recorded the session. Plant manager André Thierig stated in a post on X that the representative was “caught in action,” prompting the company to contact police and file a criminal complaint.

Advertisement

The seized device is now part of the investigation, and authorities will determine whether any unlawful recording had indeed occurred.

IG Metall has denied the accusation. In comments to German media, representatives rejected Tesla’s claim and described the electric vehicle maker’s allegation as an election campaign tactic ahead of upcoming works council elections.

The election at Tesla’s Grünheide plant is scheduled for March 2–4, 2026, with about 11,000 employees being eligible to vote. Regular works council elections in Germany are held every four years between March and May.

The incident comes amid tensions between Tesla and organized labor in Germany. While works councils operate independently from unions, IG Metall has been active at the plant and has previously criticized Tesla’s labor practices. Authorities, for their part, have not yet announced whether charges will be filed, though the investigation remains ongoing.

Advertisement
Continue Reading

News

Tesla rolls out xAI’s Grok to vehicles across Europe

The initial rollout includes the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Portugal, and Spain.

Published

on

Tesla is rolling out Grok to vehicles in Europe. The feature will initially launch in nine European territories.

In a post on X, the official Tesla Europe, Middle East & Africa account confirmed that Grok is coming to Teslas in Europe. The initial rollout includes the United Kingdom, Ireland, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, France, Portugal, and Spain, and additional markets are expected to be added later.

Grok allows drivers to ask questions using real-time information and interact hands-free while driving. According to Tesla’s support documentation, Grok can also initiate navigation commands, enabling users to search for destinations, discover points of interest, and adjust routes without touching the touchscreen, as per the feature’s official webpage.

The system offers selectable personalities, ranging from “Storyteller” to “Unhinged,” and is activated either through the App Launcher or by pressing and holding the steering wheel’s microphone button.

Advertisement

Grok is currently available only on Model S, Model 3, Model X, Model Y, and Cybertruck vehicles equipped with an AMD infotainment processor. Vehicles must be running software version 2025.26 or later, with navigation command support requiring version 2025.44.25 or newer.

Drivers must also have Premium Connectivity or a stable Wi-Fi connection to use the feature. Tesla notes that Grok does not currently replace standard voice commands for vehicle controls such as climate or media adjustments.

The company has stated that Grok interactions are processed securely by xAI and are not linked to individual drivers or vehicles. Users do not need a Grok account or subscription to enable the feature at this time as well.

Continue Reading