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SpaceX’s first Crew Dragon NASA astronauts suit up for spacesuit-focused launch rehearsal
While a great deal of work remains before SpaceX and NASA are ready to set a date for Crew Dragon’s inaugural astronaut launch (Demo-2) both teams continue to actively prepare for the milestone mission.
Most recently, NASA has published photos detailing a critical (and literal) dress rehearsal with astronauts Col. Bob Behnken and Col. Doug Hurley, set to become the first astronauts to ride SpaceX’s Crew Dragon to orbit and dock with the International Space Station (ISS). This particular test centered around the process of suiting up in SpaceX’s iconic, custom-built spacesuits and simulated pre-launch procedures in a Crew Dragon simulator located at SpaceX’s Hawthorne, CA headquarters.
A literal dress rehearsal
On Thursday, an official NASA Astronaut account tweeted that SpaceX’s first two Commercial Crew astronauts had recently completed a dress rehearsal test of the spacesuits that they will wear during Crew Dragon’s inaugural crewed launch to the ISS. Bob Behnken and Doug Hurley participated in a full “suit-up & leak checks” rehearsal with their iconic SpaceX-built suits and the same Ground Support Equipment (GSE) hardware that will be used during Demo-2. This dress rehearsal also serves to familiarize the SpaceX and NASA ground support crew with the astronaut suit-up process, and multiple technicians and flight engineers are visible in the background.
The new spacesuits made their press debut last summer at a media event held at SpaceX headquarters in Hawthorne, California. Not only are they uniquely beautiful and modernist, but SpaceX’s spacesuits are also designed first and foremost with functionality in mind. SpaceX hired its own team of seamstresses and focused heavily on integrating 3D printing into suit production, resulting in an end-product that is simultaneously strikingly minimalistic and extremely usable. For example, the helmets Behnken and Hurley are seen wearing use 3D printing to integrate extremely complex life support systems, a built-in microphone and speaker communications array, a seamless multi-hinged visor, and more.


The suits are also designed to allow for easy maneuverability and a seamless user experience within the Dragon capsule. The attached gloves of the suit use conductive leather to allow the astronauts to interact with the Crew Dragon’s primary controls, a set of large touchscreens. Apple iPads will additionally be mounted directly on the thighs of the astronauts to serve as an even more convenient (and redundant) method of interfacing with Dragon’s controls, among other things.
While the suits are designed to be pressurized to support the astronauts in the event of a life-threatening event that may occur aboard Dragon, they are not meant for spacewalks or prolonged exposure to the vacuum of space.

Behnken, Hurley, and other Commercial Crew astronauts have been included in the development of their suits since day one and each flight suit has been carefully tailored to fit each future Crew Dragon astronaut. Having the opportunity to run through a launch day dress rehearsal allows everyone in the process to become familiarized with the specialized procedures that will occur ahead of boarding the Dragon capsule.
Crew Dragon sidesteps the norm
Unlike previous crewed NASA launches, SpaceX plans to have astronauts board Crew Dragon before launch vehicle fueling begins. This new approach to crew loading has become known as “Load-and-Go.” This procedure is extremely familiar to SpaceX, as the company supercools the liquid oxygen and kerosene propellant used by Falcon 9 and Heavy to significantly improve the performance of both rockets.
SpaceX has made the rational argument that boarding astronauts before fueling is actually significantly safer than the traditional method of ingressing astronauts while the rocket is fully fueled. Once inside Crew Dragon, the spacecraft’s SuperDraco abort system would be armed, theoretically protecting its astronauts from any conceivable explosion-related vehicle failure, whereas a fueled rocket failing during ingress could easily kill anyone in close proximity for the boarding procedure.

