Starman behind the wheel of a Tesla Red Roadster on the way to Mars
The Tesla Roadster launched into the space by Elon Musk in 2018 confused scientists, who thought it was an asteroid.
Astronomers recently identified an object close to Earth (Neo), initially cataloged as asteroid “2018 CN41”, only to later confirm that it was the Tesla Roadster de Elon Musklaunched for space in 2018 aboard a Falcon Heavy rocket.
The unusual orbit and the proximity of the earth led to its initial classification as a newly discovered asteroidbefore astronomers identify the object as the famous electric car.
The Center of Minor Planets of the International Astronomical Union announced the object on January 2, 2025, describing its eccentric orbit, which placed it within the moon orbit – less than 240 thousand kilometers from Earth.
However, a correction issued the next day clarified that the orbit corresponded to an artificial object, specifically the Tesla and the driver of the upper phase of Falcon Heavy. The designation “2018 CN41” was later removed.
Cases like this are not unusual, since astronomers confuse occasionally Human spatial garbage or objects known with new celestial discoveries. A similar event took place in 2007, when the European space agency Rosetta spacecraft was briefly identified as a new object.
Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster, launched as a symbolic load during Spacex Falcon Heavy test flight, follows a heliocentric orbit that intersect the orbits of Earth and Mars, explains the.
Although astronomers do not closely follow the car, its long -term destination has raised some scientific curiosity. In 2018, an investigation team calculated that the roadster has 22% probabilities to collide with the land12% of reaching venus and a similar probability of falling in the sun. Given it has not been sterilized, there is even fears that in other planets.
Fortunately, these scenarios would only unfold over millions of years.
The chaotic orbit of the car, influenced by gravitational interactions with the planets, makes it almost impossible to make accurate predictions beyond 100 years. However, astronomers foresee their next significant approximation in 2047, when it will be around 5 million kilometers from Earth.
