On a Test launch? Because failure is the most likely outcome for a first launch:

Would you rather they launched a block of concrete? Rocket tests need cheap throwaway payloads.

More publicity was needed for SpaceX's Falcon Heavy first launch of a Tesla.

Makes sense, thanks

Because that manhole cover still makes people laugh when they think about it. Not sure if it was ever found and tracked.

The manhole cover from the nuclear test (if that's what you're referring to) most likely evaporated from air friction, sadly. From the time between video frames we can infer that it did achieve orbital velocity, but it would have been going too fast in the denser parts of the atmosphere to survive. Rockets don't go that fast until they're already quite high up, so they suffer much less.

Likely vaporized, unfortunately... https://physics.stackexchange.com/questions/488151/could-the...

Cause we need to expand beyond Earth