Yes, it's true: SpaceX is sending a Tesla Roadster to Mars aboard the Falcon Heavy
UPDATED Dec. 2, 2017 at 5:08 p.m. EST: A SpaceX official that isn't Elon Musk has confirmed that the Tesla payload is real and expected to launch to Mars' vicinity on the Falcon Heavy.
Musk appears to have been trolling The Verge and generally confusing all of us. Scroll down for the rest of the story.
UPDATED Dec. 2, 2017 at 11:33 a.m. PST: Elon Musk has walked back his claim that he intends to send a Tesla Roadster to orbit Mars with the upcoming launch of the Falcon Heavy. Musk originally confirmed with The Verge that "it's so real," and has since told the publication that he "totally made it up."
However, Musk told Ars Technica space editor Eric Berger the plan is "100% real."
Elon Musk told me just now, on Saturday afternoon: The Tesla to Mars mission is "100% real."
Would be nice if SpaceX's communications team stepped in here.— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) December 2, 2017
TL;DR: Musk is a billionaire troll and SpaceX likes free press.
ORIGINAL POST FOLLOWS:
Oh, Elon. The Tesla Roadster is a car to covet, but does Mars really need one?
The long-delayed launch of SpaceX's Falcon Heavy is slated to finally happen in January. Like all rockets leaving Earth, there's a chance this one will explode, and Musk has even said as much.
The Falcon Heavy will allow large payloads to be sent to the Moon, Mars, and other parts of deep space. At the moment, SpaceX flies Falcon 9 rockets, which are smaller and can't bring cargo quite as far as they hope the Falcon Heavy will. That's where Tesla fits into this picture.
According to SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, a Tesla Roadster will make the first trip to Mars, with its stereo cranked to 11, playing David Bowie's "Space Oddity" on loop.
SEE ALSO: This isn’t the first time Elon Musk made big promises
Falcon Heavy to launch next month from Apollo 11 pad at the Cape. Will have double thrust of next largest rocket. Guaranteed to be exciting, one way or another.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 2, 2017
Payload will be my midnight cherry Tesla Roadster playing Space Oddity. Destination is Mars orbit. Will be in deep space for a billion years or so if it doesn’t blow up on ascent.
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) December 2, 2017
SpaceX declined to comment on the record when asked to confirm if it would indeed send a car into space. However, The Verge reports that Musk confirmed his plans with them.
It's your car, Elon. It's your rocket, man. You are richer than anyone ever needs to be. You make really cool things! You do you, man. I think?
In Musk's tweets, he alluded to the fact that the rocket may blow up with his comment that the launch is "guaranteed to be exciting, one way or another." So the addition of the Roadster may not be as far fetched as it initially looked.
The Falcon Heavy is the most powerful rocket ship on the planet, and contains twice the thrust as the next largest rocket. According to SpaceX, it's intended "to carry humans into space and restores the possibility of flying missions with crew to the Moon or Mars."
Barring any unforeseen explosions, the rocket is also reusable... unlike the car which will "be in deep space for a billion years or so," according to Musk.
WATCH: Tesla unveils their latest roadster and it's beautiful
