After years of development and delays, South Korea has completed its first deep space spacecraft and sent it on its way to the United States.
Once it arrives in Florida, the Korean Pathfinder Lunar Orbiter (KPLO) – recently christened “Danuri” – will begin final preparations for its launch on a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. South Korea’s Korea Aerospace Research Institute (KARI) says that KPLO actually shipped to Florida on May 5th, more than two months ago. As of July, the spacecraft should be in the final stages of launch preparations, which include post-arrival inspections and checkouts, propellant loading, and Falcon payload fairing encapsulation.
Barring delays, KARI says the lunar orbiter could launch as early as August 3rd Korean Time, or around 7:30 pm EDT (23:30 UTC) on August 2nd.
Assembled and, for the most part, manufactured in South Korea, KPLO will be its very first extraterrestrial mission, making the country one of a very select few who have built their own deep space spacecraft. While South Korea has contracted SpaceX to launch its first lunar mission, the “pathfinder” orbiter is meant to pave the way for a second orbiter and domestic Moon lander – both of which are intended to launch on the country’s own indigenous Nuri rocket.
KPLO is relatively simple and small and is expected to weigh only ~680 kilograms (~1500 lb) – much of which is propellant for its propulsion system. The spacecraft will carry six main instruments, four of which are cameras and five of which were built in Korea. NASA provided the sixth – a camera that will look for ice in the Moon’s pitch-black shadows – and also partnered with KARI to assist with mission design, navigation, and communications.
According to NASA, Falcon 9 will launch KPLO into a low Earth parking orbit around 300 kilometers (~185 mi), after which the rocket’s upper stage will perform “translunar injection burn” to place the spacecraft on a ballistic lunar transfer (BLT). Using its onboard propulsion, KPLO will then perform any necessary trajectory corrections immediately after separation and eventually insert itself into orbit around the Moon as early as mid-December. Finally, the spacecraft will optimize into a circular 100-kilometer (~62 mi) polar orbit around the Moon and begin science operations, part of which includes scouting for a landing site for South Korea’s follow-on Moon lander.
KPLO will be SpaceX’s second commercial launch to the Moon, but it will also be the first time one of the company’s Falcon rockets has directly launched a payload on a lunar trajectory. If KPLO performs as expected, South Korea will become the seventh country to reach lunar orbit.
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Tesla FSD’s new Mad Max mode is getting rave reviews from users
It does appear that Mad Max mode is destined to be one of the system’s biggest steps forward to date.
Tesla’s release notes for the newly released Mad Max mode for FSD (Supervised) V14.1.2 simply stated that the feature “comes with higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than Hurry.” But as per videos that have been posted online by FSD users who have tested the system, it does appear that Mad Max mode is destined to be one of the system’s biggest steps forward to date.
It is then no surprise that the new capability is getting rave reviews from Tesla owners.
Impressive tests
A look at posts on social media platform X would show that, similar to past FSD releases, numerous Tesla content creators immediately tested Mad Max mode on real-world streets after it was downloaded onto their vehicle. Considering that the update was released rather late, the first tests of Mad Max mode were done at night. Despite this, it was evident that Tesla worked very hard to make Mad Max mode into something that is very useful in real-world scenarios.
This could be seen in videos from longtime Tesla owner @BLKMDL3, who observed that Max Max mode was “amazing” and like “perfect for LA traffic” due to its cautious but assertive nature. Later on, the Tesla owner noted that after eight drives, it was evident that FSD (Supervised) V14.1.2 was impressive.
Assertive but safe
Other testers such as Model Y owner Sawyer Merritt noted that Mad Max mode drives very quickly and confidently, with smoother acceleration that is still very safe. These were echoed by another longtime FSD tester, Dirty Tesla, who noted that Mad Max mode seems to be designed for heavy, aggressive traffic so users could fit in better. The FSD user did, however, observe that Mad Max mode does speed up a lot on open roads.
Recent comments from Tesla AI Head Ashok Elluswamy have indicated that Mad Max mode was created to be a solution for daytime congested traffic, which is arguably one of the most soul-crushing experiences that drivers deal with on a daily basis. With this in mind, it does appear that FSD (Supervised) V14.1.2 could prove to be a notable step forward in Tesla’s push towards true autonomous driving.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk highlights the biggest flaw in X’s monetization program
Elon Musk also stated that YouTube manages creator payments “much better.”
