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Amateur astronomer spotted the Tesla Roadster Elon Musk launched in space and what he saw caused a bit of panic
supercarblondie.com • • technology
Key Points:
- In 2018, Elon Musk launched his personal Tesla Roadster into space aboard SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket as a dummy payload, with a mannequin named Starman in the driver’s seat.
- The Roadster has been orbiting the Sun, crossing paths with Earth and Mars, and is currently about 84 million miles from Earth, moving back toward our planet at over 35,000 mph.
- A Turkish amateur astronomer recently spotted the vehicle but mistakenly identified it as a new near-Earth asteroid, causing temporary alarm until experts clarified the object's true identity.
- Scientists estimate a very low collision risk with Earth—about a 6% chance in the next million years—with the car expected to vaporize harmlessly if it ever re-enters the atmosphere.
- The incident highlights challenges in tracking numerous objects in space, including satellites and debris, and underscores the importance of accurate catalogs for distinguishing artificial objects from natural celestial bodies.
