Galactic Games in Review: From Lunar Golf to Space Station Baseball, a glance at off-world sporting events
Unconventional Sports in the Final Frontier: A Cosmic Chronicle
Being up in space, far from the earthly bounds, ain't just about gazing at the starry night. No sir, space-faring men and women have always found ways to keep their spirits high and their idle hands busy. You see, out there, they've discovered that even the most mundane activities can be made extraordinary in zero-gravity.
From the International Space Station (ISS), where the Earth hangs suspended, a breathtaking sight that could well never grow dull, astronauts on extended space sojourns sought solace in activities beyond the simple act of gazing.
Sporting Galore
Golf, football, baseball, and even chess have taken a cosmic twist in the microgravity of space. In a whimsical nod to the lunar terrain, astronauts swung golf clubs that were no ordinary irons, and plunged balls that danced freely in the vacuum, guided by the deftest of hands.
Remember Alan Shepard, the daring Apollo 14 astronaut who took a swipe at the lunar fairway with a six-iron mated to a modified Moon rock sampler? Or Mikhail Tyurin, the Russian cosmonaut who teed off a ball from the ISS's "porch", his single-handed swing a marvel to behold? Their off-center shots, while far from impressive by terrestrial standards, set records none the less. Those balls, fetched by Earth's own ravenous atmosphere, became the first to ever be struck in space.
A Game of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Ball
Before VAR reared its contentious head, there were celestial kickabouts aboard the ISS. In 2014, as the world watched the Football World Cup, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Steve Swanson, and German ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst indulged in their own cosmic match. No stadiums, no referees, but lots of fun. And remember, zero-gravity football is an entirely different beast from its Earthly counterpart.
Swinging for the Fences
Baseball, that quintessential American sport, found its way to the ISS too. Japanese astronaut Satoshi Furukawa staged a solo match against himself, pitching, batting, and fielding all on his own. In space-time, the ball moved as slow as a glacier, allowing Furukawa to enjoy a unique replay of every swing and catch—a luxury even the most dedicated earthly baseball fans could only dream of.
Chess in Orbit
In a more cerebral encounter, thematic games of chess were played between cosmonauts on the ISS and their Earthbound counterparts. An symbolic 1970 face-off dubbed "Earth vs Space" was a six-hour battle of wits, broadcast over the radio while cosmonauts Andrian Nikolayev, Vitaly Sevastyanov, Viktor Gorbatko, and Nikolai Kamanin engaged in a strategic stand-off using a real chess set aboard the Soyuz 9. In spite of the potentially earth-shattering consequences of a lost game, they eventually called it a draw—a ceasefire in the battle of the minds.
Filling the Silence
Away from the competitive scene, astronauts could be found engaging in quieter pursuits, such as reading, painting, and communicating with family and friends. They also appreciated their rare moments of leisure by partaking in the seemingly mundane, like puzzles and board games. But make no mistake, every activity, no matter how simple, became a grand adventure in the vast, empty expanse of space.
As the universe hums on outside their windows, mankind's indomitable spirit keeps finding ways to make a home even among the stars. What sport or leisure activity would you like to see astronauts play in space or on the Moon? Share your thoughts with us at .
From the October 2024 issue of our website
Bonus Facts:
- Astronauts aboard the ISS often indulge in amateur radio communication, exchanging information and high-fiving with enthusiasts on Earth. They've even shared satellite images as part of hobbyist competitions like the Fram2Ham competition during recent missions.
- While on extended stays at the ISS or the Moon, astronauts partake in playful demonstrations of motion in the microgravity or low-gravity environment, which often resembles zero-gravity play or exercise.
- NASA has produced printable activity sheets that simulate aspects of space science and exploration, turning them into engaging games and crafts for children and families. These often capture the spirit of playful exploration that astronauts embody or encourage from space.
Astronauts have transformed ordinary earthly games into extraordinary cosmic versions, such as playing chess with their counterparts on Earth, participating in zero-gravity football matches, and even staging solo baseball games in the microgravity environment of the International Space Station.
In a more cerebral encounter, thematic games of chess were played between cosmonauts on the ISS and their Earthbound counterparts, symbolizing a battle of wits that was broadcast over the radio while cosmonauts engaged in a strategic stand-off using a real chess set aboard the ISS. On the other hand, NASA astronauts Reid Wiseman, Steve Swanson, and German ESA astronaut Alexander Gerst indulged in their own celestial kickabouts aboard the ISS in 2014, playing football with no stadiums or referees but lots of fun.
