Summary: Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster, launched into space aboard Falcon Heavy in 2018, has traveled over 3.5 trillion miles. Here’s where it is now and when it will return close to Earth.
It has been just over seven years since SpaceX launched its powerful Falcon Heavy rocket on February 6, 2018, sending Elon Musk’s personal Tesla Roadster into space. Alongside the cherry-red sports car was a mannequin named “Starman,” set on an endless cosmic journey, orbiting the Sun.
According to Whereisroadster.com, a tracking website created by engineer Ben Pearson, the Roadster has now traveled approximately 3.5 trillion miles through space. The site continuously monitors the car’s location and speed, providing fascinating insights into its voyage beyond Earth.
How Far Has the Tesla Traveled?
Based on Pearson’s calculations, the Tesla Roadster takes 557 days to complete one full orbit around the Sun. Since its launch, it has surpassed its original 36,000-mile warranty by an astonishing 97,002 times. The site also notes that the vehicle has achieved an astronomical fuel economy of 11,782.9 kilometers per liter—not that it actually runs on fuel anymore.
To put its journey into perspective, the Roadster has now traveled enough to drive on all of Earth’s roads 86.8 times.
The Soundtrack to a Space Odyssey
At the time of launch, the car was playing David Bowie’s classic “Space Oddity” on repeat. If the car’s battery and speakers were somehow still functional, Starman would have heard the song over 698,000 times by now—making it the ultimate intergalactic concert.
Starman, the spacesuit-wearing mannequin, has completed around 4.6 orbits around the Sun since 2018, further cementing its status as an eternal cosmic traveler.
Mistaken for an Asteroid?
Earlier this year, Musk’s car made headlines again when it was accidentally classified as an asteroid. According to CNET, on January 2, the International Astronomical Union’s Minor Planet Center mistakenly designated the Roadster as a newly discovered near-Earth object, 2018 CN41.
However, a follow-up notice quickly corrected the error, stating that the orbit matched an artificial object—2018-017A, which refers to the Falcon Heavy upper stage carrying the Tesla Roadster. The asteroid classification was later deleted.
When Will the Tesla Roadster Return Close to Earth?
While the Roadster is still far from home, calculations suggest it will make a close encounter with Earth in the year 2091. During this event, the car will come within a few hundred thousand kilometers of the planet where it was originally built.
For now, the Tesla continues its lonely voyage through the cosmos, a symbol of human ingenuity, space exploration, and, of course, Elon Musk’s flair for the dramatic.
Last Updated on: Friday, February 21, 2025 5:43 pm by The Weekly News Team | Published by: The Weekly News Team on Friday, February 21, 2025 5:42 pm | News Categories: General
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