According to NASA, possible dates for Crew Dragon’s Demo-2 astronaut launch debut are under review. In a mid-July conference call with SpaceX and NASA officials, neither were particularly confident that Demo-2 would be ready to launch before the end of 2019, although they specifically did not rule the possibility out. More likely than not, Crew Dragon Demo-2 will slip into early 2020 as a result of a catastrophic explosion that destroyed Crew Dragon capsule C201 during static fire testing earlier this year.
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Cybertruck
Tesla Cybertruck gets long-awaited safety feature
Tesla has announced the rollout of its innovative anti-dooring protection feature to the Cybertruck via the 2026.8 software update.
Tesla is rolling out a new and long-awaited feature to the Cybertruck all-electric pickup, and it is a safety addition geared toward pedestrian and cyclist safety, as well as accidents with other vehicles.
Tesla has announced the rollout of its innovative anti-dooring protection feature to the Cybertruck via the 2026.8 software update.
This safety enhancement uses the vehicle’s existing cameras to detect approaching cyclists, pedestrians, or vehicles in the blind spot while parked. Upon attempting to open a door, if a hazard is detected, the system activates: the blind spot indicator light flashes, an audible chime sounds, and the door will not open on the initial button press.
Drivers must wait briefly and press the button again to override, providing crucial seconds to avoid an accident.
Anti-dooring protection now rolling out to @Cybertruck
This feature comes standard on every new Model 3, Model Y & Cybertruck – using cameras to delay door opening if a cyclist, pedestrian or other vehicle is detected approaching in your blind spot
— Tesla North America (@tesla_na) March 17, 2026
The feature, also known as Blind Spot Warning While Parked, comes standard on every new Model 3 and Model Y, and is now extending to the Cybertruck. Leveraging Tesla’s vision-based system without requiring new hardware, it represents a cost-effective software solution that builds on community suggestions dating back to 2018.
This technology addresses the persistent danger of “dooring,” where a driver opens a car door into the path of a passing cyclist or pedestrian.
Tesla implemented this little-known feature to make its cars even safer
Dooring incidents are alarmingly common in urban environments.
According to Chicago data, in 2011 alone, there were 344 reported dooring crashes, accounting for approximately 20 percent of all bicycle crashes in the city, nearly one incident per day.
While numbers have fluctuated (dropping to 11 percent in 2014 before rising again), dooring consistently represents 10-20 percent of bike-related crashes in major cities.
A national analysis of emergency department data estimates over 17,000 dooring-related injuries treated in the U.S. over a decade, with many involving fractures, contusions, and head trauma, particularly affecting upper extremities.
By automatically intervening, Tesla’s system not only protects vulnerable road users but also safeguards its owners from potential liability and enhances overall road safety.
As cities promote cycling for sustainable transport, features like this demonstrate how advanced driver assistance and camera systems can evolve beyond highway driving to everyday urban scenarios.
Enthusiastic responses on social media highlight appreciation for the proactive safety measure, with some calling for broader rollout to older models where hardware permits. Tesla continues to push the boundaries of vehicle safety through over-the-air updates, making its fleet smarter and safer over time.
Elon Musk
Tesla Roadster is ‘sorcery and magic’ and might be worth the wait, Uber founder says
Perhaps the wait will be worth it, especially according to Uber founder Travis Kalanick, who recently teased the Roadster’s potential capabilities based on what he has heard from internal Tesla sources.
Tesla is planning to unveil the Roadster in late April after years of waiting. But the wait might be worth it, according to Travis Kalanick, the founder of Uber, who recently shed some light on his expectations for the all-electric supercar.
We all know the Roadster is supposed to have some serious capability. CEO Elon Musk has said on numerous occasions that the Roadster will be unlike anything else ever produced. It might go from 0-60 MPH in about a second, it might hover, it might have SpaceX cold gas thrusters.
However, the constant delays in the Roadster program and its unveiling event continue to send Tesla fans into confusion because they’re just not sure when, or if, they’ll ever see the finished product.
Perhaps the wait will be worth it, especially according to Uber founder Travis Kalanick, who recently teased the Roadster’s potential capabilities based on what he has heard from internal Tesla sources.
Kalanick said on X:
When I’ve run into people who are in the know, I inquire, they tell me nothing, but their eyebrows raise and their eyes widen in a way that can only mean something of sorcery and magic is coming…
— travis kalanick (@travisk) March 17, 2026
Musk has said this vehicle is not going to be geared for safety, and that, “If safety is your number one goal, do not buy the Roadster.”
There has been so much hype regarding the Roadster that it is hard to believe the company could not come through on some kind of crazy features for the vehicle.
However, the latest delay that Tesla put on the unveiling event is definitely eye-opening, especially considering it is the latest in a series of pushbacks the company has put on the vehicle for the past several years.
Tesla has made several jumps in the Roadster project over the past few months, as it has ramped up hiring for the vehicle and also applied for a patent for a new seat design.
The car has been a back-burner project for Tesla, as it has been focusing primarily on autonomy and the rollout of Robotaxi and Cybercab. Additionally, its other vehicle projects, like the Model 3 and Model Y refreshes, took precedence.
Tesla still plans to unveil the Roadster next month, so we can hope the company can stick to this timeframe.
Cybertruck
Elon Musk clarifies viral Tesla Cybertruck accident with driver logs
Musk has come out to say that the driver logs have already shown that the driver “disengaged Autopilot four seconds before crashing,” in a post on X.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has clarified some details regarding the viral Tesla Cybertruck accident with company driver logs, which show various metrics at the time of an incident.
The logs have been used in the past to pull responsibility off of Tesla when the automaker’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) or Autopilot platforms are blamed for a collision or accident. It appears this will be no different.
On Tuesday, a video of a Cybertruck crashing into an overpass barrier in August 2025 was shared by Fox Business in a story that reported a woman was suing the automaker for $1 million in a liability and negligence case.
In the suit, Justine Saint Amour said that, “Something terrifying happened, without warning, the vehicle attempted to drive straight off an overpass.” Her attorney, Bob Hilliard, said Amour “tried to take control, but crashed into the barrier and was seriously injured (mostly her shoulder, neck, and back).”
The Tesla Model Y is leading China’s electric SUV segment by a wide margin
Tesla vehicle crashes are widely popular to report by mainstream media outlets because of the sensationalism of the event. Oftentimes, these outlets will include Tesla in the headline, especially because it will pique the interest of the masses, as most who read the story are waiting to see the claim that Autopilot or Full Self-Driving was the culprit of the accident.
However, Tesla has access to the logs of every vehicle in its fleet, which will show the various metrics, like whether either FSD or Autopilot was active, if the accelerator was pressed, the speed, and other important factors.
Musk has come out to say that the driver logs have already shown that the driver “disengaged Autopilot four seconds before crashing,” in a post on X.
Logs show driver disengaged Autopilot four seconds before crashing
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 18, 2026
If the logs do show this, which Tesla will likely have to prove in court, the real question would be why did the Amour disengage the suite?
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving suite is still not fully autonomous, meaning the driver cannot pull attention away from the road and must be ready to take over the vehicle at all times.
It will be interesting to see how this particular case pans out, especially considering the clip that was released by the law firm starts at about four seconds before the collision. Tesla logs have dispelled media reports in the past that have accused the company’s suite of being responsible for an accident, so there will be some major attention on what is proven in this particular case.