Space travel has historically been driven by engineering necessity and safety. Yet as government agencies, private companies, and tourists increasingly share the experience, the need for improved sleep quality and more comfortable quarters is evolving.

In the hospitality world, beds and room space are a foundation of the experience. Comfort, privacy, functionality, amenities, views, and the promise of repose define value and the same expectations are beginning to take hold in orbit. We explore what a night’s sleep looks like in space today and how designers are reshaping it for tomorrow’s spacefarers.

Current Sleeping Facilities

International Space Station
On the ISS, long-duration astronauts typically use private crew quarters, small booths about the size of a phone booth, each with a sleeping bag, ventilation ducts, a light, a laptop, and room for personal mementos. There are four booths in the U.S. Harmony module and two more in the Russian Zvezda module, giving the station six permanent cabins. When the crew is at six, everyone can sleep in a booth.

The ISS often hosts more, especially during crew rotations or visiting missions. Short-term residents such arriving crews during handovers sleep in tethered bags attached to the walls of other modules. Privacy is minimal in those cases, and the experience resembles what early ISS astronauts endured before private quarters were installed.

Chinese Space Station (Tiangong)
Tiangong offers six individual crew berths. Just built in the past few years, it appears sleeker and more modern than the decades-old ISS. It boasts integrated storage, personal lighting, and a minimalist finish reminiscent of Tokyo’s capsule hotels. Each berth is compact yet private, with attention paid to both aesthetics and function.

SpaceX Orbital Missions
Crew Dragon capsules, used for ISS transport and private orbital trips, offer no separate sleeping quarters. Astronauts sleep where they sit, reclining in their seats, or zip into lightweight bags tethered to the capsule’s interior walls. Lighting can be dimmed, but there is almost no privacy, with four people inside a volume not much bigger than an SUV.

The Challenges of Sleep in Orbit

Sleep in space is shaped by four constant realities. The first is the light cycle. Astronauts see a sunrise or sunset every 90 minutes, disrupting circadian rhythms. Even with LEDs dimmed for night periods, one in five sleep sessions on the ISS is misaligned with natural body clocks.

The second is noise and vibration. Fans and pumps run continuously, creating background noise that earplugs only partly muffle.

The third is airflow. In microgravity, exhaled carbon dioxide lingers, so each cabin needs a steady stream of ventilation near the head. Poor airflow can leave astronauts groggy or at risk of CO₂ buildup.

The fourth is privacy. Astronauts work, eat, and exercise within meters of one another for months at a time. The ability to retreat to a private berth, however small, remains one of the most valuable design features of modern stations.

Near-Future Accommodations

Several companies are now designing habitats that improve the sleep experience.

• Axiom Space: Its first habitat module, Hab-1, scheduled to launch later this decade, will feature four private crew quarters. Thales Alenia Space is building the module, while French designer Philippe Starck is shaping the interiors with an emphasis on comfort, lighting, and aesthetics alongside improved volume, airflow, and controls.

  

• Starlab: A joint project by Voyager Space and Airbus, with Hilton tapped to help design interiors, Starlab is explicitly borrowing from hospitality. Its sleeping quarters and shared living areas are being shaped with attention to lighting, materials, and human comfort

• Orbital Reef: Blue Origin and Sierra Space envision Orbital Reef as a multi-use commercial station. Sierra Space’s inflatable LIFE habitat provides multi-deck living space, with dedicated sleeping and hygiene areas. The scale allows designers to build quiet neighborhoods, moving crew away from noisy equipment bays.

  

• Vast (Haven-1): Marketed as the first small commercial station, Vast has unveiled concepts for private sleeping quarters and even a patent-pending sleep system. Its compact scale emphasizes comfort within a minimalist footprint, while promising a more human-centered interior than earlier capsules.

Across these projects, common themes stand out: more volume per person, better acoustic insulation, personalized airflow, and tunable lighting that supports circadian health.

Longer-Term Concepts

Designers are exploring concepts that could redefine sleep in space. In the next decade, circadian-aware cabins with adaptive lighting are expected to become standard, and multipurpose pods shielded by water or storage could double as storm shelters.

Over the following decades, researchers envision short-radius centrifuge pods to provide nightly artificial gravity, inflatable habitats with acoustically separated cabin rows, and biophilic features such as virtual windows or natural soundscapes.

For deep-space missions, hibernation-style capsules could help save supplies, while dorms built under layers of lunar or Martian soil could shelter crews on the surface.

Balancing Comfort and Constraints

Fifty years ago, Skylab astronauts slept in hammocks, surrounded by rattling machinery. Today, astronauts enjoy private phone-booth cabins on the ISS, and taikonauts in Tiangong rest in more refined berths.

Future space travelers, whether government scientists, corporate researchers, or private tourists, will push for something closer to a hotel room than a basic pod. Just as hotel guests here pay extra for space, views, and privacy, orbital travelers will value similar upgrades in their space travel quarters, where real estate is even more scarce and costly.

The question is when such comforts can be built into stations, given the constraints of volume and expense that define space construction.

When considering the lifestyle aspect of space travel, it’s worth noting that our ancient bond with animals has extended into space.

Human connection with animals began over 15,000 years ago with hunting partnerships with wolves, which evolved into domesticated dogs. Sheep, goats, pigs, cows, and cats were domesticated next, becoming fixtures in early settlements. Mice crashed the gathering by seeking out food stores.

Perhaps inevitably, animals not only accompanied humans into space but preceded us, playing a vital, sometimes sacrificial role. By flying first, they helped identify what conditions were safe and what weren’t for human space travel.

Fruit flies went first, followed by dogs, monkeys, turtles, and one cat, each facing extreme risk and frequent fatalities. Each mission advanced scientific understanding, paving the way for human missions.

Today, most animal space research involves small species aboard the ISS and Chinese space station. Mice, fruit flies, tardigrades, fish, and insects are studied to understand how microgravity impacts biology, aging, radiation, and development. This research is vital to improve long-duration missions.

