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SpaceX Crew Dragon tests SuperDraco rocket engines in new slow-mo video
SpaceX has released a rare video from one of its slow-motion engineering cameras, showing off a Crew Dragon capsule performing a static fire test of its eight SuperDraco rocket engines. With this test now complete, SpaceX and NASA can focus on determining when the same Dragon will be ready to fly a crucial abort test.
After a week or two of delays, on November 13th, SpaceX successfully fired up Crew Dragon capsule C205’s eight SuperDraco abort engines and two Draco maneuvering thrusters in a ground simulation of a flight test planned for the same capsule. Crew Dragon’s eight SuperDraco thrusters are capable of producing a combined thrust of more than 130,000 lbf (570 kN), almost as much thrust as an original SpaceX Merlin 1D engine used on Falcon 9s in the early 2010s.
November 13th’s static fire was required only after Crew Dragon C201 catastrophically exploded just prior to an almost identical test on April 20th, 2019. The historic spacecraft had completed its first orbital launch, ISS rendezvous, docking, reentry, and splashdown less than six weeks prior to that attempted static fire. Although it performed to perfection during that uncrewed Demo-1 spaceflight, it apparently carried an unknown design flaw during that flawless launch.
That flaw became apparent after the spacecraft exploded around 10 seconds prior to a planned static fire of its SuperDraco engines, a test meant to verify vehicle health before SpaceX planned to launch the capsule again to support its In-Flight Abort (IFA). According to a joint SpaceX-NASA investigation, the source of that failure was the flawed decision to use titanium in a pressurized liquid nitrogen tetroxide (NTO) environment, a choice that ultimately resulted in an exotic titanium fire and violent explosion.
SpaceX decided to prevent the issue from recurring by replacing the actuating, titanium check valves with single-use burst disks, meaning that Crew Dragon’s SuperDraco engines will now only be capable of a single ignition each. That limitation is no longer relevant after SpaceX chose years ago to end work on propulsively landing Dragon spacecraft (a la Falcon boosters), thus presumably making burst disks the simplest, cheapest, and fastest change for SpaceX and NASA to re-certify.
Thanks to the speed with which SpaceX was able to respond to Crew Dragon’s April 2019 explosion, the company was able to shuffle its fleet of in-process spacecraft, reassign capsule C205 to Dragon’s IFA test, modify the vehicle to account for necessary changes, ship it to Florida, and static-fire the completed spacecraft a little over six months later. With that static fire test now fully complete and NASA and SpaceX deep into the process of carefully inspecting capsule C205 and poring over the data produced, it’s finally reasonable to start thinking seriously about Crew Dragon’s next flight milestone.
Known as the spacecraft’s In-Flight Abort (IFA) test, that milestone will see capsule C205 launch atop a Falcon 9 booster and upper stage and attempt to escape the rocket after reaching supersonic speeds. That point of maximum aerodynamic and thermal stress during launch – known as Max Q – is one of the most challenging abort scenarios Crew Dragon could face. If C205 is able to successfully perform that in-flight abort, it will verify that the spacecraft is capable of carrying its astronauts to safety at almost any point in flight, from the launch pad all the way to Earth orbit.
NASA and SpaceX will likely announce the IFA launch date within the next week or two and odds remain good that Crew Dragon will be able to fly again before the end of 2019.
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Tesla Full Self-Driving shows confident navigation in heavy snow
So far, from what we’ve seen, snow has not been a huge issue for the most recent Full Self-Driving release. It seems to be acting confidently and handling even snow-covered roads with relative ease.
Tesla Full Self-Driving is getting its first taste of Winter weather for late 2025, as snow is starting to fall all across the United States.
The suite has been vastly improved after Tesla released v14 to many owners with capable hardware, and driving performance, along with overall behavior, has really been something to admire. This is by far the best version of FSD Tesla has ever released, and although there are a handful of regressions with each subsequent release, they are usually cleared up within a week or two.
Tesla is releasing a modified version of FSD v14 for Hardware 3 owners: here’s when
However, adverse weather conditions are something that Tesla will have to confront, as heavy rain, snow, and other interesting situations are bound to occur. In order for the vehicles to be fully autonomous, they will have to go through these scenarios safely and accurately.
One big issue I’ve had, especially in heavy rain, is that the camera vision might be obstructed, which will display messages that certain features’ performance might be degraded.
So far, from what we’ve seen, snow has not been a huge issue for the most recent Full Self-Driving release. It seems to be acting confidently and handling even snow-covered roads with relative ease:
FSD 14.1.4 snow storm Ontario Canada pic.twitter.com/jwK1dLYT0w
— Everything AI (@mrteslaspace) November 17, 2025
I found the steepest, unplowed hill in my area and tested the following:
• FSD 14.2.1 on summer tires
• FSD 14.2.1 on winter tires
• Manual drivingBut I think the most impressive part was how FSD went DOWN the hill. FSD in the snow is sublime $TSLA pic.twitter.com/YMcN7Br3PU
— Dillon Loomis (@DillonLoomis) December 2, 2025
Well.. I couldn’t let the boys have all the fun!
