eddiejustice
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Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster getting ready to be send on a journey towards Mars.
These two fairings are going to cover the car as the Falcon Heavy flies through the Atmosphere
Front end view of the car and the the fairings for a good size comparison. This will be the top of the rocket.
The Tesla Roadster will be playing space oddity on loop if the launch succeeds
Three Falcon 9 rockets strapped together to create the falcon heavy. A beautiful monster of a rocket with a total of 27 Merlin engines. The two on the side will separate and come back down through the atmosphere to land vertically for reuse.
The 27 Merlin engines creating one of the most powerful rockets ever built.
Ragnarok987
I hope there’s a fast charger or two on the way to mars.
TeeMee123
imagine how much money he would make by selling out space in the rocket for sent in items
PullTheLeverCronk
Lol I think that’s the entire business model
ComicSansAlert
Everyone saying "why?": a) because he can, b) it's a test and the rocket needs cargo to simulate actual satellites, c) (even more) publicity
pirateninjaunicornattacksquad
Don't forget that it will also have a copy of Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy in the glove box. And the towel.
OffensiveAndInsultingComments
Way to go musky!
5P4C3M4N
If they can land that on mars it would be so cool to drive a car around mars
NM156
"on a journey towards Mars." Not to Mars, but in the same general vicinity.
PullTheLeverCronk
Or “towards” if you will
iainvention
Car lands. Trunk pops open. It’s Elon! “Haha everyone it is me Elon Musk! I have tricked you!”
hangemhigh13
If he wants to send his Tesla far away never to be seen again i could've just given him my address.
darkspork
How are they securing it there? Are the certain that it wont shake apart and cause other issues?
ThePsychoanalyst
No,.they forgot that, be sure.to call.them
Foopfoop
Will be the ultimate antique "barn find" in 2109
Mccorny
Solar charger?
Snailsnailsnail
No
SherMattLockSmith
It will be playing during launch, not much use playing in space where there is no air to transmit the sound.
PlanetLXI
Roads? Where we're going, we don't need roads.
SometimesIdontwanttolaugh
Hey I have a lots of money and I really don't know what to do with it. Let's send a car orbiting Mars!
ErwinHeisenberg
This is the first flight of the Falcon heavy. They test the rocket and Musk decided he wants to use his personal Tesla as weight
Havok707
You have a choice between a weighted steel block, a block of concrete, or your car. which do you chose?
dormantmutant
Surely there's better vehicles for the terrain on Mars? Why a roadster?
dwilson0725
Its not actually a vehicle to be driven on mars. Its a publicity stunt. Lol
Bunsen
Um, it's not going to land. Or ever actually get very close to Mars, for that matter. It's going into solar orbit with a Mars-ish aphelion.
NCGreasemonkey
The answer is always roadster!
Sumtinstink
I heard the Martians love roadsters
Beelsebooob
Because none of those "better vehicles" would run in a near 0 oxygen environment.
TheBlackVan
Oh, an electric car.
Roadbreaker
He should have Radar Rider playing instead. https://youtu.be/DWMPe3wF9jQ
dietderpsy
"Where we're going, we won't need roads" - Elon Musk
RetroBlast
Ground Control to Tesla One...Ground Control to Tesla One...
StrayBullet
The Roadster is actually playing Space Oddity by Bowie while in space. Sending it was not enough for Musk, it must play good tunes as well.
bigbrother
I wonder if the AI has nice dreams.
LosKarlos
Maybe from some electric sheep.
kmikl
commencing countdown, stereo on.
railgap
Until recently, space junk was an earthly phenomenon. Elon Musk wants to change that.
ThorFirebrand
Opening credits to 1981's "Heavy Metal" Radar Rider!
StrayBullet
Don’t forget the Roadster is also playing Space Oddity by Bowie as it goes into space and I’m assuming while it’s in space.
andyanders1191
What a nice way to waste money
Tsumino79
merlin? that does not look like a spitfire to me...