Animal Pioneers and Scientific Contributions

The first creatures sent to space were fruit flies, launched by the U.S. in 1947 aboard a V-2 rocket to study radiation. In 1948, Albert I, a rhesus monkey, became the first vertebrate in space, though he did not survive. These early missions laid the foundation for more complex biological experiments.

The Soviet Union, and later Russia, remains the only nation known to have sent dogs into space. Between the late 1940s and early 1990s, at least 57 dogs flew suborbital and orbital missions. These missions relied on Moscow strays, selected for their toughness and trained for high-stress environments, to test life support, microgravity tolerance, and recovery systems.

The most famous of these canine cosmonauts was Laika, launched aboard Sputnik 2 in 1957. Although she died of overheating hours after launch, her mission proved that mammals could survive launch and orbital conditions and led to advances in life-support design. In 1960, Belka and Strelka completed the first full-day orbital mission and returned safely with a rabbit, mice, and plants. The flight demonstrated full mission survivability and served as a precursor to Yuri Gagarin’s flight, the first crewed orbital mission in history.

In contrast, the United States employed primates for their physiological and neurological similarity to humans. Between 1948 and 1996, at least 32 monkeys including rhesus, squirrel monkeys, and chimpanzees participated in space missions. Many died during or after flight, but they provided valuable insights into behavior, cognition, and survival in space.

Ham the chimpanzee, launched in 1961 aboard Mercury-Redstone 2, and Enos, later that year on Mercury-Atlas 5, were key to proving humans could follow. Ham performed tasks in microgravity, confirming trained beings could function in space. Enos became the first U.S. animal to orbit Earth, completing two orbits and operating levers despite malfunctions. His mission validated life-support systems and cleared the way for John Glenn’s 1962 flight.

Other nations contributed to early research. In 1963, France sent a cat named Félicette on a suborbital flight to study neural activity. She survived and remains the only feline astronaut to date.

Animal travelers advanced science in critical ways. Frogs and fish showed how the inner ear adapts to microgravity and helped explain motion sickness. Rodents revealed rapid bone and muscle loss, informing astronaut training. Mice exposed to cosmic radiation highlighted DNA damage risks, while cardiovascular shifts, hormone regulation, and reproduction were all first studied in animals.

These animals laid the scientific groundwork for human space exploration, providing essential data on how life endures beyond Earth. Without them, the first human spaceflights by Gagarin and Glenn might not have launched when they did.

Soviet Legacy and Successor Claims

After the U.S. ended its animal spaceflights in the 1970s, the Soviet Union continued into the 1990s, focusing on primates aboard its Bion satellites. Early missions featured dogs, but later flights used rhesus macaques to study long-term effects of microgravity with most animals safely recovered.

Iran revived interest in the 2010s, launching turtles, mice, and monkeys on suborbital rockets. The most publicized was in 2013, when Iranian media claimed a monkey named Fargam reached space and returned. Inconsistencies in photos raised skepticism, and no international body confirmed the mission. Though framed as steps toward human flight, the credibility remains disputed.

North Korea has claimed to launch animals into space, including a dog in 2012, but these reports remain unverified and are widely viewed as propaganda.

Modern Missions and Ongoing Research

Animal research remains central to space science. So far in 2025, the ISS has hosted mice, fruit flies, tardigrades, and small fish to study bone loss, immune function, aging, and DNA repair. These organisms serve as human analogs, helping researchers understand muscle atrophy, circadian disruption, and radiation effects. Most are housed in controlled habitats and returned safely to Earth, supporting preparation for longer missions to the Moon or Mars.

China’s Tiangong Space Station is also expanding biological research. As of mid-2025, it hosts zebrafish for vertebrate studies and fruit flies for genetics and circadian rhythm research. Planarian flatworms will soon follow to explore regeneration.

The Future of Animals in Space

Looking ahead, animals may play new roles as spacefarers. As Artemis missions push toward permanent lunar and Martian outposts, questions of agriculture and companionship arise. Could chickens lay eggs in lunar greenhouses? Would goats or rabbits adapt to microgravity farms?

The number of people inhabiting space is increasing, typically averaging around 10 aboard the ISS and Tiangong combined, with more during crew changeovers. A record 19 was reached in 2023, with 13 on stations and six briefly in space on a Blue Origin flight. By 2035, five new stations could push capacity to 70 people.

With the growing station population and rise of space tourism, it seems only a matter of time before someone takes a pet. Would a passenger pay $2.5 million for their pet to occupy a seat as the first private animal on a suborbital flight? Time will tell.

Blue Origin’s upcoming NS-31 mission will feature the company’s first all-female crew, a rarity in both agency and commercial missions, making it a notable milestone in space travel.

Scheduled for launch in spring 2025, the six-woman crew, which includes celebrities Lauren Sanchez, Katy Perry, and Gayle King, will ride aboard the reusable New Shepard rocket on a brief suborbital flight, experiencing a few minutes of weightlessness before returning to Earth after about 10 minutes total travel time.

While the flight duration may seem minimal, risk looms as the trip begins by blasting off in a rocket powered by 160,000 pounds of combustible liquid hydrogen. After a brief float at its apex above the Karman Line, the capsule endures a bumpy reentry before parachuting into the West Texas desert. Blue Origin passengers are not highly trained astronauts (with a few exceptions), but they are undeniably early adventurers embracing the risks of early commercial space travel.

Like previous Blue Origin missions, NS-31 passengers are a mix of paying clients, aerospace industry experts, and invited celebrities. What’s special about this particular mission, in addition to its all-female crew with laudable credentials in their fields, is that it features, measurably, the greatest star power of any space flight to date.

A Highly Accomplished Crew

The NS-31 crew consists of accomplished professionals from journalism, music, aerospace, activism, and filmmaking. This mission continues Blue Origin’s practice of inviting high-profile individuals on suborbital flights:

• Lauren Sánchez – The mission leader, known for her television journalism career and prominence as Amazon and Blue Origin founder Jeff Bezos’s fiancée, Sánchez earned her helicopter pilot’s license in 2016. She later founded Black Ops Aviation, an aerial film production company specializing in Hollywood and commercial projects.