Threw the GoPro up and decided to FSD v14.2.1 in the snow. Roads were not compacted like the other day, a little slippery, but overall doable at lower speeds. Enjoy the video and holiday music 🎶
Liked:
Took turns super slow… pic.twitter.com/rIAIeh3Zu3— 🦋Diana🦋 (@99_Colorado) December 3, 2025
Moving into the winter months, it will be very interesting to see how FSD handles even more concerning conditions, especially with black ice, freezing rain and snow mix, and other things that happen during colder conditions.
We are excited to test it ourselves, but I am waiting for heavy snowfall to make it to Pennsylvania so I can truly push it to the limit.
News
Tesla hosts Rome Mayor for first Italian FSD Supervised road demo
The event marked the first time an Italian mayor tested the advanced driver-assistance system in person in Rome’s urban streets.
Tesla definitely seems to be actively engaging European officials on FSD’s capabilities, with the company hosting Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and Mobility Assessor Eugenio Patanè for a hands-on road demonstration.
The event marked the first time an Italian mayor tested the advanced driver-assistance system in person in Rome’s urban streets. This comes amid Tesla’s push for FSD’s EU regulatory approvals in the coming year.
Rome officials experience FSD Supervised
Tesla conducted the demo using a Model 3 equipped with Full Self-Driving (Supervised), tackling typical Roman traffic including complex intersections, roundabouts, pedestrian crossings and mixed users like cars, bikes and scooters.
The system showcased AI-based assisted driving, prioritizing safety while maintaining flow. FSD also handled overtakes and lane decisions, though with constant driver supervision.
Investor Andrea Stroppa detailed the event on X, noting the system’s potential to reduce severe collision risks by up to seven times compared to traditional driving, based on Tesla’s data from billions of global fleet miles. The session highlighted FSD’s role as an assistance tool in its Supervised form, not a replacement, with the driver fully responsible at all times.
Path to European rollout
Tesla has logged over 1 million kilometers of testing across 17 European countries, including Italy, to refine FSD for local conditions. The fact that Rome officials personally tested FSD Supervised bodes well for the program’s approval, as it suggests that key individuals are closely watching Tesla’s efforts and innovations.
Assessor Patanè also highlighted the administration’s interest in technologies that boost road safety and urban travel quality, viewing them as aids for both private and public transport while respecting rules.
Replies on X urged involving Italy’s Transport Ministry to speed approvals, with one user noting, “Great idea to involve the mayor! It would be necessary to involve components of the Ministry of Transport and the government as soon as possible: it’s they who can accelerate the approval of FSD in Italy.”
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Tesla FSD (Supervised) blows away French journalist after test ride
Cadot described FSD as “mind-blowing,” both for the safety of the vehicle’s driving and the “humanity” of its driving behaviors.
Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) seems to be making waves in Europe, with French tech journalist Julien Cadot recently sharing a positive first-hand experience from a supervised test drive in France.
Cadot, who tested the system for Numerama after eight years of anticipation since early Autopilot trials, described FSD as “mind-blowing,” both for the safety of the vehicle’s driving and the “humanity” of its driving behaviors.
Julien Cadot’s FSD test in France
Cadot announced his upcoming test on X, writing in French: “I’m going to test Tesla’s FSD for Numerama in France. 8 years I’ve been waiting to relive the sensations of our very first contact with the unbridled Autopilot of the 2016s.” He followed up shortly after with an initial reaction, writing: “I don’t want to spoil too much because as media we were allowed to film everything and I have a huge video coming… But: it’s mind-blowing! Both for safety and for the ‘humanity’ of the choices.”
His later posts detailed FSD’s specific maneuvers that he found particularly compelling. These include the vehicle safely overtaking a delivery truck by inches, something Cadot said he personally would avoid to protect his rims, but FSD handled flawlessly. He also praised FSD’s cyclist overtakes, as the system always maintained the required 1.5-meter distance by encroaching on the opposite lane when clear. Ultimately, Cadot noted FSD’s decision-making prioritized safety and advancement, which is pretty remarkable.
FSD’s ‘human’ edge over Autopilot
When asked if FSD felt light-years ahead of standard Autopilot, Cadot replied: “It’s incomparable, it’s not the same language.” He elaborated on scenarios like bypassing a parked delivery truck across a solid white line, where FSD assessed safety and proceeded just as a human driver might, rather than halting indefinitely. This “humanity” impressed Cadot the most, as it allowed FSD to fluidly navigate real-world chaos like urban Paris traffic.
Tesla is currently hard at work pushing for the rollout of FSD to several European countries. Recent reports have revealed that Tesla has received approval to operate 19 FSD test vehicles on Spain’s roads, though this number could increase as the program develops. As per the Dirección General de Tráfico (DGT), Tesla would be able to operate its FSD fleet on any national route across Spain. Recent job openings also hint at Tesla starting FSD tests in Austria. Apart from this, the company is also holding FSD demonstrations in Germany, France, and Italy.
Tesla Full Self-Driving shows confident navigation in heavy snow
Tesla hosts Rome Mayor for first Italian FSD Supervised road demo
