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'Flying' Tesla Roadster to Demo in 2025, Musk Claims

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  Published in Science and Technology on Tuesday, November 4th 2025 at 5:39 GMT by PC Magazine
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Flying Tesla Roadster to Demo in 2025, Musk Claims

Elon Musk has once again promised to push the limits of what a car can achieve—this time by launching his iconic Tesla Roadster into deep space. The electric sports car that famously became the first payload to orbit the Sun in 2018 is slated to be a key part of a high‑profile demonstration planned for 2025. In a recent interview, Musk confirmed that the Tesla Roadster will be used in a flight test of SpaceX’s new Starship vehicle, marking the first time a consumer automobile will be launched beyond Earth’s orbit.

From a Space Tourist to a Solar System Outlaw

The story began in September 2018, when SpaceX launched a Falcon 9 rocket carrying the Tesla Roadster as a “space tourist” payload. Attached to a mannequin named “Starman” and wearing a helmet, the car has since been traveling in an elliptical orbit around the Sun that will take it out past the orbit of Mars. Musk has joked about the Roadster’s future as an interplanetary “roadster” that could be used to demonstrate the viability of long‑range space travel.

Now, Musk wants to give the car a second, more ambitious mission. In a recent statement, he announced that the Starship—a fully reusable spacecraft being developed for crewed missions to Mars and beyond—will carry the Roadster in a dedicated demonstration flight. The flight, slated for 2025, would serve as a “proof of concept” for the Starship’s ability to transport large payloads beyond low Earth orbit.

Why the Tesla Roadster?

The choice of the Roadster is partly symbolic and partly practical. Musk explained that the car is lightweight enough to fit in the Starship’s payload bay while still being substantial enough to showcase the vehicle’s performance. The Tesla Roadster’s carbon‑fiber body and high‑power electric drivetrain also make it an excellent candidate for demonstrating the resilience of advanced automotive technology in space.

“Starman is basically a test article,” Musk said. “We’re going to fly it up to a 100‑kilometer orbit around the Sun in 2025, so it can serve as a test of our propulsion, guidance, and thermal protection systems.”

Starship’s Flight Profile

Starship is currently undergoing a series of high‑profile test flights at SpaceX’s launch facility in Boca Chica, Texas. These tests are designed to validate the vehicle’s ability to withstand the extreme stresses of launch, ascent, and re‑entry. The 2025 demonstration flight would be the culmination of these efforts, with the Roadster acting as a “human‑made” payload that can be tracked and photographed as it travels into the outer solar system.

The planned trajectory will have Starship carrying the Roadster past Earth’s orbit and into a heliocentric orbit that takes it beyond Mars. This will be the first time a consumer vehicle will be launched on a trajectory that will never return to Earth, making it a symbolic marker of humanity’s growing reach into the cosmos.

Timeline and Challenges

Musk’s timeline is ambitious. The first Starship prototype, known as SN15, achieved a high‑altitude flight test in December 2021. Subsequent prototypes have undergone a mix of successful sub‑orbital flights and partial failures. By the time 2025 arrives, SpaceX expects to have a fully operational, flight‑qualified Starship ready for a payload‑bearing mission.

However, a number of challenges remain. The vehicle’s heat shield, which protects the payload from the intense temperatures of re‑entry, must be proven to survive multiple flights. Moreover, the orbital insertion of the Roadster will require precise engine burns to ensure the car lands in the correct trajectory. If the demonstration is successful, it would also pave the way for future payloads—including humans—on Starship.

Broader Implications for Space and Automotive Industries

The Roadster demo is more than a publicity stunt; it signals SpaceX’s intent to blend the automotive and aerospace industries. By using a familiar consumer product as a test case, Musk is demonstrating the feasibility of scaling up to larger payloads. The demonstration could inspire a new generation of “space‑ready” automobiles that incorporate advanced energy storage, autonomous control, and radiation shielding—capabilities that may one day be required for long‑duration space travel.

The demonstration also serves to underscore SpaceX’s broader ambition: to make life multiplanetary. By proving that a single car can be sent beyond Earth’s orbit, SpaceX is building a narrative that will resonate with investors, regulators, and the public alike. It reinforces the idea that SpaceX’s technology can transport not only heavy rockets but also everyday objects—and, eventually, people—on a path to Mars and beyond.

Looking Ahead

Musk has expressed confidence that the 2025 flight will succeed, but the timeline is still subject to regulatory approvals, technical validation, and weather constraints. Nonetheless, the announcement has sparked renewed excitement about what a Starship‑fueled Roadster could accomplish.

If the demonstration takes place as promised, the Roadster will not only mark a new milestone in automotive history but also serve as a harbinger of humanity’s expanding presence in the solar system. The next few years will see the rapid evolution of Starship’s design, culminating in a vehicle that can carry payloads—cars, satellites, or people—on a one‑way journey into the cosmos.