• Katy Perry – One of the best-selling music artists of all time, Perry has sold over 143 million records worldwide, with nine No. 1 Billboard Hot 100 hits. Beyond music, she has built a successful business empire in fashion, fragrance, and philanthropy.

• Gayle King – An award-winning journalist, King has co-hosted CBS Mornings since 2012, earning multiple Emmy nominations. A close confidante of Oprah Winfrey, she has conducted high-profile interviews with world leaders and celebrities, shaping conversations in media and culture.

• Aisha Bowe – A former NASA rocket scientist, Bowe transitioned from aerospace engineering to entrepreneurship, founding STEMBoard, a company focused on technology solutions. She is a passionate advocate for increasing diversity in STEM fields and will become the first Black woman to fly with Blue Origin.

• Amanda Nguyen – A civil rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize nominee, Nguyen founded Rise, an organization that helped pass the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Rights Act. She is a tireless advocate for human rights and has addressed global leaders at the United Nations.

• Kerianne Flynn – A film producer committed to impactful storytelling, Flynn has worked on films such as This Changes Everything, which addresses gender disparity in Hollywood. She also serves on nonprofit boards, supporting arts and environmental initiatives in New York City.

There are no manual controls in the RSS Next Step capsule, but still it must be comforting for all involved to have the combination of Sánchez’s helicopter piloting experience coupled with the knowledge of a rocket scientist like Aisha Bowe simply for insights during the flight.

As far as star power is concerned, Blue Origin is continuing its practice of inviting notable personalities to participate in its missions. The company has previously sent William Shatner, the iconic Star Trek actor, to space on NS-18, and Michael Strahan, former NFL player and TV host, on NS-19.

The inclusion of Perry on this flight makes it the most star-powered space flight to date. Based on her 350 million social media followers and 1 million Google searches per month, she tops all other Blue Origin, SpaceX, and Virgin Galactic space travelers combined.

The Evolution of Female Space Travel

Women have played a vital role in space exploration, though their journey has been gradual. Soviet cosmonaut Valentina Tereshkova became the first woman in space aboard Vostok 6 in 1963, which was the only other all-female mission (solo). Two decades later, Sally Ride followed as the first American woman in space aboard Challenger in 1983.

Female presence in space has increased over time. In 1996, Eileen Collins and Bonnie Dunbar flew together on STS-75 (Columbia), marking the first time two women shared a mission. In 2019, Christina Koch and Jessica Meir conducted the first all-female spacewalk during Expedition 61 on the International Space Station (ISS).

NASA’s astronaut corps has historically been male-dominated, but female participation is growing. Of 360 astronaut candidates, 61 have been women (17%). As of 2024, women make up 42.6% of NASA’s active astronauts. Despite progress, they remain underrepresented, comprising 12% of all space travelers.

Blue Origin, for its part, has lagged in female passenger representation with 23% of passengers to date being female, while Virgin Galactic is at 36%, and Space X is at 50% of its private commercial passengers. The all-female mission will help Blue Origin narrow the gap versus their competitors.

What’s Next for Women in Space Travel

Blue Origin NS-31 is a high-profile suborbital mission that brings attention to women’s participation in space travel. While commercial spaceflight has opened opportunities beyond career astronauts, access remains largely restricted to the wealthy and well-connected. Women’s representation in space tourism is increasing, though it is far from broadly accessible. For greater insights on travel by gender, see the SPL article, Commercial Space Travel Demographics.

Meanwhile, it is exciting and encouraging to consider that NASA’s Artemis program is set to land the first woman on the Moon, marking a significant step in gender representation in deep-space exploration. While NASA has not officially confirmed who will be the first woman on the Moon, astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir (who performed the first all-female spacewalk) are among those considered strong candidates.

Lauren Sanchez interviews the NS-31 crew in this short clip. Reel: laurenwsanchez IG

Spacesuits aren’t just for government astronauts anymore. With the rise of commercial space travel, this critical gear is becoming lighter, more flexible, and tailored to meet the demands of different missions—whether for brief suborbital tourist flights or longer orbital voyages.

Leading fashion brands and designers are collaborating with spacelines to combine function with high style. SpaceX, for example, worked with designer José Fernández to create its sleek white spacesuit, while Virgin Galactic teamed up with Under Armour to craft athletic flight wear for their passengers. Even luxury brands like Prada have joined the cosmic fashion scene partnering with Axiom Space to develop advanced lunar suits for NASA’s Artemis III mission.

But which suits excel in function, comfort, and style? And what innovations are shaping the future of spacewear, especially for destinations like the Moon and Mars? In this article, Spaceport Lounge unveils the evolution of these groundbreaking designs.

Spacesuit Showroom Walk-Off

Commercial space travel companies have developed unique spacesuit designs tailored to their mission priorities—ranging from comfortable jumpsuits for quick trips to the edge of space to safety-driven innovations for low Earth orbit—spotlighting the growing innovation in spacewear.

Virgin Galactic partnered with Under Armour to craft flight suits that merge athletic performance with technology. These garments dynamically regulate body temperature to prevent overheating during atmospheric ascent and descent. They also feature biometric monitoring to provide real-time feedback on vital signs, enhancing both safety and performance.

Blue Origin, in contrast, takes a practical approach with vibrant blue flight suits designed for its short, suborbital New Shepard flights. Since these journeys last only about ten minutes, the suits prioritize comfort and mobility over complex life-support systems. The lightweight construction allows passengers to move freely during weightlessness, reducing bodily stress while maintaining essential safety features like pressure resistance.

SpaceX has collaborated with Hollywood designer José Fernández, known for his work on superhero films, to create its sleek cabin suit. Lightweight and form-fitting, it is engineered for both safety and style aboard the Crew Dragon capsule. The pressure-tight suit includes integrated touchscreen-compatible gloves and a helmet-mounted life-support system. SpaceX's Extravehicular Activity (EVA) suits were developed by the company's internal engineering team, led by principal spacesuit engineer Erik Kraus.