Tsumino79
although they are going to spit hella fire
YesButAlsoYes
Not that this isn't impressive, but why? Am I missing something? Surely they could send equipment or something?
Apollad
The primary objective of this launch is to see how well 3 Falcon Core stages work straped together. I somehow suspect Elon has played KSP.
Havok707
THing is, it might blow. usually its a concrete or steel block for weight. he chose somethign fun instead. No equipment would have gone.
1watt
It's a test flight. Nobody is willing to put their precious satellite on top so they have to launch a dummy load.
TAKEITEASYIMJUSTKIDDING
Is this the one they’re launching from Vandenberg this evening? Might be a sight to see from my house!
PattiMichelle
That's what it looks like when polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and benzene from an inefficient engine hit the upper atmosphere.
12rt2345g342563
Pure nonsense. The Merlin is one of the most efficient thrust to weight rocket engines ever developed.
PattiMichelle
Then you know essentially nothing about combustion chemistry or the physics of combustion. I can explain in detail if you like.
FuzzyX
The next Vandenberg launch is a SpaceX Falcon 9 being the fourth Iridium launch of 10 more satellites.
hellomynameispissoff
Apparently that was tonight.
AnAccountToPostThis
falcon heavy's first flight will be from florida. Supposedly it will be visible throughout the peninsula. I'm hype as fuck in naples.
hellomynameispissoff
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-space-x-sky-20171222-story.html
BakinBaconBaked
I used to be able to see launches from there when I was a kid. Thanks for reminding me.
eddiejustice
I don’t think they are launching this until next month
darkspork
This is the Falcon Heavy launching from Florida in January. Exact date currently unknown.
DRcPEPPER23
Muskie logic. Lets just promise stupid stuff and fuck the engineers for media attention......innovative but just why?
Bunsen
Because the first launch is risky, and nobody wants to spend $shitload building a payload that may well get blowed the fuck up.
phil1d
Are you saying this kind of fun doesn't motivate engineers? The engineers I know breathe for this shit. Maybe now Old Space mannequins
DarkRedCape
I like ol' Musky, it seems like he wants to get things done, but isn't this just a huge waste of time and resources? Is there more to this?
eatened
It's a test flight. Could as well use it to promote his companies' products.
PullTheLeverCronk
It’s the first launch so they are sending something they can afford to lose, plus marketing
gelvis
Good 'Ol Muisky
GuyFieriIsMySpiritAnimal
eddiejustice
Literally no one calls him that
ScaldingCold
They do now
kuntzs
Good ol Musky
boobs675309
Elon Musk is just the right amount of crazy. Why is he sending a tesla roadster to mars? Cause he can, that's why.
poopofdestiny
Cuz when he gets there later, he'll need a sweet ride to pick up those martian honeys.
FuzzyX
Technically this launch is to a heliocentric orbit around the Sun which crosses the orbital path of Mars without collision.
FuzzyNutSak
Fuzzy approves
stevethomasyyc
It's illegal for them to hit Mars with the car. Cause they can't make sure it won't be bring earth shit to to infect.
TuggSpeedmann
Because when the first people land on mars, they’ll need a rover. And it’ll be the best fuckin thing history has ever told
IRBafoon
Rich people doing weird rich people shit like imma clone myself then kill the clone.
valen00
$100,000 car for how many millions in publicity for two of his companies? Brilliant marketing at a minimum
fr1080f
Probably some loop hole so he can technically own mars
TheRicemanCometh
He gonna eminent domain that shit
Ojuter
He sure can...like he can send one on my driveway *wink wink*
GadenKerensky
Also because it'd be a good way to test payload dynamics.
RetConMan
If you have to send a payload of that weight, you'd might as well send the car you made into space on the rocket you made.
electronurd
Wow.. slightly naive.. it's called advertising.. why rise would anyone send such a heavy payload to Mars.. he will attract more investment.
