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Rocket Lab’s reusable Electron rocket upgrade gets ready for its biggest test yet
Rocket Lab, the global leader in dedicated small satellite launches, has had quite the productive year, breaking ground on a new U.S.-based launch pad, successfully launching five orbital launches, and announcing plans to send small satellites and small payloads to lunar orbits.
The company also unexpectedly announced plans to attempt to recover and reuse Electron rocket boosters much like SpaceX’s Falcon 9, perhaps as soon as 2020. Just three months after that surprise, the company’s tenth Electron launch is on track to serve as a crucial step and flight test in pursuit of Rocket Lab’s very first booster recovery attempts.
Electron Flight 10 has slipped about a week but is now on track to lift off no earlier than 11:56 pm EST, November 28th (07:56 UTC, Nov 29).
Booster recovery – the new not new rocket version of reduce, reuse, recycle
Rocket Lab explained that recovery efforts would occur in two distinct phases. Phase 1 would involve recovering expended Electron boosters from the ocean off the coast of New Zealand and transporting back to the Rocket Lab’s headquarters for careful inspection. This process is reminiscent of previous practices completed by NASA during the shuttle era to retrieve the Shuttle’s Solid Rocket Boosters from the Atlantic Ocean. The boosters were retrieved and towed back to Port Canaveral, Florida to be inspected and refurbished at Kennedy Space Center.
Although rocket booster recovery is not new in the world of orbital rocketry, it is a new objective for Rocket Lab. In fact, founder Peter Beck stated he would have to “eat his hat” after previously and repeatedly stating that Rocket Lab would never pursue reusability for Electron. After Phase 1, Rocket Lab hopes to attempt its first true Electron ‘catches’. Unlike competitor SpaceX, whose Falcon 9 and Heavy boosters land propulsively on land or sea-based landing pads, Rocket Lab has opted to pursue Electron recovery with parachutes and grappling hook-equipped helicopters.
Electron’s upcoming tenth launch – nicknamed “Running Out of Fingers,” – will feature a new block upgrade for Electron’s first stage booster and will mark the first flight test of recovery hardware. Cold gas attitude control thrusters are the most obvious addition on the upgraded booster and will be used to orient Electron first stages in lieu of aerodynamic control surfaces like SpaceX’s iconic choice of grid fins. In a statement, however, Rocket Lab clarified that although the first stage includes new upgrades, it will only be used to gather data and inform future recovery efforts – no recovery attempts will be made after the next few launches.
Electron Flight 10 is a common rideshare mission that will place seven small satellites in orbit. Among the payloads is a rather fascinating spacecraft called the 2nd Satellite or ALE-2, built by the Tokoyo based ALE Company.
According to a statement posted to the company’s website, the spacecraft “will take on the challenge of materializing a [human]-made shooting star.” The spacecraft produced in conjunction with Spaceflight features four hundred spheres – each 1cm in diameter – that will be gradually ejected to burn up in Earth’s atmosphere, creating artificial shooting stars.
Behind the scenes at LC-1 and HQ
Ahead of the all-important tenth Electron launch, Rocket Lab treated its social media followers to some rare glimpses into the production process and the stunning Launch Complex-1 (LC-1) located on the Mahia Peninsula in New Zealand. A video posted to YouTube takes viewers on a digital tour around Launch Complex -1 as well as inside the Electron Production Complex.
In the Production Complex, a revolutionary robot named “Rosie” provides a level of automation that takes over the tedious work of processing a rocket body that has been traditionally completed by humans. Rosie the Robot is able to process an entire carbon composite shell of the Electron booster in just twelve hours. The automation machine also finishes out Rocket Lab’s Kick Stage and protective payload fairings. The piece of processing machinery will assist Rocket Lab in matching production and launch frequency of the Electron rocket with the 120 launches per year that LC-1 is licensed to support.
Rocket Lab’s tenth Electron launch is currently on track for Friday, December 6th from 0756-0922 GMT (2:56-4:22 a.m. EST).
Tesla Full Self-Driving is going to be getting a major parking upgrade. That’s according to CEO Elon Musk, who detailed a crafty new feature that will improve parking preferences, removing a layer of human input.
Musk said that upcoming releases of Full Self-Driving will “remember your parking preferences.” It will go to the location you prefer, based on where you’ve parked in the past, instead of taking the first spot available, which is where the suite is currently.
The CEO went on to explain that destination parking is “by far” the biggest reason for intervention during FSD operation. We’d have to believe this is true; many takeovers in my Model Y, which runs the latest version of FSD as it is in the Early Access Program, are due to parking because it chooses a spot I do not want to be in.
Many times, as soon as I enter a parking lot, I take over and park manually. I prefer to park away from the entrance of wherever I am, away from cars. Too many lessons learned over the years from people with free-swinging doors.
Upcoming releases of FSD will remember your parking preferences, so that the car goes to the right location at your home, office, school drop off, etc.
Destination parking is by far the biggest reason people now intervene with FSD. Critical safety interventions are extremely…
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 17, 2026
We’d imagine these new updates will also solve things like parking orientation. Let’s say when you arrive at work, you always park in the third spot in the third row, and you prefer to back in. It seems as if Musk is implying that your car will now do this, learning from takeovers and aiming to eliminate the need to manually park whenever possible.
This is a major upgrade because parking is a major shortcoming of FSD currently. We’ve requested things like manual input of parking preferences, choosing to park far away, first available, or away from cars, for example.
This is a big reason Parking Preferences with Supervised FSD will be so valuable.
