Tesla Roadster
In-active Cargo Mass Simulator Crew Capacity: 2 Diameter: 1.8 m Height: 4.0 m()
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
Starlink Group 17-35
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USAA batch of 25 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Falcon 9
Starlink Group 10-58
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USAA batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Soyuz-5
Demo Flight
45/1 - Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of KazakhstanDemonstration Flight for Russia's new Soyuz-5 launch vehicle, with a mass simulator on board. Details TBD.
Space Launch System (SLS)
Artemis II
Launch Complex 39B - Kennedy Space Center, FL, USAArtemis II is the first crewed mission as part of the Artemis program. Artemis II will send a crew of 4 - 3 Americans and 1 Canadian around the moon …
Soyuz 2.1a/Fregat-M
Meridian-M No.21L
43/3 (43L) - Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russian FederationNote: Payload identity uncertain. Meridian is a series of communications satellite for military and civilian use.
Zhuque-2E
Unknown Payload
Launch Area 96A - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaDetails TBD.
Tianlong-3
Demo Flight
Tianlong-3 Launch Pad - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaFirst test launch of Space Pioneer’s Tianlong-3 rocket. Reports indicate this launch may carry a batch of satellites for the SpaceSail/G60/Qianfan LE…
Falcon 9
Starlink Group 10-44
Space Launch Complex 40 - Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USAA batch of 29 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.
Falcon 9
Transporter 16 (Dedicated SSO Rideshare)
Space Launch Complex 4E - Vandenberg SFB, CA, USADedicated rideshare flight to a sun-synchronous orbit with dozens of small microsatellites and nanosatellites for commercial and government customers.
Kinetica 2
Qingzhou Spacecraft Demo Flight
Launch Area 140 - Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of ChinaFirst test launch and mission of CAS Space’s Kinetica-2 rocket and Qingzhou cargo resupply spacecraft for future cargo transport to the Chinese Tiang…
