A Tesla Roadster that was launched into orbit years ago was mistakenly labeled an asteroid by a research center, though the astronomers have since deleted the entry.
Earlier this month, the Minor Planet Center (MPC) at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics labeled the orbital Tesla Roadster 2018 CN41, spotted less than 150,000 miles (240,000km) from Earth, and qualifying the vehicle as a near-Earth object (NEO) (via Astronomy).
The MPC later followed up saying that it would delete 2018 CN41 from the record due to being the Roadster and not an asteroid, as was previously thought. As many who have followed the Tesla community know, Musk and Tesla launched the CEO’s original Roadster into space in 2018 using SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy booster.
“My car is orbiting Earth and Mars,” Musk wrote on X in response to the news, and adding a shrugging emoji.
The Roadster has also been equipped with a dummy dubbed “Starman,” and a handful of cameras, from which SpaceX has previously shared video footage. You can see some of that footage, originally aired six years ago, below.
READ MORE ON TESLA’S ORIGINAL ROADSTER: Abandoned Tesla Roadsters removed from crates and headed to U.S.
The Roadster was launched by SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy in February 2018, and it remains in an orbit that some expect could someday reach Mars or beyond.
SpaceX has continued to develop its rocket programs since the Roadster’s launch, with the Musk-led rocket company now performing regular tests of its Starship reusable rocket. The company recently launched the rocket for its seventh time, though the rocket was lost during its ascension.
The company is also currently in the process of expanding its facilities in Bastrop, Texas, aimed at doubling production of its Starlink satellite internet systems in 2025.
What are your thoughts? Let me know at zach@teslarati.com, find me on X at @zacharyvisconti, or send us tips at tips@teslarati.com.
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Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm met with Bloomberg this morning to discuss a variety of topics, but perhaps one of the most interesting was her comments on what is being done to protect company CEO Elon Musk.
After the assassination of right-wing political commentator Charlie Kirk this week, there have been concerns about Musk’s safety, as well as that of other high-profile business leaders and political figures.
Earlier this week, Musk said himself that his security detail would be increased significantly following Kirk’s death, a move that many investors and fans of the company had requested because of political violence.
Elon Musk assures Tesla investors he will enhance his security detail
“Definitely need to enhance security,” Musk said. Tesla spent $3.3 million on Musk’s security in 2024 and January and February 2025. For reference, Meta spent over $27 million on Mark Zuckerberg’s security last year, which is higher than any other tech CEO.
During Denholm’s appearance on Bloomberg TV earlier today, she stated that the company has been focused on Musk’s security detail for “many years,” especially considering he is one of the richest people on Earth and holds an incredible amount of influence.
“It is something that we take very seriously; he takes it very seriously as well. So, again, from a board perspective, it is something we’ve discussed at length,” Denholm said.
Tesla Board Chair Robyn Denholm on increased security for CEO Elon Musk:
— TESLARATI (@Teslarati) September 12, 2025
Denholm added that she believes “there is not anyone in a boardroom that is not touched by what has happened with Charlie Kirk.”
Although Musk’s political involvement has toned down significantly in the past, he still has enemies, especially based on groups that oppose him and the company specifically. Based on this week’s events, it feels that increased security is a necessary expense Tesla must account for.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk assures Tesla investors he will enhance his security detail
Musk’s comments were posted on X in the aftermath of the slaying of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk has assured TSLA investors that he would be enhancing his security detail.
Musk’s comments were posted on X in the aftermath of the slaying of conservative commentator Charlie Kirk.
Aggressive critics
Kirk was slain during a speaking engagement at Utah Valley University as part of Turning Point USA’s first event on a tour of college campuses, as noted in a Politico report. Kirk was a notable voice in the conservative movement and a close ally of the Trump administration, which led to aggressive critics openly wishing him harm.
Elon Musk, due to his contributions to the Trump campaign and his later work with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), has also attracted a substantial amount of vitriol from critics. Tesla owners and the company itself suffered attacks due to critics’ anger towards Musk, with several stores and cars being vandalized or victimized in arson attacks.
Despite having stepped back from his work with DOGE, Musk remains a target among critics online, with some still calling for the CEO to get the “Luigi Mangione” treatment. These sentiments were notable after Kirk’s slaying, with some users on platforms such as Reddit and Bluesky arguing that Musk or Donald Trump should be next after Kirk.
Concerns and assurances
In the aftermath of Kirk’s slaying, numerous Tesla retail investors called on the company’s Board of Directors to bolster Elon Musk’s security detail. With some social media users openly calling for Musk to be slain next, such a request made sense. This was highlighted by Tesla investor Alexandra Merz, who called on the Tesla Board to drastically increase the company’s budget for Elon Musk’s security, which currently stands at just $3.3 million annually, or about $235,000 per month.
In response to the Tesla investor’s comments, Musk responded that he would “definitely need to enhance security.” Musk’s response was well appreciated by the Tesla and electric vehicle community as a whole, with some users on X stating that the CEO must be kept safe.
Musk is a key part of Tesla, and this was highlighted in the company’s proposed 2025 CEO performance award, which outlines a path towards the company attaining a market cap of $8.5 trillion. In its filing, Tesla highlighted that Elon Musk’s leadership is a fundamental part of the company and its future.
Elon Musk
Analyst: Elon Musk’s $1 trillion Tesla pay deal modest against robot market potential
Jonas highlighted Tesla’s longer-term ambitions in robotics as a key factor in his assessment.
Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas, one of Wall Street’s most ardent Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) bulls today, has described Elon Musk’s newly proposed $1 trillion performance-based compensation package as a “good deal” for investors.
In a note shared this week, Jonas argued that the package helps align the interests of Musk and Tesla’s minority shareholders, despite its shockingly high headline number.
Future market opportunities
Jonas highlighted Tesla’s longer-term ambitions in robotics as a key factor in his assessment. “Yes, a trillion bucks is a big number, but (it) is rather modest compared to the size of the market opportunity,” Jonas wrote. He added that the humanoid robot market could ultimately surpass the size of today’s global labor market “by a significant multiple.”
“We have entertained scenarios where the humanoid robot market can exceed the size of today’s global labor market… by a significant multiple,” Jonas wrote, as shared on X by Tesla watcher Sawyer Merritt.
The analyst likened the arrival of AI-powered robotics to the transformative effect of electricity, noting that “contemplating future global GDP before AI robots is like contemplating global GDP before electricity.” The Morgan Stanley analyst’s insights align with the idea that as much as 80% of Tesla’s future valuation could be tied to its Optimus humanoid robot program.
Elon Musk’s pay package
Tesla’s board has tied Elon Musk’s proposed compensation package to some of the most ambitious targets in corporate history. The 2025 CEO Performance Award requires the automaker’s valuation to soar from roughly $1.1 trillion today to $8.5 trillion over the next decade, a level that would make Tesla the most valuable company in existence.
The plan also demands a leap in Tesla’s operating profit, from $17 billion in 2024 to $400 billion annually. It also ties the CEO’s compensation to a number of product milestones, including the delivery of 20 million vehicles in total, 10 million active Full Self-Driving subscriptions, 1 million Tesla Bots, and 1 million Robotaxis in operation. Tesla’s board emphasized that Musk’s leadership was fundamental to achieving such ambitious goals, with Chair Robyn Denholm noting the award would align the CEO’s incentives with long-term shareholder value.
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