Advertisement

Elon Musk’s ‘Starman’ finishes first sun orbit, may hit Earth one day

Click to play video: 'Will Elton Musk’s ‘Starman’ and his Tesla Roadster crash into Venus – or even Earth?'
Will Elton Musk’s ‘Starman’ and his Tesla Roadster crash into Venus – or even Earth?
WATCH: Elon Musk’s cherry red Tesla Roadster, launched into space aboard the Falcon Heavy rocket, could be collision course for Earth or possibly Venus — eventually – Feb 16, 2018

Whoever inherits the burnt-out Earth from humans in 10 million years might be in for a surprise, if predictions come true and Elon Musk‘s “Starman” comes crashing into the planet on a Tesla blaring Space Oddity from its sound system.

The Tesla Roadster that launched into space aboard SpaceX‘s Falcon Heavy rocket on Feb. 6, 2018, has just completed its first lap around the sun and could potentially be on a long-term collision course with Earth, according to an independent analysis of the craft’s flight path.

A dummy dubbed “Starman” is shown aboard a Tesla Roadster that Elon Musk launched into space on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy Rocket on Feb. 6, 2018. SpaceX

The craft finished its first full orbit of the sun on Aug. 18, according to the website Where Is Roadster, which has been tracking it based on SpaceX data since it launched.

Story continues below advertisement

The Roadster is currently cruising toward Mars for an interplanetary drive-by on Sept. 17, the site’s operator, Ben Pearson, says.

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

Billionaire inventor Elon Musk shot his roadster and its dummy pilot, Starman, into space with much fanfare in early 2018. He set the dummy up in a cherry-red Tesla Roadster and rigged the car’s sound system to play Space Oddity and Is There Life on Mars in a loop as part of the Falcon Heavy rocket’s inaugural mission.

WATCH: Elon Musk captivates the world with 2018 debut of Falcon Heavy rocket

Cornell University researchers have predicted that Starman will eventually crash into Earth, Venus or the sun, although it could take more than 10 million years for that to occur. Their models show the exact place and date of Starman’s demise is difficult to calculate because Earth’s gravity will tug the Roadster off course with every fly-by.

Story continues below advertisement

No matter where it crashes, the Tesla’s battery will be long dead when it happens. That means it won’t actually be playing David Bowie‘s Space Oddity — and there’s nothing we can do.

Sponsored content

AdChoices