The crew then learns that the car was sent back to determine the meaning behind the lyrics to David Bowie's "Life on Mars". The crew also realizes that T'sla lacks the ability to give itself a focus other than its original mission of having 1 million likes on YouTube. It finds its existence empty and without purpose. Before they give its live stream the final like, it reveals that it wants to be reunited with its creator, the almighty Musk. The crew brings T'sla to Mars where it merges with the powerful A.I., Musk 1000. The end.

This is an opportunity to write science fiction. ;)

He's having a quick-short story contest for "the best very short Sci Fi story about how aliens or future folk might find and misinterpret Elon's Starman Tesla" - if you're feeling cynical, maybe write about it and win something! :)

https://davidbrin.blogspot.com/2018/02/what-happens-to-starman-and-red.html

Due to third burn lasting too long, Starmans orbit sends him into the asteroid belt, colliding with an asteroid changing its orbit. Asteroid collides with Earth decades later knocking it into the sun. Thanks a lot, Elon!

He's having a quick-short story contest for "the best very short Sci Fi story about how aliens or future folk might find and misinterpret Elon's Starman Tesla" - if you're feeling cynical, maybe write about it and win something! :)

https://davidbrin.blogspot.com/2018/02/what-happens-to-starman-and-red.html

Honestly that’s exactly my fear. Sure, that’s beyond our life time, but it’s worth worrying about.

This is all so beyond the scope of putting a Tesla in a rocket ship, I realize. I am just cynical enough to think that with our current climate and corporate culture and political leadership passing legislation that explicitly values corporate profits over any sort of actual human compassion and benefit, I feel like we’re exactly at the inflection point that could lead us to the dark future of Alien instead of the hopeful one of Star Trek. And I do not think it’s hyperbolic to say so.

Currently we have treaties that make it so no nation (or corporation) can own anything in space. Worry once those go away. For now we are fine.

When they go away it’ll be too late to worry.

Those treaties were written when it was ludicrously difficult to get to space so there wasn’t anything actually worth owning. You’re not wrong, but as soon as there’s money to be made, things could change quickly.

Honestly that’s exactly my fear. Sure, that’s beyond our life time, but it’s worth worrying about.

This is all so beyond the scope of putting a Tesla in a rocket ship, I realize. I am just cynical enough to think that with our current climate and corporate culture and political leadership passing legislation that explicitly values corporate profits over any sort of actual human compassion and benefit, I feel like we’re exactly at the inflection point that could lead us to the dark future of Alien instead of the hopeful one of Star Trek. And I do not think it’s hyperbolic to say so.

Currently we have treaties that make it so no nation (or corporation) can own anything in space. Worry once those go away. For now we are fine.

This is all so beyond the scope of putting a Tesla in a rocket ship, I realize. I am just cynical enough to think that with our current climate and corporate culture and political leadership passing legislation that explicitly values corporate profits over any sort of actual human compassion and benefit, I feel like we’re exactly at the inflection point that could lead us to the dark future of Alien instead of the hopeful one of Star Trek. And I do not think it’s hyperbolic to say so.

People can enjoy the fun of putting a convertible in space, and I really am okay with anyone doing so, but I think it’s a mistake to not have the conversation we have been having about it (and obviously not us specifically, but us, society at large)—every time we don’t have that conversation and just take it at face value, it’s one tiny little step towards that dark future rather than the hopeful one.

The cameras are already dead from my understanding. Granted I saw that in a single article, saying they were running off the car battery and would last about 12 hours. That could totally be wrong, it was info from an article I skimmed.

That's lame. He should have attached some of the solar panel roof tiles he's been pushing to the car. :-)

Women also don't seem to experience the degeneration of vision men do in space. Nobody knows why yet.

Really? I hadn't heard about that. Super weird. Although I guess it's not the first time I've heard of differences in vision. Aren't men supposed to have a much higher rate of colorblindness?

Yes.

Women also don't seem to experience the degeneration of vision men do in space. Nobody knows why yet.

Really? I hadn't heard about that. Super weird. Although I guess it's not the first time I've heard of differences in vision. Aren't men supposed to have a much higher rate of colorblindness?

I don’t hate SpaceX. Contrary to what it may seem from this thread, I don’t hate Elon Musk. I just find it impossible to separate the awesome accomplishment of this launch with the gross feeling I get in my gut when I see that fucking picture of the Tesla in front of Earth. It makes Tesla the focus, and it doesn’t need to be there, and it bugs me that it is there, and it bugs me even more that someone can see it and think “Cool, a car in space!” rather than “But why?” Being in space on its own is worthy of attention, we don’t need to put a Tesla there to make it inspiring.

Again, contrary to what this thread would make it seem, I don’t fault anyone for being excited about this with no caveat. It’s exciting! I just can’t ignore the other side of it in the name of having fun.

Here's an alternative perspective for you. Elon Musk has said that his goal is to get humans living on Mars. The cost of doing so is astronomical (yes, I did just go there). Elon Musk has put a ton of his personal money, time, and reputation on the line to get both Tesla and SpaceX to a place where they should make enough money for him to fund such an expedition (eventually). So if you want to view it in the perspective that Elon is doing this for advertising, then you should view it as advertising that will help Tesla make money, which in turn helps Elon earn his bonuses which he can then turn around and use to further the colonization of Mars.

Personally I think it's just Elon having some fun. I mean that's why he used S3XY for the Tesla car names and BFR for the Big Falcon Rocket concept. Also, they did put some scientific equipment on board with the car (cameras) and sent it on a trajectory that hasn't been seen before (though I don't know if the cameras will work at long range or not).

I can completely see that, and even celebrate it. If that’s what it takes to inspire the next generation, then so be it. I still lament space and science of space becoming the playspace of Brands™.

Turned out fine for Weyland-Yutani :-p