Elon Musk Launches Tesla Roadster Into Space, Streams Live Views of 'Starman'

Sam McEachern
by Sam McEachern

Elon Musk’s SpaceX successfully launched its Falcon Heavy rocket at 3:45 p.m. today, carrying Musk’s personal Tesla Roadster into space with the goal of putting it into Mars’ orbit.

The Falcon Heavy rocket is based on the Falcon 9 rocket, which Space X was already tested with good success prior to the launch. Rocket test flights typically feature a dead weight to simulate the mass of a satellite or some other type of operational payload. Musk thought that was a bit boring, however, and decided his own Tesla Roadster would make for a much cooler payload than some cement blocks, and we’d have to agree.

SEE ALSO: Former Lotus CEO is Also Making a Tesla Model S Wagon

The Falcon Heavy launch worked just about perfectly, with the Roadster now in space and headed for Mars. You can rewatch the live launch of Falcon Heavy in the official SpaceX video below, and we’ve also included the Starman stream so you can follow the Roadster on its journey.

Sam McEachern
Sam McEachern

Sam McEachern holds a diploma in journalism from St. Clair College in Windsor, Ontario, and has been covering the automotive industry for over 5 years. He conducts reviews and writes AutoGuide's news content. He's a die-hard motorsports fan with a passion for performance cars of all sorts.

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  • Iggy Iggy on Feb 11, 2018

    Too bad it's all FRAUD and only impossibly flawed: - 1) SpaceX can't decide whether the car's hood is a glint-only mesh or a fully reflective smooth plastic. - 2) SpaceX can't get Starman's visor to reflect more than just occasionally. - 3) SpaceX needs to explain how a reflection happens on the front of the car when the reflecting object is behind and below the reflective surfaces. - 4) SpaceX can't explain how it got to space when the launch, propulsion and altitude gain ENDED at just 111-miles/179-kilometers, not even halfway to the fake ISS...according to them. - 5) SpaceX needs to explain why it (and Earth) didn't spin on launch day, but did only after. - 6) NASA needs to explain why it didn't record everything nor provide an ISS tether and slingshot to get it into space or up to the FAKE ISS's altitude. - 7) Asstronomers need to explain the "new physics" of how it got into space and how such a truly tiny object "magically" is the same size as every other light or even visible at all. - 8) Real Science needs to explain how suddenly regular glass, paint, leather, rubber and plastic survive such temperatures and temperature swings.

  • FU FU on Nov 14, 2022

    You need to explain why you're not in a straight jacket and padded room.

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