Spaceman Takes Tesla on Joyride to Asteroid Belt

Since the trajectory of this payload is not mission critical this cannot be called a failure. It might be called a lucky, unplanned feature. I wonder if this might affect the Big Falcon Rocket program?

Yeah, an orbital insertion error this large might be cause for concern.

Now this is cool!

I love the nod to 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy'! Douglas Adams would have been pleased.

Will this display of showmanship be an impetus for the younger crowd to become more interested in space exploration, or feed the existing model that is to sit around (and play with their devices) and wait for things like this to become just another video feed?

If it does collide with an asteroid, will insurance cover it?? I am sure Mayhem is lurking in the asteroid belt.

Elon said that the mission verified that SpaceX simulation parameters are reliable, so he has even more confidence in their B.F.R. design.

I guess they just need larger tanks of hypergolic fuel for igniting the center core engines of Falcon Heavy, as that was troublesome.

BTW, I'm sure the second stage was run until depletion for stability reasons. They got a pleasant surprise at the surplus boost.

This mission had access to a Tesla Roadster battery pack. Future long range missions will require a stage that can sleep and then wake up weeks, months, or years later for course corrections. The batteries could be recharged using Solar panels or, perhaps, a generator burning propellant.

http://cr4.globalspec.com/thread/118179/elonmusk-View-from-SpaceX-Launch-Control-Apparently-There-is-a-Car-in-Orbit

"Recalculating...When possible, make a U-Turn!"

Meanwhile, the sporty open-top spacecraft attracts some perhaps undesired attention:

Helmet: How long to get to Earth at Light Speed?
Helm: Thirty three days, six hours...
Helmet: TOO LONG! How long at Ridiculous Speed?
Helm: Two days and eleven...
Helmet: TOO LONG! How long at Ludicrous Speed? Doesn't matter - Ludicrous Speed, GO!

I wonder if he will put it up for sale? What would you pay to own this little piece of history, even though you may never actually be able to even sit in it? Would you still have to have it licensed and registered? Probably don't have to worry about rust...I wonder how the tires will hold up...

I wonder if the air pressure in the tires was reduced prior to launch.

A used booster is up for sale on Craigslist indicating that you need to bring your own tugboat.

Friggin Google Maps! Sent him down a fire road.

Imagine in the far future this car crashing on a populated planet and the inhabitants trying to analyze the physics of this intergalactic "space" vehicle and how the hell it could have gotten to where it is on its own. What special magic metals, what unknown energy source, the navigation system, etc. And wondering if they’re in danger of an alien invasion. ��

They say it's in a billion year orbit, but scientists say that in a year it will start disintegrating due to the onslaught of radiation. Astronauts in low earth orbit are pretty much protected by the earth's magnetic field which traps charged particle in the Van Allen Belts.

Sometime in the future maybe we'll rendezvous with Musk's car and see the radiation's effects on the organic materials.

https://www.livescience.com/61680-will-spacex-roadster-survive-in-space.html