SpaceX rocket set to overshoot Mars and hurtle towards asteroid belt

• Tesla sports car was launched by Falcon Heavy rocket on Tuesday
• SpaceX mission originally planned to end in Mars-like orbit

Elon Musk's cherry red Tesla sports car and its dummy test pilot Starman were on a new course hurtling towards the asteroid belt on Wednesday after overshooting their planned trajectory.

Just hours after Tuesday's spectacular launch from Florida of Falcon Heavy, the world's most powerful space rocket, the billionaire founder of the private spaceflight company SpaceX admitted Starman had been a little heavy on the gas and would travel well beyond the intended target of Mars.