Why has Elon Musk fired his Tesla to Mars?

[Wanderwall]

It's an absolutely incredible achievement but what is the actual point of doing this?

Is it morally just to spend so much money on this when there are starving children in the world?

It blows my mind that one person can have so much when so many have so little.

Best bit of marketing for a car manufacturer EVER.

Elon Musk is an incredible guy - he is pushing so many boundaries, or at least financing others to do so.

And he doesn't play the celebrity game like so many wealthy business people.

You want a rocket to complain about: Ariane 6. 2.8 billion euros of European taxpayers' money (including UK) spent developing a rocket that will be obsolete by the time it makes its first flight, and will require even more development to be relevant against the SpaceX and Blue Origin rockets.

and to give us an escape option. With a few golden tickets to say they've included the minions.

Elon, the new fragrance from the Musk.

Have you ever heard the saying 'Better to remain silent and be thought a fool, than speak and remove all doubt..'?

Why has Elon Musk fired his Tesla to Mars? is the thread title. He hasn't, is the simple answer.

The projected orbit was around the sun and the projected orbit, was to go out to the same distance as the orbit or Mars. NOT to Mars.

Given you've clearly failed to read what the mission is attempting to achieve and have missed salient facts, why do you believe your views are relevant?

Not sure what that post says about you Norland - had a bad day?!

What it says about Norland is that she bothers to read the facts, whereas the OP is part of the Trump post-factual mindset.

Meh, if HE flies his battery powered penis extension to Mars that might impress me.

I wonder if the OP will return after being battered with facts?

I'm glad somebody is asking.

It was being reported this morning as though it's a totally normal thing.

My own theory is that Amber Heard told him too.

^to

Hasn't it already gone off course, because the calculations were wrong, and the engines were too powerful...
I'll hold off waiting for a manned mission then.

I can't decide if it's an utterly amazing achievement, or whether I'm really angry that they're now littering space too.

There'll be no escape route off this planet cos we'll have nicely boxed ourselves in with the last century's worth of shite we've shoved up there to forget about

As this is not in earth orbit it makes no difference to that.

Hasn't it already gone off course

It looks like it has. If so, this is why you send something relatively worthless into space on a test flight rather than a valuable payload which may be wasted at huge cost.

OP does deserve to be battered (with facts at the very least). Nothing irritates me more than someone sitting in their air conditioned home, with their flushing toilet, not suffering from smallpox, polio, etc, watching tv and typing on their phone about the evils of scientific endeavour. Now, OP, why not go get some freshly boiled water from your electric kettle and make a nice cup on tea using pasteurised milk and NOT DIE. Ffs.

The middle stage didn't land on the ship. Both boosters landed and the main part of the mission is on course.

This will make a difference because it can shove several satellites into orbit at once and reuse the booster. This means less launches and cheaper launches - so less pollution.

As for space junk the Japanese have a plan to tidy it up.

If you insist it's just a pissing contest....
He did still win spectacularly.

Pity he didn't wanna swap for my very old diesel estate before he sent that nice motor away, mind.

OP does deserve to be battered (with facts at the very least). Nothing irritates me more than someone sitting in their air conditioned home, with their flushing toilet, not suffering from smallpox, polio, etc, watching tv and typing on their phone about the evils of scientific endeavour. Now, OP, why not go get some freshly boiled water from your electric kettle and make a nice cup on tea using pasteurised milk and NOT DIE. Ffs.

Oh really?

Please do explain the scientific necessity of sending a car into space.

And, for that matter, the relevance of small pox?

Speaking selfishly, I'd quite like stem cell research to attract all the spare money going, because I miss the use of legs, but it would be going some to convince me that there's any health benefit to anyone of the orbiting Tesla.

It's a stunt. You know it's a stunt. Stop being so fucking superior.

Of course it’s a stunt for publicity - and brilliant at that because we are all talking about it

He’s a very brilliant man - and genuine in his mission - not at all a “nob” as a pp asserted

Using a car instead of another big metal lump is promotion but Elon Musk but there are future benefits to this as explained above.

Elon Musk has done good things with his wealth and knowledge like.
www.google.co.uk/amp/s/www.bbc.co.uk/news/amp/technology-41747065
Tesla cars provide attractive electric cars which is good for the future of the planet.

Probably an experiment so we can just shoot all our crap up there...

"Elon Musk solves Earth's plastics problem..."

*Oh really?

Please do explain the scientific necessity of sending a car into space.

And, for that matter, the relevance of small pox?*

RTFT.

Sorry for being so superior.

Please do explain the scientific necessity of sending a car into space.

That's all been explained by several posters above.....I second iwasjustabout and say rtft.

What did people think of his mars series?? Fantastic advertising for spaceX.

This is insanely long, but very readable - it does explain the long term plans and the point of sending things up to Mars (or in the direction of Mars anyway).

waitbutwhy.com/2015/08/how-and-why-spacex-will-colonize-mars.html

Read Part 2: Musk's Mission as linked there first unless you want to go right back to the start.