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// If SpaceX can afford to put a car into orbit around the sun as a publicity stunt during rocket testing... SpaceX had to test the rocket anyways and have som

// If SpaceX can afford to put a car into orbit around the sun as a publicity stunt during rocket testing... SpaceX had to test the rocket anyways and have some mass in the nosecone. Elon Musk, on a lark I guess, put his personal car in the nosecone as that mass. You make it sound as if they expensively launched a rocket for publicity. In really, it probably cost a negligible amount in addition to what they already had to spend for testing.

ISL 6y ago
It is a scientific crime that SpaceX didn't put a gravitational-reference satellite on that launch instead. A Sputnik with a radio repeater/reflector aboard or one of these https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LAGEOS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LAGEOS would have been a gift to future generations in the form of precision gravity tests. No moving parts, can't fail, will orbit the Sun for the remainder of human-time. Only key requirement is a lot of mass and high density. Yes, launching a car into solar orbit was cool. It was also a waste of a rare opportunity.
- NikolaeVarius 6y ago
  It was a test launch with a high chance of failure. Why the hell would they put an actual payload into it. Are you also angry that the Apollo missions didn't put "useful" things into space when they were launching hardware with sensors Putting an actual payload into the maiden flight of the Ariane 5 made into a very expensive test failure.
  - Buttons840 6y ago
    The important fact to consider here is: How much does a LAGEOS-like satellite cost? I couldn't find the answer.
- Buttons840 6y ago
  Thanks for the interesting comment, but I have to say: Marketing helps science too. If SpaceX achieves all its goals, then perhaps the marketing stunt was worth it? Still, I wonder if Elon knew such a satellite was a possibility. I would assume yes, but I'm not sure. How much work would it take to create a LAGEOS-like satellite? Presumably they're not just lying around. I couldn't find how much the original LAGEOS satellites cost.

ISL 6y ago

It is a scientific crime that SpaceX didn't put a gravitational-reference satellite on that launch instead. A Sputnik with a radio repeater/reflector aboard or one of these https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LAGEOS https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LAGEOS would have been a gift to future generations in the form of precision gravity tests. No moving parts, can't fail, will orbit the Sun for the remainder of human-time. Only key requirement is a lot of mass and high density. Yes, launching a car into solar orbit was cool. It was also a waste of a rare opportunity.

NikolaeVarius 6y ago
It was a test launch with a high chance of failure. Why the hell would they put an actual payload into it. Are you also angry that the Apollo missions didn't put "useful" things into space when they were launching hardware with sensors Putting an actual payload into the maiden flight of the Ariane 5 made into a very expensive test failure.
- Buttons840 6y ago
  The important fact to consider here is: How much does a LAGEOS-like satellite cost? I couldn't find the answer.
Buttons840 6y ago
Thanks for the interesting comment, but I have to say: Marketing helps science too. If SpaceX achieves all its goals, then perhaps the marketing stunt was worth it? Still, I wonder if Elon knew such a satellite was a possibility. I would assume yes, but I'm not sure. How much work would it take to create a LAGEOS-like satellite? Presumably they're not just lying around. I couldn't find how much the original LAGEOS satellites cost.