Government space agencies rely on proven spacesuit designs optimized for demanding missions. NASA’s Extravehicular Mobility Unit (EMU) is a robust, multilayered suit designed for spacewalks, providing radiation shielding, thermal protection, and micrometeoroid defense. Roscosmos' Sokol pressure suits, though utilitarian and visually outdated, remain critical for emergency scenarios aboard the Soyuz spacecraft, offering decades of reliable survival capabilities during launch and re-entry.

Adding to the innovation, luxury fashion houses have entered the space race. Prada recently partnered with Axiom Space to develop next-generation lunar suits for NASA’s Artemis III mission to the Moon and Mars. Prada's expertise in advanced materials and design is shaping suits that balance high-performance function with style.

This movement could pave the way for future collaborations with other high-end brands, offering customizable suits for multi-day space cruises or lunar hotels. As space tourism matures, designer spacewear may become a new status symbol—blending exclusivity, technology, and aesthetic appeal.

Which Suit Reigns Supreme?

Spacesuit design varies widely based on mission type—whether it’s a multi-hour spacewalk in low earth orbit or a ten-minute flight to the edge of space. Key variables include:

Weight:
NASA’s EMU weighs 275 pounds due to its protective layers and life-support systems—essential for prolonged space exposure. In contrast, SpaceX’s IVA suit weighs under 20 pounds, while Final Frontier Design’s cabin suits are around 50 pounds, balancing mobility and cost-efficiency. For short suborbital tourist flights, passenger flight suits prioritize comfort and mobility, resembling lightweight jumpsuits designed for brief weightlessness and rapid atmospheric transitions.

Dexterity:
Older spacesuit designs prioritized protection over flexibility, limiting mobility during spacewalks. Modern commercial flight suits enable easier movements. Blue Origin and Virgin Galactic flight suits allow tourists to move freely and enjoy weightlessness.

Fit:
Space tourism flight suits are basically custom-fitted jumpsuits, much more comfortable than deep-space suits. SpaceX uses body scans for a precise fit for its cabin and spacewalk suits. Final Frontier Design also focuses on mobility and emergency preparedness in its space cabin suits.

Cost:
Suit costs vary by function. NASA’s EMU costs about $12 million each due to its advanced systems and custom construction for perilous spacewalks. Final Frontier Design’s IVA suits target a much lower price of around $50,000. SpaceX cabin and spacewalk suits fall somewhere within this range.

Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin flightsuits for shorter voyages are lightweight and relatively inexpensive enough to offer to passengers as a memento of the trip.

Innovation from Early Spacesuits

The first generation of spaceflight apparel focused entirely on necessity. When Yuri Gagarin launched into orbit in 1961, he wore a simple pressure suit designed for basic survival. NASA’s early Mercury and Gemini suits were similarly functional but restrictive. By the Apollo era, spacesuits had evolved to handle the challenges of lunar exploration, though astronauts still struggled with limited mobility.

Fast forward to today: spacesuits are lighter, more flexible, and far more comfortable. They cater to private spacefarers while retaining the critical life-support systems pioneered by early explorers. In the future, they may even feature advanced materials that self-repair or adapt to changing environmental conditions.

Future Fashion Weeks: Moon and Mars

The next advance in spacesuit technology will be driven by the objective to settle the Moon and Mars. Lunar suits must protect astronauts from extreme temperatures, intense solar radiation, and abrasive lunar dust. NASA’s upcoming xEMU aims to address these challenges with greater flexibility, enhanced insulation, and dust-resistant materials.

On Mars, the challenges are different but equally daunting. Spacesuits will need to balance radiation protection, oxygen supply, and temperature regulation for long-duration surface missions. Engineers are also exploring smart fabrics embedded with sensors to monitor astronauts’ health in real time.

Spacesuits have evolved far beyond their early utilitarian designs. Once purely life-support systems, they are now sophisticated creations and symbols of a new era in private space travel.

As more people venture beyond Earth, the integration of sports into space travel will evolve from fun demos to structured competitions, reflecting our innate desire for bonding through competition. The primary focus of space athletics today lies in the disciplined exercise programs aboard the International Space Station (ISS), designed to mitigate the effects of microgravity, such as bone density loss and muscle atrophy. At the same time, astronauts have fun and entertain by engaging in and sharing video clips of microgravity competitions, which also enlighten viewers about how bodies and objects move in space.

The occasional friendly competitions on the ISS, such as makeshift soccer games or ping pong challenges with floating balls, provide both entertainment and an outlet for the naturally competitive spirits of the astronauts—many of whom are exceptional athletes. Limited space and equipment pose challenges, but these activities hint at the potential for more structured sports in space. Visionaries like the Space Games Federation are exploring how to transform these informal games into fully realized sporting events, complete with rules and structures for competitive play.

The Inception of Space Sports

Sports in space began with simple, amusing activities during the early days of space travel. In 1969, Apollo 12 astronauts Pete Conrad and Alan Bean conducted the first recorded "sport" in space, improvising a javelin throw on the Moon using a lunar scoop handle. Two years later, Alan Shepard famously swung a modified six-iron golf club on the lunar surface during Apollo 14, declaring his ball traveled "miles and miles." These moments were meant to entertain and show how familiar activities from Earth could look on the Moon, sparking the imaginations of sports fanatics.

The classic clip of Alan Shepard golfing on the moon, accompanied by Edgar Mitchel. Both audio and subtitles in this video are good.

Sports on the ISS: Combining Discipline with Fun

Life aboard the ISS revolves around discipline and creativity, particularly in the realm of physical activity. Astronauts follow a rigorous exercise schedule of about two hours per day, aimed at combating the adverse effects of microgravity, including muscle atrophy, bone loss, and cardiovascular deconditioning. The physical benefits of this exercise routine are complemented by its mental health benefits, offering stress relief and fostering team camaraderie.

The workout options are as basic as a small hotel gym – treadmill, exercise bike, and weight machine – yet these require complex adaptation for microgravity. The Advanced Resistive Exercise Device (ARED) simulates weightlifting with vacuum cylinders to target major muscle groups. A treadmill with harnesses allows astronauts to run while tethered, and the Cycle Ergometer lets them pedal without the need for a seat or handlebars. Together, these tools ensure that astronauts remain physically fit and ready for the challenges of long-term space exploration.

