Tesla’s Roadster flies. Cold-gas thrusters lift it for about 10 seconds with no ramp, but the thrusters and precision control are the bigger story. The same technology could enable SpaceX to bring cargo back with precise landings anywhere on Earth from space for a tiny fraction of what a Dragon capsule costs.
Brian Wang of NextBigFuture and Royden go through the new Roadster: 0-60 in 0.81 seconds (Tesla’s reported figure), a possible top speed of about 382 mph, fan suction for about 2G of downforce, the three expected versions (Performance, Thrust, Rocket), and Starfall, the SpaceX cargo return idea built on the same thruster tech.
CHAPTERS
0:00 The worldchanging secret in the flying Roadster
0:38 SpaceX thruster and tank tech inside the car
0:57 0-60 in 0.81 seconds, and how low it could go
2:08 What the top model could cost
2:22 382 mph vs the BYD supercar
3:16 The rampless jump
3:51 How long the thrusters can lift the car
5:57 2G of suction downforce
7:53 Starfall: SpaceX cargo return
9:27 From a $100M Dragon to $100K–$500K returns
14:46 Roadster vs $10M hypercars
17:49 2028 production
18:01 Three versions: Performance, Thrust, Rocket
Brian Wang is a Futurist Thought Leader and a popular Science blogger with 1 million readers per month. His blog Nextbigfuture.com is ranked #1 Science News Blog. It covers many disruptive technology and trends including Space, Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, Medicine, Anti-aging Biotechnology, and Nanotechnology.
Known for identifying cutting edge technologies, he is currently a Co-Founder of a startup and fundraiser for high potential early-stage companies. He is the Head of Research for Allocations for deep technology investments and an Angel Investor at Space Angels.
A frequent speaker at corporations, he has been a TEDx speaker, a Singularity University speaker and guest at numerous interviews for radio and podcasts. He is open to public speaking and advising engagements.
