Starman:

[terrawombat]

Just now, Pete M said:

well, depending on whose calculations are right, we may well see it again.    or it might crash into venus.  who knows.  

 

I'd prefer it didn't crash into anything.  I think it'd be really neat to see it in person after being in space for a while just to get an idea of the intense accelerated aging effects that happen up there.  Maybe the mainstream media will create enough of a frenzy that they just concede and go get the damn thing.

[gogmorgo]

I dunno. I'm guessing the vacuum of space and intense cold would help to preserve it somewhat. Beyond the sandblasting from space dust and radiation. 

[terrawombat]

13 hours ago, gogmorgo said:

I dunno. I'm guessing the vacuum of space and intense cold would help to preserve it somewhat. Beyond the sandblasting from space dust and radiation. 

 

The UV radiation from the sun will make quick work of any exposed surface on the Tesla.  Poor Starman won't benefit from the protection of the ozone layer like we do.  The extreme temperature swings will also do some fun stuff with expansion and contraction. 

[fiatslug87]

5 hours ago, terrawombat said:

 

The UV radiation from the sun will make quick work of any exposed surface on the Tesla.  Poor Starman won't benefit from the protection of the ozone layer like we do.  The extreme temperature swings will also do some fun stuff with expansion and contraction. 

But on the bright side, no oxygen = no oxidation = no rust.

[terrawombat]

10 minutes ago, fiatslug87 said:

But on the bright side, no oxygen = no oxidation = no rust.

 

Can't argue that!

[gogmorgo]

Although the tesla is aluminum and composite so it wouldn't rust anyway...

[Sir Sam]

On 2/25/2018 at 10:49 AM, terrawombat said:

 

The UV radiation from the sun will make quick work of any exposed surface on the Tesla.  Poor Starman won't benefit from the protection of the ozone layer like we do.  The extreme temperature swings will also do some fun stuff with expansion and contraction. 

 

Agreed, I'm wondering how all sorts of plastics and materials used hold up. Many plastics have elastomers and other voilatile compounds that offgass even on earth. Now remove 14.7 PSI keeping those compounds in. How long before the dash cracks and shrinks? The tires? The urethane bumpers? Lots of materials engineering went into making that car - which was never designed for hard vacuum.

 

Still, pretty comical to think we put a red car into space just because we can.