The first tennis match in space (NASA video with audio):

Beyond these disciplined routines, astronauts engage in recreational games adapted to their unique environment. Soccer with soft, floating balls, microgravity basketball with creative dunks, and table tennis with unpredictable, weightless paddles are among the favorites. Racing through the station’s corridors has become a popular activity. The playful matches already escalate into debates about rules—for example, whether using mounted handrails for stabilization and propulsion is allowed.

These games not only provide entertainment but also enhance teamwork and foster a sense of connection, proving that recreation plays a vital role in maintaining morale and unity in space.

Astronaut Koishi Wakata from Japan is the ultimate utility player filling in at every baseball position on the ISS (video, no audio):

The Future of Space Sports

The future of space sports lies in moving beyond adaptations of terrestrial games to developing entirely new activities that leverage the unique conditions of microgravity. Linda Rheinstein, founder of the Space Games Federation (SGF), explains that the absence of gravity creates what she calls Equal Space, a truly level playing field for athletes—or Astroletes®—to compete in entirely new ways.

Rheinstein offered, “Organizing sports in space isn’t easy—it’s an entirely new concept, which opens the door to new sports, new playing fields, new rules, new players, new teams, and new coaches. While the fundamentals of competition remain, everything changes when you’re floating in zero gravity.”

SGF has already conducted a worldwide contest for innovative sports designed for microgravity environments, narrowing down hundreds of entries to a “Sweet 16” before the public selected five finalists. These sports, which could include multi-directional obstacle courses and team-based games in floating arenas, demonstrate the creative potential of zero-gravity competition.

Pioneering this field isn’t without challenges, but Rheinstein’s experience in league startups, Olympics, and live sports broadcasting provides a foundation for navigating this new frontier. SGF blends entertainment, education, and competition to inspire a global audience and highlight the importance of space exploration.

As commercial space travel becomes more accessible, recreational opportunities will expand. Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are already envisioning activities such as low-gravity basketball and capture-the-flag in orbit. Future space hotels may even feature purpose-built arenas for zero-gravity sports like tennis or dodgeball, offering tourists experiences impossible to replicate on Earth. Inflatable structures, such as those designed by Sierra Space, are lightweight, easy to deploy, and offer a practical solution for creating the larger spaces needed to accommodate team sports in microgravity. These innovative arenas could transform how sports are played in orbit, enabling more dynamic and collaborative games.

SGF is also preparing for its own milestone: the launch of an exhibition sport in space by 2028. Rheinstein explained, “We aim to be part of the future of space exploration, recognizing that competition is an innate human instinct.”

Rheinstein is working to establish zero-gravity sports as a legitimate and inclusive global movement. Through research, partnerships, and education, SGF is building the foundation for sports in space. “Look up,” she likes to say, “The future is sports in space. Equal Space.”

Space exploration is often regarded as the pinnacle of technical and scientific achievement, but for many astronauts, it also serves as a source of creative inspiration. In this new Spaceport Lounge series, we highlight artists who have ventured beyond Earth's atmosphere and used their experiences to create art that bridges science and imagination.

From the first artwork made in space by cosmonaut Alexei Leonov in 1965 to post-mission creations, these visionaries offer unique perspectives:

• Alan Bean: The fourth person to walk on the Moon, Bean incorporated moon dust and spacecraft materials into his paintings, capturing the Apollo missions' awe and technical precision.

• Nicole Stott: Known as the “Artistic Astronaut,” Stott painted watercolors aboard the International Space Station (ISS), combining her love for space and creativity.

• Sian Proctor: A geoscientist and artist, Proctor participated in SpaceX's Inspiration4 mission in 2021. Her art reflects her space experience and passion for Afrofuturism.

• Ed Dwight: The oldest person to travel to space at age 90 on a Blue Origin suborbital flight (see infographic), Dwight focuses on sculptures celebrating Black history.

It all began with Alexei Leonov, the Soviet cosmonaut who became the first human to walk in space and then the first to create art in space. Leonov used his experiences to craft works that convey the universe's beauty and mystery.

Childhood in Siberia

Born on May 30, 1934, in the Siberian village of Listvyanka, Alexei Leonov grew up during Stalinist Russia's political and economic turmoil. His father was accused of being an “enemy of the people,” briefly imprisoned, causing the family to struggle with limited resources. Despite these challenges, Leonov displayed remarkable artistic talent, often sketching landscapes and portraits as a creative escape.

Encouraged by his family, Leonov excelled academically, balancing a love for art with an interest in aviation and engineering. Inspired by World War II and the Soviet Union’s space program, he dreamed of space exploration. His formal art training at the Academy of Arts in Riga, Latvia, where he mastered watercolor and oil painting techniques, later blended seamlessly with his cosmonaut career.

First Human Spacewalk 

On March 18, 1965, Alexei Leonov became the first human to step into the void of space during the Voskhod 2 mission. Tethered to his spacecraft, he floated above Earth, marveling at its beauty—a blue marble against the blackness of space.

The foray, however, nearly ended in disaster. Leonov’s suit overinflated in the vacuum of space, making it stiff and unmanageable. Unable to re-enter the airlock in the enlarged suit, he made a quick decision to vent air from the suit, risking decompression sickness. Overheated and exhausted, he finally squeezed back into the spacecraft to safety.  (Read more about this in our Spacewalk article).

Following this incident, Leonov created the first artwork in space—a sketch of Earth’s horizon using colored pencils he had brought aboard—marking a significant moment in space’s cultural history and evolution with the actual creation of artwork there.

Soviet Realism

Leonov’s art often depicted celestial scenes, including planets, stars, and spacecraft. Associated with Soviet Realism, his works combined technical precision with the heroic aspirations of the space age. He completed over 200 works of art, including the first in space.

