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Old December 2nd 17, 05:58 PM posted to sci.space.policy
Greg \(Strider\) Moore
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Default Falcon Heavy test flight payload announced on Twitter

"Alain Fournier" wrote in message news

On Dec/2/2017 at 9:38 AM, Jeff Findley wrote :

Falcon Heavy has maybe a 50/50 chance of success on its first flight.
But you can't launch it empty, because that doesn't properly simulate a
flight with a payload on top. So, you really do need a mass simulator.
In the past, mass simulators have been solid chunks of metal or a tank
filled with something benign like water.

Well, Elon Musk isn't one to follow the old boring trends. So, he
announced his payload plan (mass simulator) to the public via Twitter
last night:

On Friday evening, Musk tweeted what that payload would be his
"midnight cherry Tesla Roadster." And the car will be playing
Space Oddity, by David Bowie; the song which begins, "Ground
Control to Major Tom."

Cite:

SpaceX will attempt to launch a red Tesla Roadster to the red planet
"Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesn't blow up
on ascent."

ERIC BERGER - 12/1/2017, 10:25 PM

https://arstechnica.com/science/2017...-on-the-radio-
elon-musk-plans-to-launch-his-tesla-to-mars/


If they could land the car next to some rover on Mars that would be
awesome. But just sending it in the direction of Mars is really cool.


Alain Fournier


I hadn't thought about that, but I'm sure it crossed his mind. ;-)

Now THERE is is a site... Musk landing on Mars in 15 years and driving
around in a Tesla. :-)


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