Historic Space Crowds
In a groundbreaking achievement for space exploration, a record-setting 19 astronauts were simultaneously in space on Thursday. This is an unprecedented event, surpassing the previous record set in May 2023, when 17 astronauts were in space at the same time.
Breaking Down the Numbers
Here’s how this cosmic crowd was made up:
- 12 astronauts were aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Currently, 7 astronauts are stationed there, with recent additions including Sunita Williams and Butch Wilmore. Just this Wednesday, September 11, a new American astronaut and two Russian astronauts joined them, bringing the ISS count to 12.
- 3 astronauts were at the Tiangong Space Station in China, adding up to 15 in space from these official stations.
- Adding a new twist to space missions, 4 private astronauts joined the mix through a SpaceX Polaris Dawn mission. They not only made history by being part of the first private spacewalk but also pushed the total number of people in space to 19.
A Rare Sight
While it’s common to have a handful of astronauts in space, having this many is exceptionally rare. Previously, the highest number was 17, achieved in May 2023. This was made possible by overlapping missions from the ISS, the Chinese space station, and private companies like Virgin Galactic and Axiom Space.
So, while Earth is teeming with billions, the vast expanse of space is still sparsely populated, making this milestone even more remarkable.
19 Astronauts in Space