Space Sports Car Now Flying Toward Asteroid Belt Beyond Mars

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — The world’s first space sports car is cruising toward the asteroid belt, well beyond Mars. SpaceX chief Elon Musk confirmed the new, more distant route for his rocketing Tesla Roadster. The red electric convertible was the unorthodox cargo aboard his company’s brand new Falcon Heavy rocket during a test flight on Tuesday. With the successful launch, the Heavy became the most powerful rocket flying today. And Musk’s Roadster became the fastest car ever, hurtling off the planet and zooming away on a route that will now take it all the way to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Late Tuesday, Musk said the final firing of the rocket’s upper stage put his car on a more distant trajectory than anticipated.