At a Glance

Researchers say the Tesla launched into space could pose a bacterial threat to other planets.The vehicle may not have been sterilized before sent into orbit.If it's unsterilized, the car could be carrying the largest collection of Earth bacteria ever sent into space.

The Tesla convertible taking a joyride through the galaxy could be a biological threat to other planets, as it may be carrying the largest collection of Earth bacteria ever sent into space, researchers say.

A team of scientists at Purdue University suggests the cherry red car could to other heavenly bodies if it ever crashed into one, according to a release.

“If there is an indigenous Mars biota, it’s at risk of being contaminated by terrestrial life,” Purdue University professor of Earth, atmospheric and planetary sciences Jay Melosh said in the release. “Would Earth’s organisms be better adapted, take over Mars and contaminate it so we don’t know what indigenous Mars was like, or would they be not as well adapted as the Martian organisms? We don’t know.”

The potential hazard stems from the possibility that the vehiclewasn't sterilized before it was let loose in the galaxy.

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While NASA’s Office of Planetary Protection sent on missions, it doesn’t have the same rules for objects meant to stay in orbit. The less likely it is that the object willmake contact with a planet, the less strict the rules are for wiping it clean before launch.

Extreme heat and cosmic radiation can kill off bacteria, but it doesn’t always wipe them out. Some organisms can stay dormant while in space and reawaken in the right conditions, according to the release.

However, even if the outside of the vehicle and “Starman,” the mannequin sent along for the ride, were properly cleaned off before being sent into orbit, the inside of the car could still pose a problem.

“Even if they radiated the outside, the engine would be dirty,” said Melosh. “Cars aren’t assembled clean. And even then, there’s a big difference between clean and sterile.”

If the car were to crash into Venus, for example, due to the almost 900 degree Fahrenheit climate, Jalopnik reported. However, the planet’s atmosphere would break Tesla up, which could scatter its contents. While the planet's cloud layer has milder temperatures, it is highly acidic, and some bacteria are able to withstand acids, the report added.

The odds of the car colliding with objects in space are low, even though , according to a previous report. However, scientists say it could make a return trip past Earth in roughly two and a half years, coming close enough to spot with a telescope.

The car was launched into orbit in early February.