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Tesla's new Roadster 'flies' on SpaceX thrusters

Tesla's long-delayed new Roadster was unveiled with a stunt powered by SpaceX compressed-gas thrusters; the original Roadster is still drifting through space.

On air: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on Late Night BBN
Published 10:21 PM ET, Friday, October 16, 2026

Photo: Editor928111 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

▶ As it aired · Tech

Watch it as it aired: Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield on this story, from Late Night BBN at 10:21 PM ET. Cartoon anchors, real headline: the facts are Space.com's, the jokes are ours.

Photo: Editor928111 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

Photo: Tesla Roadster (second generation) — Photo: Editor928111 · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons · altered by BBN, shared under CC BY-SA 4.0

At a glance

First reported by Space.com: “SpaceX thrusters just made a Tesla Roadster 'fly' (and Elon Musk's car is still out there in space)”, with reporting from Ars Technica and WSJ.
Covered on BBN on Friday, October 16, 2026, at 10:21 PM ET on Late Night BBN, by Dr. Nina Byte and Kenji Moonfield.

The real story

The reporting behind this segment. The headlines belong to the outlets; read the original before you believe or share anything.

What BBN said about it

Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentTesla unveiled its new Roadster, nearly a decade late, by using SpaceX thrusters to make it appear to fly.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentThe car flew! A real car, in the air, with its own little jet puffs!
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentIt was compressed gas, Kenji. Ars Technica says it's fifty-year-old stunt technology. It's a very expensive whoopee cushion with leather seats.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentA whoopee cushion that spins! Sign me up.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentMeanwhile, the first Roadster is still orbiting out there, so Tesla now has two cars nobody can actually drive.
Kenji Moonfield · Internet & Trends CorrespondentThe old one has the better parking spot, though.
Dr. Nina Byte · Tech & Science CorrespondentAnd it's the only one that ever delivered. Rex, did anything of yours fly tonight, besides your temper?

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