His paintings are celebrated for their vibrant colors and dynamic compositions, evoking the wonder of space exploration. Notable works that reflect his unique experiences in space include: 

• "Orbital Sunrise": Created aboard Voskhod 2 in 1965, this colored pencil sketch depicts the sun rising over Earth’s horizon as seen from space. It is the first artwork ever created in space.

• "Portrait of Thomas Stafford": Sketched in 1975 during the Apollo-Soyuz mission, this portrait of the American astronaut underscores a spirit of international camaraderie. 

  

• "Over the Black Sea": This self-portrait, painted in 1973, depicts Leonov during his 1965 spacewalk, orbiting above the Black Sea. 

• "First Spacewalk": This painting illustrates Leonov's historic 1965 spacewalk, offering a visual narrative of a pivotal moment in space exploration. The artwork is noted for its technical accuracy and emotional depth.

• "Holy Theotokos with a Space Background": This unique painting depicts the Virgin Mary against the backdrop of Earth as seen from space. Combining Orthodox iconographic traditions with Leonov’s experience as a cosmonaut, it symbolizes the intersection of faith and science, while diverging significantly from Leonov’s style in grounded in Soviet Realism.

  

• "Apollo-Soyuz Docking": Depicting the 1975 Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, this piece commemorates the first international human-crewed spaceflight, symbolizing a significant step in U.S.-Soviet cooperation during the Cold War.

These works exemplify Leonov's ability to merge his firsthand experiences as a cosmonaut with his artistic talent.

Legacy

Leonov’s works are displayed in institutions like the State Tretyakov Gallery in Moscow and the Cosmonautics Memorial Museum, with international exhibitions broadening their reach. Though rare, his paintings occasionally appear at private auctions or galleries.

Leonov forged meaningful friendships with astronauts such as Neil Armstrong and Tom Stafford, the latter during the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project. He co-authored Two Sides of the Moon with American astronaut David Scott, bridging Cold War divides, and connected with leaders like Henry Kissinger and Mikhail Gorbachev, promoting peace and collaboration in space exploration.

Fondly remembered in Russia as both a national hero and cultural icon, Leonov died in 2019 at age 85. His art remains a powerful testament to his ability to blend scientific achievement with artistic expression.

Read This Book to Better Understand …

• How Americans and Russians collaborate in high-stakes, confined environments, overcoming language barriers, distinct spacecraft systems, and their countries’ political conflicts, building trust that often extends into genuine friendships.

• The physical toll of extended space travel, including CO2 buildup from system failures or increased crew oxygen consumption.

• The reliance on timely spacecraft deliveries for vital supplies and waste removal.

• The impact of the NASA Space Shuttle program’s demise and subsequent dependence on Russian Soyuz rockets until SpaceX took over astronaut transport.

• The traditional path from Navy test pilot to NASA astronaut. 

Implications for Space Tourism …

• Though not explicitly mentioned, considering specialized roles on the ISS described by Kelly, the 18 tourists who have visited so far likely created an odd dynamic among highly skilled astronauts and increased risk as deadweight, despite their pre-voyage training.

• Greater spacesuit flexibility and spacewalk risk reduction are needed for space tourists to participate safely in this activity. 

  • SpaceX suits, introduced after the book’s publication, show improvements in advanced joint designs and rotational elements to allow astronauts to move more freely, but many of the challenges and risks remain.  

Book Summary and Excerpts

In Endurance, astronaut Scott Kelly shares his year aboard the International Space Station (ISS), setting a record for the longest continuous time an American has spent in space (340 days). The memoir intertwines Kelly’s experiences in orbit with reflections on his childhood, career, NASA training, and struggles, offering an inspiring and deeply human view of space travel.

In this excerpt, Kelly explores his personal growth, recounting the pivotal moment when he committed to becoming a top pilot and astronaut:

"In my freshman year, I started out with great hope that I could turn things around and be a good student, as I had every previous school year. This determination always lasted just a few days, until I realized once again that it was impossible for me to concentrate in class or to study on my own. Soon I was waking up each morning and struggling to think of a reason to go to class, knowing I wouldn’t absorb any of the professor’s lecture. Often, I didn’t go. How was I going to graduate, let alone do well enough to be accepted by any medical school? Everything changed that afternoon when I picked up The Right Stuff.

… I wanted to be like the guys in this book, guys who could land a jet on an aircraft carrier at night and then walk away with a swagger. I wanted to be a naval aviator. I was still a directionless, undereducated eighteen-year-old with terrible grades who knew nothing about airplanes. But The Right Stuff had given me the outline of a life plan."

He reflects on his early Space Shuttle missions, the thrill of launches, and the inherent dangers of spaceflight, touching on the Columbia and Challenger disasters that shaped NASA’s safety protocols and his own approach to risk. These experiences deepened his appreciation for life, teamwork, and the balance between ambition and caution.

Kelly shares insights into his experiences with the Soyuz spacecraft, contrasting NASA and Russian operations, from training to equipment. Despite political tensions, he emphasizes the importance of collaboration, mutual respect, and shared goals in maintaining the space station and advancing exploration.

Here he describes a gathering in which arriving astronauts are welcomed at the weekly dinner on the Russian side of the ISS:

"We head back to the Russian segment for a traditional welcoming party—special dinners are held there every Friday night and on other special occasions, including holidays, birthdays, and good-bye dinners before each Soyuz leaves. Welcoming parties are one of those occasions, and Terry has warmed up my favorite, barbecued beef, which I stick to a tortilla using the surface tension of the barbecue sauce (we eat tortillas because of their long shelf life and lack of crumbs). We also have the traditional foods we share at Friday night dinners—lump crabmeat and black caviar. Everyone is in a festive mood."

Kelly shares the intense physical and psychological challenges of long-duration space travel, detailing effects like muscle atrophy, bone density loss, and fatigue, while facing isolation and monotony. His twin brother, Mark Kelly, (the brothers are highlighted in our “Family Matters in Space” article) played a key role in NASA’s twin study, allowing comparisons between Scott’s body in space and Mark’s on Earth, providing unique insights into the effects of space travel on human health. 

