Tesla has started accepting photo submissions from winners of its referral program to send into space — four years after the program was introduced (via Reddit).
The electric vehicle (EV) maker launched a referral program back in 2018. Under the program, existing Tesla customers could generate and share referral codes with prospective buyers.
Those who redeemed referral codes would receive free Supercharging credits, while referrers earned prizes corresponding to how many people they invited. One of these prizes was the opportunity to have a picture of their choice launched into space.
“We’ll laser-etch any image onto glass and send it into deep space orbit for millions of years,” Tesla explained at the time. “Refer more friends while you wait for an alien race to discover your payload.”
Prize winners have now started receiving emails from Tesla, inviting them to submit the photo they want to send into deep space.
Our records show that you earned the chance to launch a photo into space under a previous Tesla Referral Program. After much anticipation, we are excited to begin your photo’s journey to space. To participate, please submit your photo before June 30, 2022. Each referrer may submit one photo- choose wisely.
If you were one of the referrers who earned a chance to send a photo into space but have not been approached for your submission yet, don’t worry. The company is likely sending out invites in phases, and this is just the first one.
The email also says Tesla “will be in touch with additional details closer to the date of launch.”
The Elon Musk-led company will presumably rely on the billionaire’s other business venture, SpaceX, to send photos into space as part of existing missions.
Tesla is yet to announce a definitive date for the first launch. First, because the prize only required a single referral — the company likely has thousands of pictures to launch into space.
Tesla discontinued its referral program for free Supercharging in September 2021.
Earlier this week, Swedish EV startup Polestar debuted a referral program of its own. Unfortunately, none of the rewards offered by the Tesla competitor involve rockets or spaceflight.
What picture would you send into space, given the chance? Let us know in the comments below.
