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Rocket Lab secretly launches revolutionary satellite and readies for US launch debut
Rocket Lab’s recent flawless return to flight mission nicknamed “I Can’t Believe It’s Not Optical,” set the company up for loftier goals in the latter half of 2020 in a big way. Returning to operation after an in-flight anomaly and subsequent investigation is a massive accomplishment for any launcher. Returning to flight and debuting a pathfinder satellite developed and built in-house, however, solidified Rocket Lab as a full end-to-end space systems company.
For good measure, company founder and chief executive officer, Peter Beck, hopes to round out the year by activating two more Electron launchpads – one of which will be the launcher’s first US-based launch location dedicated to supporting missions for the United States government. Furthermore, following Electron’s seventeenth flight, Rocket Lab hopes to recover the expended first-stage booster – and perhaps more importantly, a mountain of data – as a stepping stone to launch vehicle reuse, a practice pioneered and solely dominated by SpaceX.
A return to flight and an introduction to space systems
Just eight weeks after Electron’s ill-fated thirteenth flight resulting in the loss of a second stage and all customer payloads due to an in-flight electrical anomaly, the next Electron was raised at Launch Complex 1 in Mahia, New Zealand. The fourteenth flight of Electron was a dedicated mission for San Francisco-based information services company, Capella Space. Initially announced, the mission deployed a single microsatellite called “Sequoia” to an approximate 500km circular orbit. Peter Beck later confirmed the mission also secretly featured the successful deployment of Rocket Lab’s first in-house designed and built satellite called “First Light.”
“First Light” is a pathfinder spacecraft based on Rocket Lab’s configurable Photon satellite platform. According to Rocket Lab, it exploits Electron’s Kick Stage, “a nimble but powerful extra stage on Electron designed to circularize payload orbits.” The Kick Stage is designed as a satellite bus with extended capabilities to transition into a satellite – Photon – and performing an independent standalone mission. This is exactly what occurred with “First Light.”
Following the deployment of the “Sequoia” microsatellite, Rocket Lab teams signaled the Kick Stage to enable the standalone Photon capabilities. The command transitioned the spacecraft from a delivery vehicle to a fully functional satellite for the very first time. “First Light” serves as the testbed of many upgraded components including improved management systems for power, thermal, and attitude control.
in a statement provided by Rocket Lab Beck said, “Launching the first Photon mission marks a major turning point for space users – it’s now easier to launch and operate a space mission than it has ever been. When our customers choose a launch-plus-spacecraft mission with Electron and Photon, they immediately eliminate the complexity, risk, and delays associated with having to build their own satellite hardware and procure a separate launch.”
Eventually, the extended Photon capabilities of the Kick Stage will be used to support lunar and interplanetary missions. Beck has gone on record many times stating that Rocket Lab is working toward funding a private mission to Venus with a more robust version of the Photon platform which will deploy a probe to collect information about the Venusian atmosphere.
Counting down to Electron’s first launch from Virginia
On September 17, just two weeks after introducing the world to “First Light,” Rocket Lab announced the final successful Electron wet dress rehearsal at its new Launch Complex 2 (LC-2) at the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport in Wallops Island, Virginia.
The wet dress rehearsal is a standard preparatory practice of raising the rocket vertical on the launchpad, fueling the rocket, and conducting a practice run of all countdown systems and procedures ahead of a launch attempt. This gives launch teams the opportunity to ensure that the rocket is prepared for flight and work out any kinks that may arise ahead of sending the vehicle to space. The countdown is carried down to T-0 and then the vehicle is emptied and safed.
Recently, Rocket Lab was granted a five-year Launch Operator License by the Federal Aviation Administration for the LC-2 site enabling the space systems company to support up to ten Electron missions a year from U.S. soil. The new operator license combined with the one previously procured for Launch Complex 1 in New Zealand allows Rocket Lab to support up to 130 flights of the Electron rocket globally per year.
It was speculated that Electron’s next flight – and the first launch from LC-2 in Virginia – would be the dedicated STP-27RM mission coordinated by the U.S. Space Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center. The first from Virginia will launch a single microsatellite for the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Monolith program. However, the first mission from Virginia is still waiting on a debut date to be identified.
In order for Electron to fly from Virginia, NASA must first certify Electron’s Autonomous Flight Termination System (AFTS) – a protective measure that will automatically destroy the rocket in a safe manner should anything anomalous occur during first stage flight. Electron’s AFTS has already previously flown numerous times from New Zealand. The first flight from Virginia, however, will be the first time a vehicle will launch from the Mid-Atlantic Regional Spaceport with an AFTS.
