On Tuesday, Elon Musk launched a Tesla Roadster into orbit. Yes, an actual car launched at a speed of 18,000 mph and is currently cruising around Earth, awaiting a final boost to propel it into interplanetary orbit.
The car caught a ride into space with SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket and is currently in the Van Allen belt, a region of intense radiation surrounding the Earth.
At 9:30 pm Eastern time, the rocket is expected to fire again, sending the Tesla Roadster out of Earth’s orbit and on a path that will take it near Mars. If all goes well and the rocket is propelled farther from the Earth, the iconic vehicle may cruise the solar system for millions of years (if radiation or space debris doesn’t rip it to shreds).
You can watch the live stream right here of the cherry-red Tesla convertible (with the top down!) with the entire planet Earth in its view. It’s helmed by a dummy in a spacesuit that Musk is calling “Starman” in a nod to David Bowie.
https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2018/2/6/16981856/space-x-tesla-falcon-heavy-live-stream-mars
