# Which world organisation did Elon have to get permission from?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-world-organisation-did-elon-have-to-get-permission-from/808426>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [February 8, 2018, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-world-organisation-did-elon-have-to-get-permission-from/808426 "2018-02-08T11:48:45Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Nansbread1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Nansbread1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nansbread1)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-world-organisation-did-elon-have-to-get-permission-from/808426/1 "2018-02-08T11:48:45Z")

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To put his car in orbit?

Is there any world body that regulates what can and cannot be put in space.

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**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 1:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-world-organisation-did-elon-have-to-get-permission-from/808426/2 "2018-02-08T13:08:24Z")

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Unless there’s a nuclear weapon in the frunk, which would be prohibited by the Outer Space Treaty, he’s in the clear.

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**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-world-organisation-did-elon-have-to-get-permission-from/808426/3 "2018-02-08T13:52:36Z")

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He was supposed to ask me first, but I’m okay with it.

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**Author:** ![watchwolf49](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9c0ed/32.png) [@watchwolf49](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/watchwolf49)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-world-organisation-did-elon-have-to-get-permission-from/808426/4 "2018-02-08T14:02:58Z")

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Does the Videographers Union have a say on who videos the fake launch … I think we all learn an important lesson during the Apollo missions about just giving the equipment to military personnel …

haha

On a slightly less serious note … will Musk have to re-register that car after thirty days? … most jurisdictions won’t allow for California license plates for any longer … I’m sure liability insurance is cheap but what about comprehensive/collision coverage … on the other paw, at 50¢ a mile he’s getting one HELL of a tax break … it’s like he’s EARNING $6,000 per hour …

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**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\
**Post date:** [February 8, 2018, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-world-organisation-did-elon-have-to-get-permission-from/808426/5 "2018-02-08T21:09:29Z")

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For the US, the contents of any payload, even dummy ones, have to be approved by the FAA. Musk got approval from them [shortly](http://www.businessinsider.com/falcon-heavy-launch-spacex-elon-musk-tesla-roadster-car-2018-2) before the launch.

There doesn’t seem to be any other regulatory body for this type of “spacecraft”.

(You want a telecom sat slot in geostationary orbit, for example, you need [approval](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geostationary_orbit#Orbit_allocation).)