Musk promised flying Roadster in 2019

In January two thousand nineteen, Elon Musk said on Twitter that Tesla's new Roadster would lift off using cold-gas thrusters and ultra-high-pressure air.

“The new Roadster will actually do something like this.”

How the thrusters would work

Musk described a SpaceX-made cold-gas thruster system using high-pressure air stored in a composite pressure vessel, replacing the two rear seats of the car.

“Will use SpaceX cold gas thruster system with ultra high pressure air in a composite over-wrapped pressure vessel in place of the 2 rear seats.”

Earlier hints about thrusters

In June two thousand eighteen, Musk said the Roadster would include roughly ten thrusters and suggested they might allow the car to fly.

Test flight succeeds in Texas

At a SpaceX test site in Texas on Thursday, almost eight years later, a Roadster climbed a curved ramp, dropped, rolled through the air and landed on its wheels.

Technology matched Musk's description

The test used the same basic technology Musk described: cold-gas thrusters fed by high-pressure air stored in composite pressure vessels, proving his eight-year-old claim.

Production delayed but promise kept

Tesla unveiled the second-generation Roadster in two thousand seventeen, originally targeting two thousand twenty production. Musk now says production will begin in two thousand twenty-eight.