On January 2, astronomers identified an object as asteroid 2018 CN41, but it was later confirmed to be Elon Musk’s Tesla Roadster, launched into space in 2018 aboard a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. The Minor Planet Center retracted the classification a day later.
Astronomer Jonathan McDowell noted that similar cases have occurred before. NASA’s Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP), launched in 2001, was also misidentified as an asteroid on multiple occasions, only being recognised as a spacecraft when it fired its thrusters.
Experts attribute these misidentifications to insufficient transparency in tracking spacecraft and spent rocket stages. The American Astronomical Society (AAS) has called for improved documentation of spacecraft locations to prevent confusion with natural celestial bodies.
With more commercial and government space missions, the risk of misidentifications is expected to rise. In 2024, SpaceX launched a record-breaking 134 Falcon rocket missions, underscoring the need for a standardised tracking system.
Objects like Musk’s Tesla were initially categorised as near-Earth asteroids requiring safety tracking. More cases like this could interfere with astronomers’ efforts to identify and monitor potentially hazardous asteroids.
Experts suggest implementing a mandatory tracking system for space missions, similar to those used in aviation and maritime industries. NASA’s Horizons System, which tracks asteroids and spacecraft, is cited as a model that could be expanded for this purpose.
Concerns over spacecraft misidentification extend to private missions. AstroForge, a company launching a spacecraft to mine an asteroid, initially withheld its target’s identity. The company later disclosed it as asteroid 2022 OB5, a move experts see as a positive step for transparency in space operations.