Tesla Roadster Launched Into Space Passes Mars

Ground control to Major Elon.

The red Tesla Roadster once driven by Elon Musk that was launched into space during a February test flight of the SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket has traveled beyond the orbit of Mars, the company said in a tweet on Friday.

The car and its inanimate driver, dubbed Starman after the Dave Bowie song, have been on a steady course away from Earth since they were included as the payload during a successful test of SpaceX's rocket designed to hoist satellites and equipment into space.

Musk, who owns both SpaceX and Tesla, included the vehicle in the launch as a "silly and fun" way to bring attention to his companies' accomplishments.

SpaceX tweeted a photo of Starman's location along with the caption "Next stop, the restaurant at the end of the universe," a reference to the second book in the "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series written by Douglas Adams.

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