The SpaceX founder Elon Musk made history with his company last month when he sent the most powerful rocket on Earth up into space – where it dropped off his own car, before coming back down to land on the ground again
A cherry red Tesla car was launched into with David Bowie’s song Life on Mars playing on repeat.
Mr Musk used a super rocket – the Falcon Heavy vehicle – to send the car into orbit around Mars, deploying technology with twice the launching power of any existing rocket, which is designed to lift the equivalent weight of five double-decker London buses – 64 tons – into space.
The South African-born entrepreneur has promised, “epic views” of space from cameras strapped to the vehicle.
If this maiden voyage is successful, it raises interesting possibilities for future innovation, including larger US satellites and also the realisation of Mr Musk’s dream to launch hundreds of satellites into space in order to give broadband internet access to the developing world.