15 launches, 3 launch pads, and a booster recovery
Until then, Rocket Lab is busy preparing for flight fifteen from New Zealand. The recently announced mission, nicknamed “In Focus,” is a rideshare mission featuring nine SuperDove satellites for Planet Labs and one payload for Spaceflight Inc. customer Canon Electronics Inc.
While preparing for the next flight, nearby Rocket Lab is simultaneously wrapping up construction on yet another launch pad. Launch Complex 1B is very much near completion and is expected to be brought online by year’s end. And that’s not the last goal Rocket Lab looks to achieve by the new year.
Beck has time and time again confirmed that the seventeenth flight of Electron will be the first attempt at recovering an expended first stage booster. Eventually, the company will attempt to catch the booster as it is falling back to Earth under the canopy of a parachute by utilizing a helicopter equipped with a specialized grappling hook. The first attempt at recovering a booster is not expected to be quite as elaborate.
Rocket Lab has strengthened the first-stage booster enough to survive the return trip. Until now, the booster has slammed into the ocean water and broken up into small bits. With the assistance of improved software and a deployable parachute, the booster of flight seventeen is expected to softly float back for a gentle water landing with the assistance of “recovery pontoons” as described in a Twitter post by Beck.
As of now, Rocket Lab has not identified any target dates for the upcoming milestones. The company has previously stated that the first mission from Virginia is expected to launch in the third quarter of 2020. Electron’s next flight – “In Focus” – from New Zealand is expected in the first half of October. Rocket Lab will provide future launch and development updates on their social media accounts.
Tesla has scaled back driver monitoring to be less naggy with the latest version of the Full Self-Driving (Supervised) suite, which is version 14.3.3.
The latest version is already earning praise from owners, who are reporting that the suite is far less invasive when it comes to keeping drivers from taking their eyes off the road. The first to mention it was notable Tesla community member on X known as Zack, or BLKMDL3.
14.3.3 nags less too https://t.co/IuiWzuYO6O
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) May 18, 2026
Musk confirmed that v14.3.3 was made to nag drivers significantly less, something that Tesla has worked toward in the past and has said with previous versions that it is less likely to push drivers to look ahead, at least after looking away for a few seconds.
This refinement aligns with Tesla’s ongoing push toward unsupervised FSD. The update also brings faster Actual Smart Summon (now up to 8 mph), reliable “Hey Grok” voice commands, richer visualizations, smoother Mad Max acceleration, and an intervention streak counter that rewards consistent use. Reviewers describe the drive as more human-like and confident, with fewer twitches or unnecessary maneuvers.
Musk has repeatedly signaled this direction. In late 2025, he stated that FSD would allow phone use “depending on context of surrounding traffic,” noting safety data would justify relaxing rules so drivers could text in low-risk scenarios like stop-and-go traffic.
We tested this, and even still, the cell phone monitoring really seems to be less active in terms of alerting drivers:
Tesla Full Self-Driving v14.2.1 texting and driving: we tested it
Earlier, ahead of v14, Musk promised the system would “nag the driver much less” once safety metrics improved.
In 2023, he confirmed the steering wheel torque nag would be “gradually reduced, proportionate to improved safety,” shifting reliance to the cabin camera. Subsequent updates like v13.2.9 and v12.4 further loosened monitoring, cracking down on workarounds while easing legitimate distractions.
These steps reflect Tesla’s data-driven approach: FSD’s safety record—reportedly averaging millions of miles per crash—now outpaces human drivers in many scenarios, giving the company confidence to dial back interventions. Reduced nags improve usability and trust, encouraging more drivers to rely on the system rather than disengaging out of frustration.
However, there are certainly still some concerns. In many states, it is illegal to handle a cell phone in any way, requiring the use of hands-free devices. In Pennsylvania, it is illegal to use your cell phone at stop lights, which is definitely a step further than using it while the car is actively in motion.
v14.3.3 represents tangible progress. Making FSD less adversarial and more seamless is definitely a step forward, but drivers need to be aware of the dangers of distracted driving. FSD is extremely capable, but it is in no way fully autonomous, nor does its performance warrant owners to take their attention off the road.
Tesla has officially expanded its Full Self-Driving (FSD) suite in Europe once again, as it will now be offered to customer vehicles in Lithuania, marking a significant milestone as the second European Union country to offer the system.
Tesla confirmed FSD’s rollout in Lithuania this morning:
FSD Supervised now rolling out to Teslas in Lithuania 🇱🇹!
