Religion in space

{{see also|Christmas on the International Space Station}}

File:Apollo 8 genesis reading.ogg

{{Main|Apollo 8 Genesis Reading}}

On Christmas Eve, 1968 astronauts Bill Anders, Jim Lovell, and Frank Borman read from the Book of Genesis as Apollo 8 orbited the Moon.{{cite web|url=http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-081009a.html|title=Further reflections on a golden space era|last=Haney|first=Paul|date=August 10, 2009|access-date=2009-09-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180202012756/http://www.collectspace.com/news/news-081009a.html|archive-date=February 2, 2018|url-status=live}} A lawsuit by American Atheists founder Madalyn Murray O'Hair alleged that the observance amounted to a government endorsement of religion in violation of the First Amendment,{{cite book|author=Chaikin, Andrew|title=A Man On The Moon: The Voyages of the Apollo Astronauts|publisher=Viking|isbn=0-670-81446-6|year=1994|pages=204, 623|url-access=registration|url=https://archive.org/details/manonmoonvoyages00chai}} but the case was dismissed.

File:ISS christmas 2009.jpg service module of ISS in 2009.]]

File:ISS-26 Christmas morning.jpg

Apollo 11 astronaut Buzz Aldrin, a Presbyterian, performed a communion service for himself using a kit provided by his church. Aldrin had told flight director Chris Kraft of his plans and intended to broadcast the service back to Earth but opted not to at the request of Deke Slayton, due to the continuing controversy over Apollo 8's reading.{{cite news|title=Communion in Space|date=October 1970|publisher=Guideposts}}

A microfilm Bible brought to the surface of the Moon by Apollo 14 astronaut Ed Mitchell was auctioned off in 2011.{{Cite web|last=Menzie|first=Nicola|date=2011|title=NASA's First Bible on the Moon to Be Auctioned Off|url=http://www.christianpost.com/news/nasas-first-bible-on-the-moon-to-be-auctioned-off-54968/|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524224708/https://www.christianpost.com/news/nasas-first-bible-on-the-moon-to-be-auctioned-off-54968/|archive-date=2019-05-24|access-date=2011-12-26|website=The Christian Post}} It was a King James Version created after three astronauts lost their lives in the Apollo 1 fire. Ed White, one of the astronauts who perished, had wanted to take a Bible to the Moon.

On the 2009 STS-128 flight to the International Space Station, astronaut Patrick Forrester brought a fragment of a Missionary Aviation Fellowship aircraft which had been used by the Operation Auca martyrs in Ecuador in 1956.{{cite news|url=https://generalaviationnews.com/2009/10/05/astronaut-returns-to-earth-with-piece-of-missionary-history/|title=Astronaut returns to Earth with piece of missionary history|last=Wood|first=Janice|date=October 5, 2009|publisher=IGeneral Aviation News|access-date=April 29, 2023|archive-date=April 29, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230429153021/https://generalaviationnews.com/2009/10/05/astronaut-returns-to-earth-with-piece-of-missionary-history/|url-status=live}}

Several members of the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy mission STS-51-L were people of faith. Among them were Commander Dick Scobee and Pilot Michael J. Smith. Scobee was a Baptist who met his wife June at a church social event. After the tragedy, she would go on to write an article in [https://guideposts.org/positive-living/health-and-wellness/life-advice/managing-life-changes/finding-strength-after-challenger-tragedy/ Guidepost Magazine] about how their faith helped her through the tragic time. Smith and his family attended a non-denominational Christian church in a community close to their home near Houston's NASA JSC Space Center.

Rick Husband, the Commander of the ill-fated STS-107 Columbia tragedy mission, was also a devout Christian. On the last-request forms that astronauts fill out before every flight, he left his pastor a personal note: "Tell them about Jesus; he's real to me." Later his wife Evelyn wrote a book about their life with him as an astronaut and the importance of their Christian faith entitled High Calling: The Courageous Life and Faith of Space Shuttle Columbia Commander Rick Husband. Likewise, his STS-107 crewmate Michael P. Anderson was also a devout Christian and when not on a mission for NASA, was an active member of the Grace Community Church choir.

A signed message from Pope Paul VI was included among statements from dozens of other world leaders left on the Moon on a silicon disk during the Apollo 11 mission.{{Cite web |url=https://history.nasa.gov/ap11-35ann/goodwill/Apollo_11_material.pdf |title=Apollo 11 Goodwill Messages |access-date=2020-05-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190903191836/https://www.history.nasa.gov/ap11-35ann/goodwill/Apollo_11_material.pdf |archive-date=2019-09-03 |url-status=live }} Following the mission, William Donald Borders, Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando, told the Pope that the 1917 Code of Canon Law placed the Moon within his diocese, as the first explorers had departed from Cape Kennedy which was under his jurisdiction. The claim was neither confirmed nor denied by the Pope, and the Moon is not recognized as part of the diocese in any official capacity.{{Cite web |url=http://www.orlandodiocese.org/fno-diocesan-news/13768-remembering-the-bishop-of-the-moon |title=Remembering the Bishop of the Moon |access-date=2016-06-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160621052313/http://www.orlandodiocese.org/fno-diocesan-news/13768-remembering-the-bishop-of-the-moon |archive-date=2016-06-21 |url-status=dead }}{{Cite web |date=2019-07-20 |title=Did Apollo 11 mission make Orlando's founding bishop the bishop of moon? |url=https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2019/07/did-apollo-11-mission-make-orlandos-founding-bishop-the-bishop-of-moon/ |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=Crux |language=en |archive-date=2023-09-03 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230903150947/https://cruxnow.com/church-in-the-usa/2019/07/did-apollo-11-mission-make-orlandos-founding-bishop-the-bishop-of-moon |url-status=live }}{{Cite web |date=2018-08-03 |title=Yes, the moon has its own Catholic Bishop |url=https://aleteia.org/2018/08/03/yes-the-moon-has-its-own-catholic-bishop/ |access-date=2023-09-09 |website=Aleteia.org |language=en |archive-date=2023-02-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230211142929/https://aleteia.org/2018/08/03/yes-the-moon-has-its-own-catholic-bishop/ |url-status=live }}

