In  2018, Elon Musk launched his Tesla Roadster also known as the “Starman” into space. On Feb. 6, 2018 the Kennedy Space Center launched the rocket into space. The rocket is currently moving away from Earth, and roughly every two  years and 9 months, the Roadster passes by Earth. The test flight mission was mainly to demonstrate the performance capabilities of the Falcon Heavy rocket, and its ability to operate as a reusable rocket.

In 2002, Musk founded the Space Exploration Technologies Corporation (SpaceX). SpaceX is an American aerospace manufacturer and space transportation services company headquartered in Hawthorne, California. The goal of the company is to reduce space transportation costs to enable the colonization of Mars. 

Musk has said that Roadster sales will begin after the release of the revised Model S ‘Plaid’, which should enter production in late 2021. His rocket launch served as the dummy payload for the February 2018 Falcon Heavy test flight and became an artificial satellite of the Sun. 

The Tesla in space currently is being used as a test payload to show how the rocket could one day transport people and goods into space. Musk said he is using the Roadster because it’s less “boring” than typical test payloads, “but it’s also a smart marketing ploy.” 

The Tesla Roadster is expected to retail for $200,000 as a base price, dependent on a $50,000 reservation. A special “Founders Series” model, limited to just 1,000 cars, will cost $250,000 with the reservation depending on the full payment. 

The Roadster is now 215.6 million miles from Earth and is traveling at a speed of more than 6,000 miles per hour. Interestingly, the Roadster is closest to Mars right now, at a distance of 96.1 million miles. 

SpaceX is currently the most powerful rocket to ever be launched in space.  “It had an image of a giant explosion on the pad with a wheel bouncing down the road and the Tesla logo landing somewhere. But fortunately that’s not what happened. The mission seemed to have gone as well as possible.” Mark said when it was first launched.

If SpaceX can fly the Falcon Heavy reliably, the rocket could prove useful to the Pentagon for lifting national security satellites and to NASA for helping its human exploration goals. SpaceX says the rocket is capable of hauling more mass farther than any existing rocket — an estimated 140,000 pounds to low Earth orbit, and nearly 40,000 pounds to Mars. 

The launch of the “Roadster” proved successful even though Musk had doubts.