The “asteroid” wasn’t a space rock after all. It was a cherry-red Tesla Roadster that Elon Musk launched into space to much fanfare in 2018 as part of a publicity stunt during the maiden flight of SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy rocket. The car, complete with a mannequin named “Starman” in the driver’s seat, had been orbiting the Sun ever since.

Harvard-affiliated astronomers mistook Elon Musk's Tesla Roadster for an asteroid near Earth. Initially flagged as "2018 CN41," the object's identity was clarified within 17 hours, sparking concerns about tracking space debris.

The rocket launched into orbit on February 6, 2018, as part of a publicity stunt while the Falcon Heavy was being tested. Musk’s old car was fitted with a mannequin wearing a white spacesuit sitting in the driver’s seat named Starman.

A supposed asteroid turned out to be a Tesla model flying through space as a PR stunt. Such mix-ups are increasingly becoming a problem.

The newly discovered asteroid, named 2018 CN41, turned out to be a Tesla launched into space by SpaceX in 2018.

Instead of using traditional test cargo like concrete or steel blocks, Elon Musk chose his personal Tesla Roadster to make the mission more memorable. The car has been drifting th

Some time ago, astronomers from Harvard University announced the discovery of a new celestial object named 2018 CN41. However, they later had to retract the statement, explaining it was actually one of Elon Musk's cars.