---
title: "Tesla Roadster with SpaceX Thrusters: Musk Announces Grand Canyon Flights at Mach 0.5"
description: "Elon Musk announced demonstration flights of the Tesla Roadster with SpaceX gas thrusters at speeds up to Mach 0.5. At a presentation in Texas, the sports car already performed a mid-air flip and a ramp jump."
date: 2026-10-18T10:10:36.905Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/tesla-roadster-flights-spacex-thrusters-musk-mach-05
tags: [tesla, roadster, elon-musk, spacex, electric-vehicle, gas-engine, autonomous-driving]
author: "Alexander Buran"
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# Tesla Roadster with SpaceX Thrusters: Musk Announces Grand Canyon Flights at Mach 0.5

![Rear view of the Tesla Roadster sports car at a desert testing ground](https://xab.info/media/2026/10/18/tesla-roadster-polety-dvigateli-spacex-masch-05-maha/tesla-roadster-polety-dvigateli-spacex-masch-05-maha-1.webp)

## Key Points

- Musk announced Tesla's plans to conduct Roadster flight demonstrations with SpaceX gas thrusters over natural landmarks, including the Grand Canyon
- The new Roadster's top speed could exceed Mach 0.5 (~612 km/h), twice as high as the 370 km/h claimed for the Thrust and Rocket versions
- At a presentation in Texas, the Roadster performed a mid-air flip and a curved ramp jump at a SpaceX test facility
- The sports car will gain the ability to perform stunts via voice command thanks to elements of "consciousness"

Elon Musk has once again surprised the automotive industry by announcing Tesla's plans to conduct "even crazier" flight demonstrations of the new Roadster. According to the entrepreneur, the sports car will be equipped with a cold gas thruster system developed with the direct participation of SpaceX, allowing the vehicle to make short flights over famous natural landmarks. Musk did not hide the scale of the plan, with the Grand Canyon listed among potential locations for the exhibition flights. The statement came against the background of a previously published video in which the Roadster launches off a ramp, performs mid-air flips, and jumps over parked cars at a SpaceX test facility.

### Demonstration in Texas: Flip and Jump from a Curved Ramp

During a recent presentation in Texas, the new Roadster demonstrated a series of maneuvers unavailable to any production car. The sports car flew over an obstacle, completed a full mid-air flip, and then climbed a curved ramp and jumped off it. To execute such stunts, the car uses the gas thruster system rather than traditional electric motors. According to ixbt.com, Musk also announced that a special zone will be equipped at Tesla headquarters for regular demonstrations of the Roadster's capabilities, transforming the company's internal territory into a kind of testing ground for aerodynamic shows.

### Mach 0.5: A Speed That Redefines the Automobile

The key technical parameter announced by Musk is the Roadster's maximum speed, capable of exceeding Mach 0.5, which is approximately 612 km/h (380 mph). For comparison, the speed of sound under these conditions is 1,234.8 km/h, while previously claimed Thrust and Rocket versions were capped at 370 km/h (230 mph). Thus, the new Roadster with the SpaceX gas propulsion system is potentially twice as fast as its electric predecessors. At the same presentation, Musk confirmed that acceleration to 60 mph (97 km/h) takes less than one second, and the top speed in standard configuration exceeds 230 mph (370 km/h).

### Voice Control and Sports Car "Consciousness"

In addition to aerodynamic ambitions, Musk stated that the new Tesla Roadster electric sports car will be able to independently perform various stunts via voice command. According to the entrepreneur, the vehicle will be endowed with elements of "consciousness" allowing it to interpret the driver's verbal requests and instantly react to them—from starting the engine to initiating a flip or a jump. This means that demonstration flights over natural objects may not just be a one-time show, but a standard operating mode of the car activated by voice.

### Context: Where the Tesla Roadster Stands in 2026

The announcement of the Roadster flight demonstrations with SpaceX engines is a logical continuation of Musk's multi-year strategy to blur the lines between automotive and aerospace engineering. Joint development of propulsion systems between Tesla and SpaceX makes it possible to use space-proven gas turbine and rocket engine technologies in ground transport. At the same time, the Roadster itself remains an electric sports car in its basic configuration, with SpaceX gas modules acting as an additional "jet" circuit activated for extreme maneuvers. The publication of the video from the test site and subsequent statements at the presentation in Texas confirm that this is not a concept, but a working prototype that has already passed its first dynamic tests.

## Fact-Check & Sources

- [Tesla Roadster перепрыгнет Гранд-Каньон с помощью ракетных двигателей](https://www.ixbt.com/news/2026/10/18/tesla-roadster-pereprygnet-grand-kanyon-s-pomoshhiu-raketnyx-dvigatelei.html) - Confirms Musk's statements about flight demonstrations, Mach 0.5 speed, video from the SpaceX test site, acceleration to 60 mph in one second, and a speed of 230 mph
- [Маск пообещал наделить Tesla Roadster сознанием: спорткар сможет выполнять трюки по команде](https://www.ixbt.com/news/2026/10/18/mask-poobeshhal-nadelit-tesla-roadster-soznaniem-sportkar-smozet-vypolniat-triuki-po-komande.html) - Confirms the presentation in Texas with a flip and ramp jump, voice control, and plans to equip a demonstration zone at Tesla headquarters

## FAQ

### What top speed will the new Tesla Roadster be able to reach?

According to Elon Musk, the maximum speed of the Roadster with SpaceX gas thrusters can exceed Mach 0.5, which is approximately 612 km/h. For the Thrust and Rocket versions, a speed of 370 km/h (230 mph) was previously claimed.

### What exactly did the Roadster demonstrate at the presentation in Texas?

At the presentation in Texas, the Roadster flew over an obstacle, performed a mid-air flip, and then climbed a curved ramp and jumped off it. The SpaceX gas thruster system was used for the maneuvers.

### Could Roadster flights over the Grand Canyon become a reality?

Musk announced plans to conduct Roadster demonstration flights over famous natural landmarks, including the Grand Canyon. At the time of publication, this is a stated intention rather than a completed event.

### How will stunts on the Roadster be controlled?

According to Musk, the new Roadster will be able to perform various stunts via voice command. The vehicle will be endowed with elements of "consciousness" allowing it to interpret verbal requests and react to them.