▁became ▁an ▁artificial ▁satellite ▁of ▁the ▁Sun . ▁" Star man ", ▁a ▁man ne quin ▁dressed ▁in ▁a ▁spaces uit , ▁occup ies ▁the ▁driver ' s ▁seat . ▁The ▁car ▁and ▁ro cket ▁are ▁products ▁of ▁T es la ▁and ▁Space X , ▁respectively , ▁both ▁companies ▁founded ▁by ▁El on ▁Mus k . ▁The ▁ 2 0 0 8 - model ▁Road ster ▁was ▁previously ▁used ▁by ▁Mus k ▁for ▁comm uting ▁to ▁work ▁and ▁is ▁the ▁only ▁production ▁car ▁in ▁space . ▁ ▁The ▁car , ▁mounted ▁on ▁the ▁ro cket ' s ▁second ▁stage , ▁acquired ▁enough ▁velocity ▁to ▁escape ▁Earth ' s ▁gravity ▁and ▁enter ▁an ▁elli pt ical ▁hel i oc ent ric ▁orbit ▁crossing ▁the ▁orbit ▁of ▁Mars . ▁The ▁orbit ▁reaches ▁a ▁maximum ▁distance ▁from ▁the ▁Sun ▁at ▁a ph el ion ▁of ▁. ▁During ▁the ▁early ▁portion ▁of ▁the ▁voyage ▁outside ▁the ▁Earth ' s ▁atmosphere , ▁live ▁video ▁was ▁transm itted ▁back ▁to ▁the ▁mission ▁control ▁center ▁and ▁live - stream ed ▁for ▁slightly ▁over ▁four ▁hours . ▁ ▁Ad vert ising ▁anal yst s ▁noted ▁Mus k ' s ▁sense ▁of ▁brand ▁management ▁and ▁use ▁of ▁new ▁media ▁for ▁his ▁decision ▁to ▁launch ▁a ▁T es la ▁into ▁space . ▁While ▁some ▁comment ers ▁vo iced ▁concern ▁that ▁the ▁car ▁contributed ▁to ▁space ▁de br is , ▁others ▁saw ▁it ▁as ▁a ▁work ▁of ▁art . ▁Mus k ▁explained ▁he ▁wanted ▁to ▁insp ire ▁the ▁public ▁about ▁the ▁" poss ibility