Making European roads safer, one by one pic.twitter.com/Uuj0bNG7pP
— Tesla Europe, Middle East & Africa (@teslaeurope) May 20, 2026
Tesla showed several clips of Full Self-Driving navigation in Lithuania to mark the announcement, while Lithuanian Transport Minister Juras Taminskas highlighted the system’s potential to assist with lane-keeping, speed adjustment, and traffic tasks on longer drives, while emphasizing that drivers must stay alert and ready to intervene.
Just a few weeks ago, Tesla officially entered Europe with Full Self-Driving in the Netherlands. The expansion of FSD on the continent is now officially underway.
Full Self-Driving’s European Journey
Europe has long posed one of the toughest regulatory challenges for Tesla’s autonomy ambitions due to stringent safety standards under the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) framework, particularly UN Regulation 171 for Driver Control Assistance Systems.
The Netherlands’ RDW authority granted the pioneering approval after over 18 months of rigorous testing, including 1.6 million kilometers on European roads and extensive data submissions.
This approval enables mutual recognition across the EU, allowing other member states to adopt it nationally without full re-testing. Lithuania quickly leveraged this mechanism, becoming the second adopter. Tesla positions FSD Supervised as a tool to incrementally improve road safety, with the company claiming it reduces incidents when used properly.
Bottlenecks slowing broader European deployment include fragmented national regulations, varying levels of regulatory skepticism, and requirements for robust driver monitoring. Some EU officials have raised concerns about performance in adverse conditions like icy roads or speeding scenarios, alongside frustrations over Tesla’s public advocacy approach.
Additional hurdles involve data privacy, liability frameworks, and the need for EU-wide harmonization. While countries like Belgium appear to be fast-tracking adoption, larger markets such as Germany, France, and Italy are expected to follow in the coming months, with potential EU-wide progress targeted for later in 2026.
Tesla Full Self-Driving Across the World
As of May, Full Self-Driving (Supervised) is available in approximately ten countries.
In North America, it has been live for years in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Puerto Rico. Asia-Pacific additions include Australia, New Zealand, and South Korea, while China utilizes what Tesla calls “City Autopilot.” In Europe, the Netherlands and now Lithuania join the list, with more countries mulling the possibility of also approving FSD.
Tesla offers FSD via monthly subscriptions (around €99 in Europe) or one-time purchases (with deadlines approaching in many markets), shifting toward recurring revenue models. Today is the final day Europeans will be able to purchase the suite outright.
This expansion underscores Tesla’s push for global autonomy, starting with supervised and building toward greater capabilities. With Lithuania now online, momentum is building across Europe, though regulatory caution will continue shaping the pace. Owners in approved regions report smoother highway and urban driving, but the system remains Level 2, which requires human oversight.
Elon Musk
Tesla ditches India after years of broken promises
Tesla has ditched its plans to build a factory in India after years of failed negotiations.
Tesla’s long-running effort to establish a manufacturing presence in India is officially over. India’s Minister of Heavy Industries H.D. Kumaraswamy confirmed on May 19, 2026 that Tesla has informed authorities it will not proceed with a manufacturing facility in the country.
Tesla first signaled serious interest in India around 2021, when it began hiring local staff and lobbying the Indian government for lower import tariffs. The ask was straightforward: reduce duties enough for Tesla to test the market with imported vehicles before committing capital to a local factory. India’s position was equally firm, with an ask of Tesla to commit to manufacturing first, then receive tariff relief. Neither side moved, and the talks quietly collapsed.
Tesla to open first India experience center in Mumbai on July 15
India had offered a policy that would reduce import duties from 110% down to 15% on EVs priced above $35,000, provided companies committed at least $500 million toward local manufacturing investment within three years. Tesla declined to participate. The tariff standoff was only part of the problem. Analysts pointed to significant gaps in India’s local supply chain, inadequate industrial infrastructure, and a mismatch between Tesla’s premium pricing and the purchasing power of India’s automotive market as additional factors that made the investment difficult to justify.
First signs of an unraveling relationship came in April 2024, when Musk abruptly cancelled a planned trip to India where he was set to meet Prime Minister Modi and announce Tesla’s market entry. By July 2024, Fortune reported that Tesla executives had stopped contacting Indian government officials entirely. The government at that point understood Tesla had capital constraints and no plans to invest.
The more fundamental issue is that Tesla’s existing factories are currently operating at approximately 60% capacity, making a commitment to building new manufacturing capacity in a new market difficult to defend to investors. Tesla will continue selling imported Model Y vehicles through its existing showrooms in Mumbai, Delhi, Gurugram, and Bengaluru, but local production is no longer part of the plan.
Tesla scales back driver monitoring with latest Full Self-Driving release
Tesla Full Self-Driving expands in Europe, entering its second country
