# Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster

> sports car launched into space in 2018

**Wikidata**: [Q46845259](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q46845259)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elon_Musk's_Tesla_Roadster)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/elon-musk-s-tesla-roadster

## Summary
Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster is a 2008 sports car manufactured by Tesla, Inc. that serves as an artificial satellite of the Sun. Launched on February 6, 2018, aboard the inaugural flight of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy rocket, it became the first production car to be sent into space.

## Key Facts
- **Launch Date:** February 6, 2018, at 20:45 UTC.
- **Launch Vehicle:** Falcon Heavy (SpaceX), utilizing core 001.
- **Launch Site:** Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A.
- **Classification:** Artificial satellite of the Sun (heliocentric orbit); also classified as a payload and boilerplate.
- **Orbital Period:** 557.0 days.
- **Orbital Parameters:** Apoapsis of 1.66 AU, periapsis of 0.986 AU, eccentricity of 0.256, and inclination of 1.07 degrees.
- **Mass:** Approximately 1,250 kilograms.
- **Designations:** COSPAR ID 2018-017A; Minor Planet Center designations 2018 CN41 and K18C41N.
- **Vehicle Details:** 2008 Tesla Roadster; VIN 5YJRE1A34A1000686.

## FAQs
### Q: Is the car still in space?
A: Yes, the Roadster remains in space as an artificial satellite of the Sun, traveling in a heliocentric orbit that crosses the orbit of Mars and approaches the orbit of Earth.

### Q: What rocket was used to launch the car?
A: The car was launched as the payload for the Falcon Heavy Demonstration Mission, operated by SpaceX from the Kennedy Space Center.

### Q: Does the car have an official scientific name?
A: Yes, it is registered with the COSPAR ID 2018-017A and has been assigned the minor planet designations 2018 CN41 and K18C41N by the Minor Planet Center.

## Why It Matters
Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster serves as a unique cultural and technological artifact in aerospace history. Its primary significance lies in its role as the dummy payload for the Falcon Heavy Demonstration Mission. Rather than launching a conventional block of concrete or metal, SpaceX utilized Musk's personal electric vehicle to demonstrate the heavy-lift capabilities of the Falcon Heavy rocket. This event marked the first time a production car was sent into deep space, transforming a commercial consumer product into a long-term heliocentric satellite.

The launch captured global public attention, symbolizing the intersection of private space exploration and pop culture. Scientifically, the object provides a tracked entity for orbital mechanics studies, monitored by NASA's JPL Horizons system and the Minor Planet Center. Its trajectory offers data on the behavior of uncontrolled objects in cislunar and heliocentric space, bridging the gap between industrial aerospace testing and public engagement.

## Notable For
- **First Production Car in Space:** It is the first standard consumer automobile to be launched into a heliocentric orbit.
- **Falcon Heavy Maiden Flight:** It served as the test mass for the most powerful operational rocket at the time of its launch.
- **Minor Planet Classification:** It was temporarily mistaken for an asteroid (2018 CN41) by astronomers before being identified as the Roadster.
- **Celebrity Usage:** Before its launch, the vehicle was used by Elon Musk, Talulah Riley, and briefly featured in a photoshoot with Kevin Zegers and Miley Cyrus in 2010.

## Body

### Origin and Specifications
The object is a **2008 Tesla Roadster** manufactured by **Tesla, Inc.** with the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) **5YJRE1A34A1000686**. It was constructed in 2009 and originally registered in California. The vehicle has a mass of approximately **1,250 kilograms**. Prior to its launch, it was owned and operated by **Elon Musk**.

### Launch and Mission Profile
The Roadster was launched on **February 6, 2018**, at 20:45 UTC from **Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A**. The launch was contracted and operated by **SpaceX** as part of the **Falcon Heavy Demonstration Mission**. It was carried aboard the **Falcon Heavy** rocket (Core 001).

The mission was a success, placing the car into a **heliocentric orbit**. The parent astronomical body for the Roadster is the **Sun**.

### Orbital Dynamics
As an artificial satellite of the Sun, the Roadster follows a specific orbital path defined by the following parameters as of the February 15, 2018 epoch:
*   **Semi-major Axis:** 1.32 Astronomical Units (AU)
*   **Periapsis (closest approach to Sun):** 0.986 AU
*   **Apoapsis (furthest distance from Sun):** 1.66 AU
*   **Orbital Eccentricity:** 0.256
*   **Orbital Inclination:** 1.07 degrees
*   **Orbital Period:** 557.0 days

### Official Identifications and Aliases
The Roadster is tracked by multiple scientific agencies and is known by several designations:
*   **COSPAR ID:** 2018-017A
*   **NORAD SCN:** 43205
*   **Minor Planet IDs:** 2018 CN41, K18C41N
*   **Google Knowledge Graph ID:** /g/11f3w6nj92

Common aliases include "Starman" (referencing the mannequin often implied to be inside), "Tesla Roadster in space," "TSLA 10," and "Elon's Tesla."

## References

1. [Source](https://space.skyrocket.de/doc_sdat/tesla-roadster.htm)
2. [Source](https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/spacecraft/display.action?id=2018-017A)
3. Jonathan's Space Report
4. [Source](https://ssd.jpl.nasa.gov/horizons_batch.cgi?batch=1&COMMAND=-143205&CENTER=500@10&MAKE_EPHEM=YES&TABLE_TYPE=ELEMENTS&START_TIME=2018-02-08&STOP_TIME=2025-12-31&STEP_SIZE=1MO&OUT_UNITS=AU-D&REF_PLANE=ECLIPTIC&REF_SYSTEM=J2000&TP_TYPE=ABSOLUTE&ELEM_LABELS=YES&CSV_FORMAT=NO&OBJ_DATA=YES)
5. [Source](https://minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K25/K25A49.html)
6. [Source](https://www.astronomy.com/science/astronomers-just-deleted-an-asteroid-because-it-turned-out-to-be-elon-musks-tesla-roadster/)
7. [Source](https://minorplanetcenter.net/mpec/K25/K25A38.html)
8. [Source](http://www.zimbio.com/pictures/jvSDs5f6JXG/Miley+Cyrus+Photoshoot+Tesla+Roadster/browse)