Space Tesla Roadster: Elon Musk’s 7-Year Review

On February 6, 2018, the world watched, mesmerized, an unprecedented spectacle: a cherry-red Tesla Roadster tore away from Earth’s atmosphere, propelled by SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy. Behind the wheel, a dummy named “Starman,” and on the radio, David Bowie’s “Space Oddity” on repeat. What seemed like a wild publicity stunt by Elon Musk nevertheless marked a historic turning point.

Seven years later, I revisited that crazy day to measure the progress made. Between promises kept, records shattered, and bold strategic pivots, the Musk ecosystem has radically transformed two entire industries. An analysis of a decade of disruption.

February 2018: The Day Elon Musk Sent His Car into Space

Let’s go back to the context. SpaceX was preparing to launch its Falcon Heavy, the most powerful rocket in the world at the time. The problem: no commercial client was willing to entrust their precious cargo to such a risky inaugural flight. Test launches usually use inert ballast, worthless concrete blocks.

Elon Musk chose another path: propelling his own first-generation Roadster towards Mars’ orbit. The reaction was immediate and divisive. Some saw it as absolute marketing genius, while others denounced it as narcissistic waste.

What few realized at the time: Tesla was going through its “production hell” with the Model 3, on the verge of financial collapse. Market capitalization stagnated around $55-60 billion. SpaceX, for its part, was an aggressive outsider in a space industry dominated by traditional players.

The gamble seemed crazy. In hindsight, it was visionary.

Tesla 2025: From Existential Crisis to Global Automotive Giant

A Valuation Multiplied by 27

Today, Tesla boasts a market capitalization of $1.54 trillion. Yes, you read that right: multiplied by 27 in seven years. The Model Y has become the best-selling vehicle in the world for three consecutive years, across all categories.

Tesla is no longer the niche car manufacturer struggling to produce 5,000 cars per week. It has become the undisputed leader in the electric market, forcing all traditional players to accelerate their transition.

Beyond Automotive: AI and Robotics

But Tesla 2025 is no longer just about cars. The strategic pivot towards artificial intelligence materialized with a $2 billion investment in xAI. The humanoid robot Optimus, once mocked, is progressing towards real industrial deployments.

Full self-driving remains the quintessential controversial topic. Not all repeated promises have been met within the announced deadlines. However, deployments are progressing, data is accumulating, and the long-term vision becomes more tangible every day.

Tesla is definitely no longer “just” a car manufacturer. It’s an AI company that also makes electric cars.

SpaceX 2025: When Space Conquest Becomes a Weekly Routine

Falcon 9, the Record-Breaking Machine

While Falcon Heavy made a strong impression in 2018, it’s its younger sibling, Falcon 9, that revolutionized the industry. To date, SpaceX has completed over 600 missions and over 560 successful booster landings.

The pace has become astounding: several launches per week, with reliability surpassing that of traditional single-use rockets. What was revolutionary in 2018 is now the industry standard. SpaceX performs more launches than all other global players combined.

Starlink: From Crazy Idea to Global Leader in Space Internet

Remember the skeptics who called Starlink an “unrealistic project”? Today, 9,500 satellites orbit Earth, serving 9 million users worldwide. SpaceX has deployed an additional 650 satellites for direct-to-device service, transforming any smartphone into a connected terminal.

Starlink has gone from a risky investment to the golden goose funding Martian ambitions. Crew Dragon has restored U.S. independence in human spaceflight. And Starship, the next audacious bet, is already accumulating successful orbital tests.

SpaceX is no longer the rebellious outsider. It has become the industry benchmark that everyone is trying to catch up with.

The Convergence of Empires: When SpaceX, xAI, and Tesla Merge Their Destinies

The recent announcement of the SpaceX-xAI merger, with a combined valuation of $1.25 trillion, redefines the contours of this ecosystem. The triangular structure of the deal directly involves Tesla in this strategic convergence.

The potential synergies are dizzying: space AI for mission autonomy, terrestrial and extraterrestrial robotics, leveraging Starlink data to train learning models. Analysts like Dan Ives of Wedbush predict complete convergence within 12 to 18 months.

The legitimate question arises: are we witnessing a worrying concentration of power or the construction of a coherent ecosystem capable of meeting the challenges of the 21st century? I lean towards the latter option, but the debate deserves to exist.

The Space Roadster, Symbol of a Decade of Disruption

And the Roadster in all this? It continues its solitary journey on a solar orbit, oscillating between Mars and Earth. The production of the new Tesla Roadster remains shrouded in mystery, but the 2008 model floating in space has become a timeless symbol.

In 2018, the question was: “What if it works?” In 2025, it has become: “How far will they go?” This symbolic launch redefined the rules of the game in two industries simultaneously. The multiplanetary vision is no longer science fiction; it’s a concrete roadmap marked by achieved milestones.

Seven years later, I measure the extent of the transformation. The wildest promises have been kept, often exceeded. Others are still in progress, fueling debates and impatience. But the course is maintained with remarkable consistency, as evidenced by specialized industry sources who are closely observing these developments.

The next decade promises to be even more spectacular. Mars is no longer a distant hypothesis, full self-driving is progressing inexorably, and the mass production of Optimus could disrupt the global economy. The Space Roadster will continue to float silently, an eternal witness to the day the impossible became reality.