In 2018, Elon Musk’s SpaceX showcased the Falcon Heavy launch system with a successful test flight that also sent Musk’s personal 2008 Tesla Roadster into space, complete with a spacesuit-clad mannequin named Starman in the driver’s seat. Now, more than two years later, Starman and his cherry red car have reached Mars. In October, SpaceX shared on social media that Starman had come close to the Red Planet for the first time.
“Starman, who last left Earth, made his first close approach to Mars today – within 0.05 astronomical units, or less than 5 million miles, from the Red Planet,” the SpaceX report said.
Starman, last seen leaving Earth, made his first close approach to Mars today – within 0.05 astronomical units, or less than 5 million miles, of the Red Planet pic.twitter.com/gV8barFTm7
– SpaceX (@SpaceX) October 7, 2020
What’s interesting here is that SpaceX notes that it is the “first close approach” with Mars and that Spaceman is expected to get even closer in the future. According to Ben Pearson, who developed an unofficial online tracker for Starman and the Roadster (via CNET), the Tesla will pass at a much, much shorter distance of 1.4 million miles on April 22, 2035. In 2047 it will pass Earth.
While it’s fascinating that the Roadster gets so close to Mars, don’t expect to see photos of those close-ups ever. Although there are cameras on both the inside and outside of the vehicle, the vehicle’s battery has long since run out. Musk had initially estimated that the Roadster’s battery would last over 12 hours, but it actually turned out to only run for 4 hours, meaning Starman has just been in space in silence ever since.
And both Starman and the Roadster probably look quite different from the last photos sent back to Earth. LiveScience previously noted that the harsh solar radiation in space had probably already disintegrated most of the exposed organic materials – think things like the red paint, tires, leather seats, etc. Ultimately it is believed that the Roadster will be reduced to just its aluminum frame and perhaps some of the glass, provided they survive impact with passing rocks and debris.
What do you think of Starman’s continuous journey through space? Let us know your thoughts in the comments.