Tesla Roadster

In-active Cargo Mass Simulator Crew Capacity: 2 Diameter: 1.8 m Height: 4.0 m

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Feb. 6, 2018

A car in space.

Flight Life

It is now on an heliocentric orbit with no planned return to Earth.

Description

The car, mounted on the rocket's second stage, acquired enough velocity to escape Earth's gravity and enter an elliptical heliocentric orbit crossing the orbit of Mars. The orbit reaches a maximum distance from the Sun at aphelion of 1.66 astronomical units (au). During the early portion of the voyage outside the Earth's atmosphere, live video was transmitted back to the mission control center and live-streamed for slightly over four hours.

History

Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster is an electric sports car that served as the dummy payload for the February 2018 Falcon Heavy test flight and became an artificial satellite of the Sun. "Starman", a mannequin dressed in a spacesuit, occupies the driver's seat. The car and rocket are products of Tesla and SpaceX, respectively, both companies founded by Elon Musk. The 2008-model Roadster was previously used by Musk for commuting to work, and is the only production car in space.



Falcon 9
Success
1 day, 1 hour ago
Starlink Group 10-37
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
2 days, 17 hours ago
Starlink Group 11-21
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
4 days, 2 hours ago
Starlink Group 10-21
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Long March 3
Success
4 days, 13 hours ago
Gaofen-14 02
Launch Complex 3 (LC-3/LA-1) - Xichang Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Gaofen is a series of civilian Earth observation satellites developed and launched for the China High-definition Earth Observation System (CHEOS), a …


H3-24
Success
4 days, 17 hours ago
HTV-X1
Yoshinobu Launch Complex LP-2 - Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

First flight of the upgraded Japanese HTV-X spacecraft designed to resupply the International Space Station.


Falcon 9
Success
5 days, 3 hours ago
Starlink Group 11-12
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
6 days, 16 hours ago
SpainSat NG II
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Second of two new-generation satellites built by Airbus to provide secure communications to the Spanish government, its allies, and various internati…


Long March 5
Success
1 week ago
TJSW-20
101 - Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Chinese classified satellite claimed to be for communication technology test purposes. Actual mission not known.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 1 day ago
Starlink Group 11-5
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.


Falcon 9
Success
1 week, 3 days ago
Starlink Group 11-19
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 28 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.