Tesla roadster demo
But crappy specific impulse (less than 50 seconds). Even assuming that 50% of the mass of the car is the compressed air, that gives you less than 10s of useful thrust (with thrust-to-weight ratio larger than 1.0). Because of all the steam, i originally guessed the car might have used hydrogen peroxide jets.
The Tesla CEO declared that the “future does have flying cars”. Elon Musk set social media abuzz after sharing dramatic footage of a thruster-equipped Tesla Roadster lifting off the ground, somersaulting mid-air and then landing perfectly on ground. The post triggered massive online engagement, drawing playful reactions from tech peers, including Google CEO Sundar Pichai. However, it also drew technical skepticism from former Meta Chief AI Scientist Yann LeCun, who labeled the stunt a “cute demo, but totally impractical. As per the video, as the vehicle lifts off, it spews thick plumes of smoke, ‘flies’ over stationary Tesla vehicles, including a Tesla Semi and tumbles as dense vapor blankets the surrounding tarmac. Pichai quipped: “The FSD version of this will be something:) congrats! LeCun took to social media to analyse the underlying mechanics, questioning the vehicle’s real-world feasibility While the demonstration delighted fans. Initially wondering whether the system ran on hydrogen peroxide rocket propellant, LeCun concluded the thrusters were simply powered by cold gas: “Okay, so it’s just compressed air. Easier. So the car must be an empty, lightweight shell containing big compressed air tanks. But that’s just condensation caused rapid depressurization .