If possible, parking a little further away and being distant from people like this is worth it. https://t.co/1YqQLgnfTz pic.twitter.com/3Ac71KQiQ3
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) June 7, 2026
However, some have used the option of dropping a pin at the location you’d like to park at your destination. This has worked some of the time, but FSD will still choose to park in whatever it sees first.
Musk did not give a timetable for when the improvements would be released, but it is likely to come soon. Tesla has been releasing a new FSD version every few weeks, so we may not have to wait long to test it.
In a remarkable demonstration of how advanced vehicle technology can intersect with family care and rapid response, a Tesla Model Y equipped with Full Self-Driving (FSD) Supervised helped save a driver’s life during a severe heart attack. The incident, which occurred on November 15, 2025, highlights the life-saving potential of Tesla’s connected ecosystem.
John Brandt, 55, was driving his new 2026 Model Y Launch Edition on Interstate 20 from Atlanta toward Birmingham early that morning. He had recently received the FSD v14.1.3 update. Around 3:50 a.m., he began experiencing severe chest pain. Barely conscious and unable to safely control the vehicle, John managed to call his son, Jack Brandt.
FSD Supervised remained engaged, keeping the car steadily on course while John reached out for help.
As an authorized driver on his father’s Tesla account, Jack quickly sprang into action from his own phone. He located Tanner Medical Center in Carrollton, Georgia—a facility equipped for cardiac emergencies—via Google Maps and shared the destination directly through the Tesla app.
A Model Y driver started experiencing a medical emergency with chest pain mid-drive & called his son.
His son then remotely rerouted the car – which had FSD Supervised enabled – to the nearest hospital & let them know the vehicle was en route. ER staff were standing by on… pic.twitter.com/yi1tHISK9y
— Tesla North America (@tesla_na) June 16, 2026
The Model Y responded immediately, rerouting: it took the next exit, turned around on I-20, navigated local roads, and pulled directly up to the emergency room entrance. Jack also alerted hospital staff that a heart attack patient was en route in a Tesla.
Doctors diagnosed John with a massive STEMI heart attack, requiring immediate intervention on three blocked arteries. They later confirmed that without the swift reroute, John likely would not have survived—whether he had pulled over to wait for an ambulance or attempted to continue driving. He received life-saving treatment and is now recovering fully.
Tesla shared the story on X, including an interview video featuring John and Jack reflecting on the event. John described the terrifying onset of symptoms, while Jack detailed the ease of remote intervention thanks to the app’s features. Only authorized users with vehicle access can change navigation destinations, adding a layer of security and family coordination.
This case underscores Tesla’s emphasis on connectivity and supervised autonomy. Features like remote navigation allow loved ones to assist in real-time emergencies, while FSD handles complex driving tasks reliably. Tesla notes that FSD Supervised requires active driver supervision and is not fully autonomous; this was a specific incident, not a general emergency protocol.
The story has resonated widely, with many praising Tesla’s technology for bridging gaps in critical moments. Jack previously shared details on social media in February 2026, and Tesla’s recent post has amplified its reach. As vehicles become smarter and more connected, such integrations could redefine personal safety on the road—turning cars into proactive partners in health crises.
For Tesla owners, the incident serves as a powerful reminder to add trusted family members as authorized drivers and explore FSD capabilities. While no technology replaces professional medical care, this blend of AI-assisted driving and seamless app control proved invaluable. John’s survival stands as a testament to innovation that prioritizes human life.
In a bold declaration on X, xAI CEO Elon Musk announced that its model will be capable of creating full movies by the end of the year. Quoting an xAI post showcasing a stunning AI-generated trailer for Homer’s The Odyssey, Musk simply stated: “Full movies by the end of the year.”
The quoted video, created entirely with the newly released Grok Imagine Video 1.5, demonstrates the rapid strides in AI video generation. Crafted by creator David Thompson, the 2-minute-plus trailer reimagines the ancient epic in the style of a 1970s classical Hollywood blockbuster. It features 36 meticulously consistent shots that form a cohesive narrative world.
Full movies by the end of this year https://t.co/kkBrngWA0X
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) June 17, 2026
Its realistic nature is truly mind-blowing, and it’s pretty amazing to think that it cool to think it could create an entire movie soon.
The trailer reimagines The Odyssey as a whole, and opens with a concept board outlining the vision: a retelling of the story using 35mm film aesthetics, classical framing, and other elements.
There are a handful of things that truly outline Grok’s capabilities:
- Scale and Physics: A bloodied Spartan helmet rests on a sandy battlefield amid smoke, marching armies, and flocks of birds. Horses gallop, chariots charge, and warriors clash with believable weight and motion.
- Emotional Depth and Dialogue: Close-ups capture intense expressions, as characters deliver lines like a warrior’s grief-stricken speech on a rocking ship.
- Cinematic Workflow: It’s hard to believe AI created this trailer, as editing and suspense are clearly detailed in this trailer
Now, why is this a big deal? AI has been a real threat to the way movies have been made over the past several decades. It’s no secret that the various AI platforms out there are becoming more capable, but Musk has said that he believes things would be “watchable” by the end of this year, and by the end of 2027, Grok would be able to create “really good” movies.
There are several issues that remain, most notably the ability to remain cohesive throughout the length of a film, energy requirements, copyright questions for training data, and artistic intent. Hollywood has created some of the greatest cinematic masterpieces over the past 100 years, but 2026 could be the year AI not only assists but also independently authors cinema.
Tesla Full Self-Driving is getting a major parking upgrade, Elon Musk says
Tesla Full Self-Driving and App Connectivity save life in medical emergency