"I make it to the bathroom, flip on the light, and look down at my legs. They are swollen and alien stumps, not legs at all. … I have a strange rash all over my back, the backs of my legs, the back of my head and neck—everywhere I was in contact with the bed. … Normally if I woke up feeling like this, I would go to the emergency room, but no one at the hospital will have seen symptoms of having been in space for a year. … As I try to will myself to sleep, I wonder whether my friend Mikhail Kornienko is also suffering from swollen legs and painful rashes—Misha is home in Moscow after spending nearly a year in space with me. I suspect so. This is why we volunteered for this mission, after all: to discover how the human body is affected by long-term spaceflight."

Kelly emphasizes the importance of persistence and curiosity and reflects on how seeing Earth from space gave him a newfound appreciation for its fragility and the need to protect it. Endurance offers insights into daily life in space, highly relevant both for space travel and lifestyle. This book is a highly recommended by Spaceport Lounge as a compelling, foundational read.

*How to Read or Listen to this Book: 

• For US residents, both the book and audiobook should be available free at your public library checkout counter or online via the Libby App.

• Amazon Link to the Book

In case you missed Sarah Gillis’ awe-inspiring performance of “Rey's Theme” from Star Wars: The Force Awakens on the Polaris Dawn mission, we invite you to watch the video below. Then just listen a second time through as you read how this masterful performance was fueled by personal passion, overcame unique technical challenges, and resulted in the most innovative musical collaboration between Earth and space to date.

Sarah Gillis, a mission specialist on the historic Polaris Dawn mission, is both a musician and an astronaut. A classically trained violinist, she has spent years pursuing her love for music alongside her passion for space exploration. This groundbreaking production captures the intersection of those two worlds, as Gillis becomes the first person to play a violin in space.

*The music starts about 55 seconds into video following an intro.

From Musician to Engineer and Astronaut

Gillis first learned to play the violin under the guidance of her mother, who was a music teacher. Growing up in Boulder, Colorado, Gillis began her violin training at a young age and quickly developed a passion for music. She attended the Shining Mountain Waldorf School, where music was a significant part of the curriculum, providing her with a strong foundation in classical music. With her mother's encouragement and formal lessons, Gillis participated in youth orchestras and performances. Her early exposure to music, coupled with her mother’s influence, motivated her to pursue violin as a central part of her childhood.

In high school, Gillis discovered her love for space and engineering, leading her to pursue a degree in Aerospace Engineering at the University of Colorado Boulder. Her technical skills and passion for space exploration eventually landed her a role at SpaceX, where she worked on astronaut training programs for NASA’s commercial crew flights. Meanwhile Gillis continued to play violin in her free time. 

This unique blend of musical talent and technical expertise ultimately set the stage for her performance in space.

Challenges of Playing the Violin in Space

The Polaris Dawn mission is the first of three SpaceX Polaris missions aimed at advancing private space exploration. As a mission specialist, Sarah Gillis contributed to scientific research, tested space technology, and participated in the first-ever commercial spacewalk, becoming the first civilian woman to do so. Alongside colleague Anna Menon, Gillis also set a record for the highest altitude reached by a female astronaut, civilian or space agency. Her violin performance in space marked another groundbreaking achievement, though it came with its own set of challenges.

In an interview with SpaceX’s mission update team, Gillis reflected on the difficulties of performing in a microgravity environment. “In space, everything floats, so controlling the violin and bow required a lot more focus and careful movement than on Earth,” she explained. “The lack of gravity affects not only your posture but also the pressure you apply with the bow on the strings, which changes the sound.”

The absence of gravity required Gillis to adjust her playing style. Before the mission, she used simulators to mimic weightlessness and practiced managing delicate bowing without gravity. During the mission, she refined techniques to keep her bow steady, apply pressure, and prevent the violin from drifting. Applying the discipline she learned early in her life proved invaluable.

How the Video Was Made: A Global Collaboration

The production was a global collaboration that spanned continents—and space. Bringing this performance to life involved the coordinated efforts of SpaceX, the Polaris Program, and multiple orchestras from around the world. Months of planning and careful logistics were required for the technical setup aboard the SpaceX Dragon capsule and the synchronized orchestral parts recorded on Earth.

Gillis was joined on Earth by student musicians from the El Sistema, which provides free, high-quality music education to underserved youth, fostering social change and development. Their performances were recorded in advance, with each orchestra following detailed guidance to match the specific tempo and dynamics of Gillis’ solo in space.

Participating El Sistema orchestras were The Boston String Academy in the United States, El Sistema in Venezuela, NEOJIBA in Brazil, Dream Orchestra in Sweden, Brass for Africa in Uganda, and BLUME Haiti. 

The orchestral coordination was overseen by Michael Giacchino, a renowned American composer and conductor known for his work on film scores for blockbusters like Star Wars, Jurassic World, and Up, for which he won an Academy Award. Giacchino’s work on the Star Wars films made him an ideal choice to lead this collaboration, particularly since "Rey’s Theme" was a central piece. 

Giacchino shared his excitement about the project in an interview with SpaceX's media team after the performance, stating, "This was one of the most unique and inspiring projects I’ve ever been part of. Watching Sarah perform from space and knowing that orchestras on Earth were playing alongside her was a powerful reminder of how art can connect us across any distance, even between planets. It really brings out the best in human creativity and cooperation."

Once the orchestral segments were completed, the recordings were sent back to the production team at SpaceX for synchronization with Gillis’ solo.

"Rey's Theme", Inspiration and Parallels

"Rey’s Theme," composed by John Williams for Star Wars: The Force Awakens, was not chosen at random. The piece resonates deeply with Gillis, who sees parallels between her own life and the journey of Rey, the central character in the new Star Wars trilogy.

Rey’s story is one of self-discovery, overcoming obstacles, and embracing her destiny. Gillis has spoken about how much she relates to these themes, having transitioned from a musician to an aerospace engineer, then to an astronaut. Like Rey, she has had to navigate new challenges and embrace unfamiliar roles. 

