Could the New SpaceX-Assisted Tesla Roadster Actually Fly? A Closer Look at What It May Actually Do

FAA filings and the laws of physics hint at hover capabilities, but don’t expect it to soar over traffic just yet. 

Back when we first learned about the initial launch of Tesla’s next-generation Roadster, which was set for October 1, we also learned that the Federal Aviation Administration had issued a Temporary Flight Restriction (TFR)—filed as NOTAM FDC 6/3825 ZFW TX—over SpaceX’s test facility in McGregor, Texas, where the launch event was set to be held.

But then the Roadster’s launch was scrapped due to weather and delayed until October 15, 2026, also at the same facility in Texas. Although we haven’t found a TFR covering the new launch time frame, it’s safe to assume that Tesla is cooking up something similar. Here’s what all of this may signal for the launch event as well as the future of the Tesla Roadster itself.

According to the FAA, the resulting no-fly zone (which began on September 18 and ended October 2 and has presumably been extended to cover the rescheduled launch) covered a 1.5-nautical-mile radius around the facility and extended up to 10,000 feet. What could that tell us about the Roadster’s capabilities? Rumors have continued to swirl that the Roadster will be able to fly, but we should note that “flying” is a relative term.

Under the FAA’s “Any Inch Off the Ground” Rule, a vehicle is considered an aircraft whether it’s hovering 2 inches or 2,000 feet off the ground. Newer FAA regulations (written to address eVTOLs, a.k.a. vertical electric take off and landing vehicles) also require these “flying cars” to operate following pre-approved flight corridors away from traffic. This means it’s much more likely the Roadster will be able to hover and hop around than fly like a Harrier jump jet.

The Tesla Roadster will reportedly use cold-gas thrusters (CGTs) to do whatever it’s going to be able to do. They’re a bit unique as they’re rocket engines that don’t burn fuel; instead, they expel ultra-pressurized gas. So how will CGTs work on the Roadster? Early Musk comments on X suggest the Roadster will have an onboard compressor that charges an air tank. When the tank is charged, gas will then expel through a set of nozzles, presumably to assist the car during acceleration, braking, cornering, and yes, maybe even flying. As you may know, CGTs are also the very same thrusters SpaceX uses to orient its Falcon 9 boosters and Starship prototypes during unpowered flight.

If you’ve already put down $50,000 of your hard-earned cash to get in line for Tesla’s Roadster, hopefully you’ve also checked the SpaceX package, which will presumably add the thrusters to your car. Although pricing for the Roadster still hasn’t been released, it’s becoming clear that you’ll be getting a considerable amount of technology for your money. If we take a number of Musk’s X messages at face value, that could mean up to 10 small rocket thrusters will be mounted throughout the car.

With thousands upon thousands of Roadster videos circulating online, we thought we’d deconstruct a few to brainstorm about the vehicle’s potential capabilities.

Using all that extra thrust to maximize the Roadster’s straight-line performance is the obvious use case. Tesla plans to offer a “base mode” car (without CGTs) that will reportedly be able to sprint to 60 mph in less than two seconds, which would immediately make it one of the quickest cars we’ve ever tested, if not the quickest. With the available SpaceX package’s added thrusters, the car will likely be significantly quicker, potentially making it the quickest car of all time. Those are big ifs, of course, but tantalizing possibilities.

Straight-line performance is all well and good, but we also recently stumbled across the above video on X, which appears to show the Roadster completing a hover test. Assuming the footage is real, the vehicle also gains significant altitude. We can only speculate on the exact altitude and how long the vehicle maintained it, but it’s more than possible that the Roadster will also be airworthy in some capacity. (That also opens other questions about how and where you’d fly it.)

And how would the Roadster maneuver once it’s in the air? The easy guess would be differential thrust provided by the CGTs, but there could be other solutions. Musk mentioned that the car’s onboard computer could potentially spin up the wheels/electric motors to orient the Roadster in the air. We have more questions than answers, but the brand’s history of innovation shows us it’s not afraid to think outside the four-wheeled box.

If you’ll allow us to pop our car enthusiast caps back on, it’s clear the Roadster has the potential to be a monumental feat of engineering—if Tesla can deliver. Let’s not forget that, beyond teasing its flight capabilities, the Roadster has been rumored to carry a 200-kWh battery, producing a claimed 620-mile range. Performance is speculative, but we’ve seen numbers thrown around that tease at a 250-mph top speed, the aforementioned sub-two-second 0–60 sprint, and a sub-nine-second quarter-mile time.

We’ve been guessing about the Roadster’s capabilities for nearly a decade now. Finally, all will be revealed on October 16 at 7:00 a.m. Eastern time. Get ready for blast-off.

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Matt CrisaraMatt Crisara is a native Austinite who has an unbridled passion for cars and motorsports, both foreign and domestic. He was previously a contributing writer for Motor1 following internships at Circuit Of The Americas F1 Track and Speed City, an Austin radio broadcaster focused on the world of motor racing. He earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of Arizona School of Journalism, where he raced mountain bikes with the University Club Team. When he isn’t working, he enjoys sim-racing, FPV drones, and the great outdoors.