Elon Musk has admitted that X’s creator payout system isn’t living up to expectations, and he has highlighted the current system’s biggest flaw.
Amidst complaints about low and inconsistent payments, the platform’s owner acknowledged that X has been “underpaying and not allocating payment accurately enough.” Musk also stated that YouTube manages creator payments “much better.”
Musk acknowledges payout issues
Recent discussions about the social media platform’s payout issues began when X product head Nikita Bier stated that the company was developing new upgrades for “power users.” This prompted X user Peter Duan to raise ongoing concerns about being “consistently underpaid” compared to his peers. Bier responded candidly, suggesting that “creator payouts do more harm than good and we need to off-ramp to a different system.”
Musk then weighed in on the matter, contradicting Bier’s view. “No,” Musk wrote in his reply, “the issue is that we are underpaying and not allocating payment accurately enough. YouTube does a much better job.” The Tesla CEO’s comment immediately reignited debates about X’s monetization program, which some have criticized for its rather unpredictable nature.
X’s monetization challenges
Since X launched its ad revenue-sharing program in 2023, the system has promised to reward Premium subscribers who generate high engagement with verified accounts, as noted in a WION report. Creators, however, have argued that the company’s payout model has remained inconsistent, with revenue fluctuating even when view counts stay stable. Reports have noted that some users with millions of monthly impressions have received just a few hundred dollars.
By contrast, YouTube’s Partner Program, which takes a 45% cut of ad revenue, is known for more transparent and predictable payments. Musk’s admission that YouTube handles monetization more effectively could then hint at a potential shift towards a new monetization program for X, a platform that has become increasingly critical to social conversations over the years.
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Tesla exec hints at FSD Mad Max mode’s killer feature
The release notes of Tesla’s v14.1.2 FSD update indicate that Mad Max mode “comes with higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than Hurry.”
Tesla may have just rolled out its boldest Full Self-Driving (FSD) upgrade yet, but the company’s Head of AI, Ashok Elluswamy, hinted at the recently released “Mad Max” mode’s actual killer feature.
As per the Tesla executive, FSD’s Mad Max mode is designed to provide drivers with optimum driving performance during what are commonly the most tedious driving conditions on real-world roads.
Where Mad Max mode truly shines
Tesla drivers and longtime FSD users responded positively to the rollout of Mad Max mode. The performance of the update was so notable that @WholeMarsBlog, a longtime FSD tester, described it as epic. The FSD tester’s comments were posted on X as videos of Mad Max mode’s real-world performance were being shared online.
In response to the Tesla owner and longtime FSD tester, Elluswamy noted that drivers would probably love Mad Max mode even more during daytime hours, when traffic is denser. “You’ll love it more during day time / denser traffic. Really showcases its decision making,” the Tesla executive wrote in his post.
The release notes of Tesla’s v14.1.2 FSD update indicate that Mad Max mode “comes with higher speeds and more frequent lane changes than Hurry.” Videos shared online showed that Mad Max mode, despite its assertive driving style, is still a very cautious and safe driver, similar to past FSD releases.
Made for real-world traffic and long commutes
Traffic congestion typically peaks during daytime hours, when drivers could at times spend hours navigating crowded intersections and fast-changing lanes. For many Tesla owners, having an FSD mode that can confidently manage that chaos could be a game-changer.
Simply put, the feature’s extra assertiveness could allow Mad Max mode to excel in the kind of traffic that tests even the most patient drivers. By improving decision-making in those conditions, the company may be positioning FSD as a true solution for the everyday stress of stop-and-go commutes, packed freeways, and unpredictable city driving.
The “Mad Max” name itself isn’t new. Elon Musk first teased it back in 2018 as a playful nod to aggressive freeway driving. Its reappearance in Tesla’s modern FSD system, however, hints at the notable maturation of Tesla’s autonomous driving efforts over the years.
Tesla FSD’s new Mad Max mode is getting rave reviews from users
Elon Musk highlights the biggest flaw in X’s monetization program
Tesla exec hints at FSD Mad Max mode’s killer feature
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