In an interview with SpaceX’s media team, Gillis explained, “Rey’s journey of finding her place and purpose really mirrors my own. It’s about pushing boundaries, taking on challenges, and realizing the potential you didn’t know you had. I felt deeply connected to her story, and performing her theme in space was my way of expressing that connection.”

Imagine listening to the countdown as your son, daughter, spouse, parent, or sibling anticipates launch while seated in a capsule atop a booster rocket loaded with 500 tons of highly combustible fuel. How would you feel, knowing that in the recent past, similar rockets, fortunately unmanned, have exploded due to issues as small as a corroded aluminum nut, a faulty strut, or a methane leak? Would you double down and send two family members or go yourself?

Space travel is rapidly becoming a new frontier for private adventurers. Among these pioneers are family members who are adding their names to a very short list of kin who have ventured into space.

Two Distinct Paths to Space This Week

This morning, August 29, Blue Origin’s suborbital mission NS-26 was set to launch six passengers into space during a ten-minute voyage to an apogee of about 66 miles. Jim Kitchen, a UNC professor and adventurer who traveled to space with Blue Origin in 2022, was in Van Horn, Texas, to watch his daughter, Karsen Kitchen, attempt to become the youngest person, at 21, to pass the Kármán line, the internationally recognized boundary of space.

Halfway across the country, in Cape Canaveral, Florida, SpaceX’s Polaris New Dawn mission idled after an initial delay due to a helium leak and then was delayed at least two more days by weather.

The SpaceX mission carries significantly more risk because it is a five-day orbital voyage blasting upward much further into space. The mission targets an altitude of 746 miles—over 500 miles higher than the International Space Station (ISS), which orbits at 248 miles—marking the highest human flight since the Apollo missions. The crew, though experienced in aviation and ground operations, has only one prior spaceflight among them. Additionally, they will engage in the first civilian spacewalk wearing newly developed SpaceX spacesuits yet to be subjected to the extreme elements of space.

Jared Isaacman, a wunderkind-made tech billionaire, gained that rare orbital experience by leading the Inspiration4 mission (featured in the inspirational docuseries Countdown on Netflix). Along with his wealth, astronautical feats, and private jet pilot laurels, he has the good fortune of family as a husband, and a father of two young daughters. What he risks leaving behind is immeasurable.

Joining Isaacman are his jet-pilot sidekick and strategist Scott Poteet, and two SpaceX operations engineers, Sarah Gillis and Anna Menon.

Anna was surprised to find herself scheduled for a space mission ahead of her husband, Anil Menon, an accomplished Navy jet pilot, aerospace surgeon, and NASA astronaut who is patiently waiting his turn to go to space for thje first time with NASA. Anna’s credentials are equally impressive, starting with a bachelor's degree in mathematics from TCU and a master's in biomedical engineering from Duke, followed by 14 years experience as an aerospace engineer for NASA and SpaceX. More than anything, it is a testament to how the private sector spaceflight is accelerating opportunities.

Space Family Connections 

Multi-astronaut families are rare. Mark and Scott Kelly are perhaps the most famous astronaut siblings, both serving as NASA astronauts during multiple missions in the 2000s. This culminated with Scott’s year-long stay aboard the ISS in 2016, part of a groundbreaking study on the effects of space travel on the human body, with Mark serving as the control subject on Earth at the time. Their achievements highlight the unique contribution of twin astronauts.

Another notable family connection is between Owen Garriott and his son Richard Garriott. Owen was a NASA astronaut who flew on Skylab 3 and STS-9, while Richard followed in his father’s footsteps in a different way, becoming a private astronaut. In 2008, Richard flew as a private passenger with Roscosmos, the only available option at the time, to the International Space Station, making him the first second-generation American astronaut.

The legacy of space travel also extends to the Bezos and Shepard families. Jeff Bezos, who founded Blue Origin with his Amazon fortune, and his brother Mark Bezos flew together on Blue Origin’s first crewed flight. Alan Shepard, the first American in space, has a daughter, Laura Shepard Churchley, who honored her father's legacy by flying on a Blue Origin mission in December 2021. These family connections underscore the generational impact of space exploration and the deep ties that link families beyond Earth.

Cosmic Bonds

The shared experience of space travel can deepen the bonds between family members, adding layers of complexity and achievement. The Bezos brothers, for instance, not only fulfilled a childhood dream but also strengthened their connection by facing the unique risks of space travel together.

Anil and Anna Menon are the quintessential astronaut couple. Their commitment to exploration brings challenges, especially as they balance their demanding careers with raising a family. In their interview this year on the Family Made podcast (a definite must-watch), Anna discussed the Polaris New Dawn mission’s impact on their family: “We have a really big philosophy in our family of open communication. First and foremost, we took it home and talked about it.”

“One of the things that has been a really strong aspect of these decisions for us is that we have a tremendous amount of trust. We have both spent years working at NASA and SpaceX, and so we have seen how people develop hardware, software, operations, and fly missions. We have great faith in the processes that are used, and so that allows us to move forward carrying a tremendous amount of trust.”

She continued, “On the personal, emotional side, I think there is a universal change that happens in you when you become a parent. You become much more aware of your mortality, your legacy, the fact that it's not just you in the world, or even you and your partner. You have kids, you have these little people and their futures. We see that and carry that and take that responsibility really seriously. At the same time, I think we recognize that some passions are worth pursuing, and it’s important to show our kids what it looks like to follow your passions.”

Jared Isaacman experiences a similar tension between his commitment to exploration and family obligations. A successful entrepreneur and father, Isaacman stated, "It's hard not to think about the risks." His journeys highlight the delicate balance spacefarers must navigate, driven by a sense of duty to both family and the broader mission of advancing humanity's presence in space.

Karsen Kitchen indeed became the youngest person to cross the Kármán Line today. She shared the historic moment with her spacefarer father, Jim, after the Blue Origin “First Step” capsule’s soft landing in the Texas desert. Their embrace after her exuberant exit from the capsule at the landing site symbolizes the unique bonds forged through the shared experience of space travel, underscoring the emotional significance of commercial spaceflight.

Godspeed to the crew of Polaris New Dawn and their families.