SpaceX sends its latest rocket to space with something unusual inside By Associated Press, adapted by Newsela staff on 02.16.18 Word Count 652 Level 820L

This image from video provided by SpaceX shows owner Elon Musk's red Tesla sports car which was launched into space during the first test flight of the Falcon Heavy rocket on February 6, 2018. Photo by: SpaceX via AP

CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida — The world's first space sports car is heading well beyond Mars.

The red electric Tesla Roadster is aboard the brand new Falcon Heavy rocket. The company SpaceX launched the Heavy for its first test flight on February 6. Elon Musk runs the company SpaceX and the car company Tesla. Musk owns the sports car now flying through space.

Musk, astronauts and many others cheered the successful launch from Florida. The Heavy is now the most powerful rocket flying these days.

The space Roadster is now the fastest car ever. It is on a journey that will take it all the way to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. The asteroid belt is where unusually shaped space rocks and small planets orbit.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 1 Roadster Has Many Miles To Go

Musk said the firing of the rocket's final booster engine put his car on a more distant flight than expected. It should go beyond Mars. It might almost reach the dwarf planet Ceres in the asteroid belt.

Inside the car is a mannequin wearing a SpaceX spacesuit. Musk nicknamed the mannequin "Starman." It is the name of a song by David Bowie. Usually, test flights carry nothing of value, like concrete blocks. Musk called that "boring" and put his cherry-red Tesla on top.

Pictures of "Starman" in the driver's seat of the Roadster burned up the Internet long after the launch. The mannequin and the car flew against the backdrop of our blue planet Earth.

"I think it looks so ridiculous and impossible," Musk said before confirming the images are real. "It's still tripping me out."

Astronauts Celebrate Launch

The Roadster will travel all the way to the neighborhood of Ceres. The original plan had it traveling only as far as Mars. SpaceX expected the car and rocket to come close to the red planet without hitting it. If they survive the swarming asteroid belt, the car and "Starman" could travel for a long time. Their orbit could continue for millions, if not billions, of years.

Like so many others, astronaut Ricky Arnold was awe-struck by the sight of "Starman" and his ride. He saw it on a live stream. Arnold works for NASA, the U.S. space agency.

Arnold tweeted congratulations to SpaceX, saying "Awesome! At this speed, two hands on the steering wheel please #Starman."

Buzz Aldrin was the second man to step on the moon. He also celebrated. The Heavy had taken off from what Aldrin called his "favorite launch pad." The Heavy launched from the same spot as NASA's now-retired but mightier space shuttles. The Heavy is a combo of three Falcon 9s. SpaceX uses these rockets to launch space station supplies and satellites for customers.

Mission To Mars

The desire to land on Mars is driving all of Musk's space efforts.

Musk said he doesn't plan to fly people on the Heavy. That rocket will mainly be used to launch supersize satellites. But he's speeding up the construction of an even bigger rocket for deep- space astronaut crews. Musk called it a "beast."

Musk's main goal is to establish a city on Mars. He dreams of sending people there in a fleet of SpaceX spaceships.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 2 The first step for SpaceX is launching people into space at all. Musk said SpaceX is still scheduled to launch its first astronauts at the end of this year. They would travel in a SpaceX Dragon capsule aboard a Falcon 9 rocket.

Hitching A Russian Ride

Sending Americans into space from U.S. soil hasn't happened since 2011. That was NASA's last shuttle flight. Since then, U.S. astronauts have been riding in Russian rockets to explore space. This costs Americans tens of millions of dollars in tax money.

Musk said SpaceX used its own money to build the Heavy. It cost more than $500 million. He's hoping the Heavy's success will encourage other companies and countries.

"We want a new space race," he said.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 3 Quiz

1 Read the following sentence from the article.

Inside the car is a mannequin wearing a SpaceX spacesuit. Musk nicknamed the mannequin "Starman." It is the name of a song by David Bowie. Usually, test flights carry nothing of value, like concrete blocks. Musk called that "boring" and put his cherry-red Tesla on top.

HOW does this detail develop the author’s CENTRAL idea?

(A) It demonstrates that SpaceX will use the Heavy to carry people.

(B) It shows that Musk’s primary focus is on selling Tesla Roadsters.

(C) It explains the main goals that Musk has for the future of space travel.

(D) It illustrates what makes this test flight so special and unusual.

2 Read the following summary of the MAIN ideas of the article.

SpaceX, owned by Elon Musk, just launched the Falcon Heavy on a test flight that is set to pass Mars and reach the asteroid belt. The Heavy carried a Tesla Roadster and a mannequin named "Starman" on top. The pictures of the test flight have become very popular.

Which answer choice would complete the summary?

(A) Musk wants to get more recognition for his SpaceX and Tesla companies.

(B) Musk paid $500 million to put the Falcon Heavy and the Roadster in space.

(C) Musk hopes this flight will lead to a space race and people one day living on Mars.

(D) Musk thought the photographs of the Roadster and "Starman" looked impossible.

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 4 3 HOW did Musk become involved with the Falcon Heavy’s test flight?

(A) He is the owner of the Roadster on top of the Falcon Heavy and asked the owner of SpaceX if he could put it there.

(B) He runs both the company that sent the Falcon Heavy into space and the company that made the car that is on the rocket.

(C) He is an astronaut who is involved with SpaceX and tweeted some funny comments about "Starman" in the Roadster.

(D) He works for NASA and is working to make sure the Falcon Heavy can one day carry people to live on Mars.

4 What is the MOST LIKELY reason the author included the information about Arnold and Aldrin?

(A) to list people who do not believe that the pictures of the Tesla and "Starman" flying past Earth are actually real

(B) to describe the general excitement around the Falcon Heavy’s launch and to show that even astronauts are cheering

(C) to explain why some famous astronauts are a little concerned about Musk’s attempts to settle the planet Mars

(D) to highlight astronauts who would like to join Musk and the United States in a new space race to get people on Mars

This article is available at 5 reading levels at https://newsela.com. 5