[timey (OP)]

A Buzz Lightyear placed casually on the dashboard would top that off nicely!

[chiralSPO]

I think it's already pretty much perfect. I think it would be funny, however, if the driver were holding a map as if lost...

[jeffreyH]

Have a breakdown truck towing it back to Mars since it appears to have missed at the first attempt.

[timey (OP)]

@chiralSPO (chuckle)

@jeffreyH Was that where it was supposed to be going?  I got so wrapped up in the infectious excitement of it all that I forgot to think of any purpose to it.  Is it just orbiting earth like some wonderfully extravagant art installation?  Or is it actually destined to Mars?

[timey (OP)]

@chiralSPO Ah, missed the mark! (double chuckle)

[syhprum]

Has it been cleared of earth type biology in case it accidentally lands on Mars.

[evan_au]

Elon Musk has talked for a long time about sending an expedition to Mars.

Mars and Earth are not currently in the correct alignment to get a minimum-energy Hohman transfer orbit.

The Falcon Heavy has enough energy to reach Mars even in its current location, but planetary protection laws mean that this is a bad idea, as the Tesla is not biologically sterile.

So it looks like it is in an elliptical orbit which will repeatedly take it between the orbit of Earth and the asteroid belt (past the orbit of Mars).

It will return to the radius of Earth's orbit, but the Earth will most likely be far away on its orbit at that time (and the next few returns).

Sooner or later, it will approach Earth's orbit when Earth is nearby (or pass the radius of Mars orbit when Mars is nearby), which will deflect it into a new orbit, which may end up hitting the Earth, Mars or an asteroid.

Small differences in the initial orbit could make major differences in the final outcome, which is why Elon Musk said it might be there for a billion years (or maybe not). It's hard to predict at this stage.

Many happy returns, Starman!

PS: "Don't Panic" in big, friendly letters on the dashboard is from "The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy", by Douglas Adams.

[jeffreyH]

Maybe a word bubble should be coming out of Starman's mouth. It could say, "I can see Jeremy Clarkson's head from here."

[chris]

I think he needs some fluffy dice...

[Graccer]

Did someone else heard about his new project?  Global satellite internet system sounds very amazing

[syhprum]

The Iridium satellite system already provides such a service but it cost the Earth

[evan_au]

Starman could be holding a big fold-out paper map of the Solar System - but it probably wouldn't have survived the vibration of launch.

Speaking of which, consumer-rated lithium-ion batteries probably wouldn't have survived launch either, so I'm, guessing that the Tesla is just coasting...