Update (Dec. 2, 3:41 p.m. PT): It’s now unclear if Musk plans to send his Roadster to Mars. A reporter from Ars Technica quotes Musk today saying the plan is real. The Verge quotes Musk saying he “totally made it up.” This story will be updated when Musk or SpaceX provide clarity.
Update (Dec. 3, 9:40 a.m. PT) SpaceX officials have reportedly confirmed Musk’s plan to launch his Tesla Roadster to Mars with SpaceX’s first Falcon Heavy rocket launch.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy will make its maiden voyage in January and CEO Elon Musk said the rocket will carry his personal Tesla Roadster into space.
Falcon Heavy is the vehicle SpaceX hopes to use for missions to the Moon and Mars. The rocket has around three-times the power of the company’s current Falcon 9 Rocket.
On Friday, Musk tweeted that Falcon Heavy’s “payload will be my midnight cherry Tesla Roadster playing Space Oddity,” referring to a song by David Bowie. “Destination is Mars orbit. Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesn’t blow up on ascent.”
Falcon Heavy has suffered delays for years. When announced in 2011, it was expected to launch in “2013 or 2014.” Musk has also publicly discussed the difficulty of the project and the possibility that the rocket will explode.
Meanwhile, as Musk said in September, SpaceX is in the process of overhauling its fleet of space vehicles to focus on a new Interplanetary Transport System, codenamed the BFR (Big F-ing Rocket).
The company will start building the first BFR ship in 2018, and Musk “feels confident” they can launch the first human mission to Mars in about five years.
And, if all goes well, there will be a sports car in the Mars orbit in 2018.
Update (Dec. 3, 9:40 a.m. PT) SpaceX officials have reportedly confirmed Musk’s plan to launch his Tesla Roadster to Mars with SpaceX’s first Falcon Heavy rocket launch.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy will make its maiden voyage in January and CEO Elon Musk said the rocket will carry his personal Tesla Roadster into space.
Falcon Heavy is the vehicle SpaceX hopes to use for missions to the Moon and Mars. The rocket has around three-times the power of the company’s current Falcon 9 Rocket.
On Friday, Musk tweeted that Falcon Heavy’s “payload will be my midnight cherry Tesla Roadster playing Space Oddity,” referring to a song by David Bowie. “Destination is Mars orbit. Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesn’t blow up on ascent.”
Falcon Heavy has suffered delays for years. When announced in 2011, it was expected to launch in “2013 or 2014.” Musk has also publicly discussed the difficulty of the project and the possibility that the rocket will explode.
Meanwhile, as Musk said in September, SpaceX is in the process of overhauling its fleet of space vehicles to focus on a new Interplanetary Transport System, codenamed the BFR (Big F-ing Rocket).
The company will start building the first BFR ship in 2018, and Musk “feels confident” they can launch the first human mission to Mars in about five years.
And, if all goes well, there will be a sports car in the Mars orbit in 2018.
