The Register by Richard Speed 1/27/2025
Without central repository for artificial objects, it'll only get worse
Scientists mistook Elon Musk's Tesla roadster for an asteroid in a debacle that highlights the problem of tracking near-Earth objects.
Discovery of the suspected asteroid was announced in the Minor Planet Electronic Circular on January 2. However, the entry was swiftly deleted when space boffins realized it was actually the Tesla roadster launched on SpaceX's first Falcon Heavy mission.
Less than a day after the announcement, an editorial notice was published notifying readers of the whoopsie: "The designation 2018 CN41, announced in MPEC 2025-A38 on Jan 2, 2025 UT, is being deleted. The object was reported throught [sic] the identifications pipeline as a 3-nighter linkage found in the isolated tracklet file and more tracklets were linked in the ITF, leading to a small object on a heliocentric NEO orbit.
"The next day it was pointed out the orbit matches an artificial object 2018-017A, Falcon Heavy Upper stage with the Tesla roadster. The designation 2018 CN41 is being deleted and will be listed as omitted."
The mistake was swiftly spotted and resolved, which is how this sort of thing is supposed to work, yet it points to a wider issue.
More:
https://www.theregister.com/2025/01/27/elon_musk_tesla_asteroid/
