Tesla car flew; Elon Musk's rocket show surprised everyone

Currently, Tesla has proposed the year 2028 as a possible target for the start of production of the new Roadster. However, in the past, Musk has announced optimistic timings for the launch of some Tesla products, which have been delayed for years.

Ambassador Arjan-Ilan Musk displayed the prototype of the new Tesla Roadster in a test demonstration at the SpaceX rocket development facility in Texas; A sports car that performed flight-like movements with the help of compressed gas propulsion technology. The show consisted of a short take-off, a spin in the air and a controlled landing; However, the roadster still cannot be considered a flying car with the ability to fly stably.

After this event, Musk wrote on the X social network: "It turns out that the future really has flying cars." However, what was on display was more of a demonstration test of air propulsion technology than a long-distance flight of a car.

In this demonstration, the Roadster prototype used 10 high-pressure nozzles that received compressed gas from internal tanks. First, the car stuck to a ramp with the help of the suction system under the body, then it turned upside down and turned. In the main segment of the show, the car jumped over several parked Teslas and used bursts of compressed gas to slow down its descent for a controlled landing.

The test was conducted without a driver to reduce the potential risk to the passenger. Musk also emphasized during the ceremony that the success of this technology is not certain, although according to him it is possible that the expected performance will be realized.

acceleration of less than one second; Tesla's big claim

Musk claims that the production version of the new roadster can reach 60 miles per hour, equivalent to about 97 kilometers per hour, in less than one second. Rocket propulsion technology is one of the mentioned factors to achieve such acceleration.

According to the information announced in this report, the new roadster will be equipped with an all-wheel drive power transmission system and has the capacity to carry four passengers. The claimed torque to the wheels is 10,000 Nm, the claimed range is around 997 km and the top speed is over 402 km/h.

$50,000 has been announced to reserve the standard version. For an additional $245,000, the Thrust Special Edition adds cold gas thrust nozzles in the rear and an active multi-mode fan system for increased downforce. The Rocket version has also been introduced with a single-passenger configuration and peripheral thrust nozzles, which aims to achieve real flight capability; But this version is not designed for legal traffic on the roads.

Why is the flying car still facing limitations?

Combining the capabilities of a road vehicle with a flying vehicle presents serious engineering challenges. Airplanes need light weight and good stability to fly, while cars need to have strong structures, bumpers, and deformable areas to protect occupants in a crash. This equipment adds weight and makes flying more difficult.

Roger Connor, head of the helicopter and vertical flight section of the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, explained in an interview with CNN that the combination of these two functions may lead to a device that neither flies as well as an airplane nor provides the performance of a road car with the same quality; At the same time, it will have a high cost.

He has also emphasized that the performed show does not show stable flight and it should be considered a kind of "jumping".

production in 2028; A promise to wait for

The Texas demonstration showed the prototype's ability to perform short maneuvers with the help of compressed gas propulsion, but there is still not enough information about the flight range, stability, safety, regulatory approvals and the possibility of everyday use of this technology. Therefore, turning the Roadster into a car that can practically and legally move through the air still depends on further testing and overcoming technical and regulatory hurdles.