America Sends A Tesla Into Space – So Russia Sends A Lada

Russia Sends A Lada Into Space

You may recall last year how Elon Musk pretty much amazed us all by successfully launching a Tesla car into space. As more of a PR exercise for his SpaceX program, it was still an amazing sight and at last indications, the car had just passed Mars.

Well, in something harking the days of the space race in the 1960’s, a team from Russia has decided to not be outdone by launching their own car into space. In a strong mark of patriotism, utilising the finest automobile the Soviet Union could produce, the team successfully launched a Lada into space… nearly.

Some Slight Differences

So, at this point you might be wondering who the person is in the car. Well, he is Russia’s Space Agency head Dmitry Rogozin. Not exactly Tesla’s ‘Starman’, but you get the idea.

At this point as well, you may have noted that this isn’t exactly a mission on the same scale that Tesla managed either. Yes, the car is a model and was launched into the upper stratosphere using a balloon.

The test, conducted by start-up group ‘ToSky’ did this in order to demonstrate a brand new stratostats balloon which is capable of maintaining exceptionally high altitudes for supposedly longer than existing designs. I only say supposedly because I am 100% not an expert in this!

What Do We Think?

This video was, of course, more a publicity stunt than anything else, but it certainly worked on me at least. If nothing else, putting the science aside, I think I just love the fact that they decided to use a Lada, arguably one of the worst cars ever made. One that did, however, sell remarkably well, even outside of Russia!

I look forward to seeing the British sending up a Morris Minor in the near future!

What do you think? Which car should your country launch into space? – Let us know in the comments!