DirkDiggler0212
Expensive advertising lol
charlietrundlethegreat
I’d say cheap. Advertising can cost up to several hundred thousands, he is doing it at a fraction.
awesock
Bro the car costs several hundred thousands. Advertising costs tens of millions at the least
charlietrundlethegreat
For Elon, the car doesn’t cost that much, he can make his own (no tax and bs). And I still stand by my argument (you agree too).
valen00
This will probably be on news networks around the world. Even Elon couldn't buy that
malakim
He likes that car. He is giving himself an incentive to go there and get it back.
MerToo
going to make for a weird insurance claim one day "Yeah Glyrxx, you heard me right, I hit a 20000-year old car head on near Gliese VI..."
FuzzyX
Because no one wants to risk an expensive payload on an experimental new rocket. He used a wheel of cheese last time and his car now.
boobiesarelifetho
He could've sent me...i mean the worst thing that could happen is I die...which isn't that bad really
buttcrackula
Of course it would be bad! It would be the worst! We can’t live without you! Now stop talking like that!
plainoldfool
The whole wheel of cheese? How'd he do that?!
FuzzyX
http://static3.uk.businessinsider.com/image/58dec88bdd0895bb128b49c7-1200
Combatmatt
He bought it from Dovahkiin
TheMightyElk
I would personally say e a tesla is an expensive payload lol
charlietrundlethegreat
Not to him. As in it’s just raw material and machine time to him. But then it also adds the publicity aspect so, maybe it evens out?
TheMightyElk
I meant that it is not like a weighted brick or something. Plus it's sentemental
Fovamp
It is, but it’s a 200 grand car, versus a multi million dollar satellite
shimmernshine
This is the older one based on the Lotus Elise, Tesla's first model. It retailed for $112,000 and is now a collector's item.
Shiracco
Yeah I hope the rocket doesn't explode with that car inside, the old Tesla roadsters are very good cars and are getting pretty rare nowadays
PattiMichelle
How much do you get paid to praise musk? He's helping destroy the earth, and nobody is going to Mars.
boobs675309
That's news, how's he helping to destroy the earth?
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dwilson0725
You understand his cars are fully electric, yes?
PattiMichelle
There's a *huge* problem with electricity - most of it comes from burning fossil fuels (making CO2). More cars only drive more problems.
wolfman492
Must be all those electric cars and solar panels lol
PattiMichelle
No, it's affluence. The top 15% of humans are the only ones who can save civilization now, and only by stopping emitting CO2, NOW.
Jusmar
Lithium mines and RP-1 fuel ain't the best.
PattiMichelle
Lithium isn't mined (dug out of the ground). That's why it's so cheap.
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dwilson0725
You have to start somewhere and hes on the cutting edge of tech. He wants it to become standard and available for all.
PattiMichelle
We're facing the end of civilization due to the affluent emitting CO2. He has to stop what he's doing, immediately.
PattiMichelle
By dumping CO2 unnecessarily - the AR5 already shows were at a 1.5% chance of global kill. The F5 is the most inefficient rocket ever built
PattiMichelle
*F9
dwilson0725
So how do you feel about the fact that hes in developement to replace the LOX/RP1 engines of rocket engines?
PattiMichelle
It isn't how I "feel" - it's the science. Mueller's engine is really toxic because it's so inefficient.
dwilson0725
And you say unnecesaroly but thats largely debatable. "Inefficient" rockets. Please cite your source on that.
PattiMichelle
It's inefficient because of no atomization of the fuels. They can't even do standard launches without "cold loading" fuel.
PattiMichelle
And... we already have fleets of extremely efficient and reliable rockets. So this is just a rich-boy's dirty toy.
DoingItWrongSince1980
Because the extra income this stunt will draw from investors is greater than the cost.
ebap
He really is smart. Only electric cars would work on mars because of combustion.
12rt2345g342563
Big misconception here. They are not landing the car on Mars. Only doing a flyby. Landing on mars is really hard.
valen00
Probably also a no no as it may contaminate the surface with life
TheRicemanCometh
Years later America declares war on the Teslonians for their precious space oil.