Rocket, man: Tesla
① Elon Musk has blasted a Tesla into space.
② Mr Musk's own roadster was the payload of his Falcon Heavy rocket that yesterday began a journey into orbit around the sun.
③ Back on Earth, his electric-car company will unveil its fourth-quarter results today, and questions are sure to focus on more grounded matters.
④ Record deliveries and revenues will nevertheless translate into losses as Mr Musk pours cash into ramping up production of his new mass-market car.
⑤ The Model 3 is aimed at bringing battery-powered motoring to the masses but is missing its over-ambitious targets.
⑥ Tesla says it delivered just 1,500 in the last quarter of 2017, and may delay plans to produce 5,000 per week by mid-year.
⑦ That will worry investors.
⑧ Tesla, burning through cash as fast as Mr Musk's rockets burn through fuel, will have to hold out its hand once again—or risk running out of money.
▍生词好句
blast /blɑːst/: vt. 轰炸；使……爆炸 n. 爆炸
(at) full blast: 以最大的功率/音量
roadster /ˈrəʊdstə/: n.（双人座）跑车
payload /ˈpeɪləʊd/: n. 载荷
unveil /ʌnˈveɪl/: vt. 公布；揭开面纱
grounded /ˈɡraʊndɪd/: adj. 具体的；受到限制的；地面的（文中三重含义）
ramp up: 急速增加
mass-market /ˈmasˈmɑːkɪt/: adj. 大众市场的；畅销的
over-ambitious /əʊvəramˈbɪʃəs/: adj. 好高骛远的；野心过大的