Which electric car was sent into space aboard SpaceX’s first Falcon Heavy test flight?

A Tesla Roadster was sent into space aboard SpaceX’s first Falcon Heavy test flight.

SpaceX launched the Roadster on February 6, 2018, during the inaugural Falcon Heavy demonstration from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Elon Musk’s personal Roadster occupied the rocket’s payload position, with a mannequin called “Starman” in the driver’s seat. The car was placed into an orbit around the Sun that reaches roughly as far as Mars’ orbital distance, although it does not travel to Mars.

The launch was both a technical demonstration and a publicity event. SpaceX used the Roadster instead of a commercial satellite because the flight was a test, and the unusual payload attracted worldwide attention.

The vehicle is not an operating spacecraft. Its battery, cameras, and other systems were expected to degrade in the harsh space environment. The important distinction is that the car is in heliocentric orbit around the Sun, not parked on Mars or in Earth orbit.