Following Buzz Aldrin's communion on the Moon, other astronauts have done the same in Earth orbit. Three Catholic astronauts on Space Shuttle mission STS-59 received Holy Communion on 17 April 1994.{{cite news|url=http://www.ncregister.com/blog/kschiffer/when-astronauts-received-holy-communion-in-space|title=When Astronauts Received Holy Communion in Space|date=February 21, 2017|publisher=National Catholic Register|access-date=2019-08-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190911105042/http://www.ncregister.com/blog/kschiffer/when-astronauts-received-holy-communion-in-space|archive-date=September 11, 2019|url-status=live}} NASA astronaut Michael S. Hopkins took a supply of six consecrated hosts to the International Space Station in September 2013, allowing him to receive the Eucharist weekly during his 24-week mission.{{cite news|url=https://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2016/for-catholic-astronauts-flying-to-space-doesnt-mean-giving-up-the-faith.cfm|author=Dennis Sadowski|title=For Catholic astronauts, flying to space doesn't mean giving up the faith|date=April 7, 2016|publisher=Catholic News Service|access-date=2019-08-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190525223049/https://www.catholicnews.com/services/englishnews/2016/for-catholic-astronauts-flying-to-space-doesnt-mean-giving-up-the-faith.cfm|archive-date=May 25, 2019|url-status=dead}}

In May 2011, Pope Benedict XVI of the Catholic Church talked to the crew of the Space Shuttle Endeavour while it was in Earth orbit.{{Cite web |last=Patterson |first=Thom |title=The surprising history of prayer in space |work=CNN|url=http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/07/the-surprising-history-of-prayer-in-space/ |date=7 July 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190524224655/http://religion.blogs.cnn.com/2011/07/07/the-surprising-history-of-prayer-in-space/ |archive-date=24 May 2019 |url-status=dead }}

In Russia, spaceflight crews are blessed by Russian Orthodox priests before launch, and their Soyuz rockets are also blessed on the launch pad. Cosmonaut Aleksandr Viktorenko initiated the crew blessing tradition when he requested one for the launch of Soyuz TM-20 in 1994.{{cite web

| title = A Tradition Continues: Blessing the Soyuz

| first = Merryl

| last = Azriel

| date = 2012-05-28

| website = Space Safety Magazine

| url = https://www.spacesafetymagazine.com/spaceflight/launch/tradition-continues-blessing-soyuz/

}}{{cite web

| title = Soyuz MS-13 crew receive the traditional blessing from a Russian Orthodox priest

| first = S.

| last = Corvaja

| date = 2020-07-19

| website = European Space Agency

| url = https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2019/07/Soyuz_MS-13_crew_receive_the_traditional_blessing_from_a_Russian_Orthodox_priest

}}

File:Expedition 31 Orthodox blessing.jpg

Russian Orthodox Christmas was celebrated on the International Space Station, on January 7, 2011.{{Cite web|last=January 2011|first=Tariq Malik 07|title=Christmas Comes Twice for Russians in Space|url=https://www.space.com/9719-christmas-russians-space.html|access-date=2021-03-19|website=Space.com|date=7 January 2011|language=en|archive-date=2020-11-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201124180207/https://www.space.com/9719-christmas-russians-space.html|url-status=live}} Cosmonauts had the day off, but one of the other crew posted on Twitter, "Merry Christmas to all Russia." The whole crew also celebrated on December 25, two weeks prior.

Cosmonauts sometimes at the request of Russian Orthodox church carry religious icons to space, which upon return to Earth are distributed to churches.{{Cite web|date=2021-10-21|title=The artworks flown to outer space|url=https://www.apollo-magazine.com/outer-space-the-final-frontier-for-the-art-market/|access-date=2021-12-21|website=Apollo Magazine|language=en-US|quote=The cosmonaut tradition, meanwhile, is to take religious icons depicting saints or the holy family on to space stations. As recent research which we conducted in collaboration with the icon scholar Wendy Salmond shows, this is sometimes at the request of the Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox church. The returned icons are not sold but distributed to churches.|archive-date=2021-12-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211221123243/https://www.apollo-magazine.com/outer-space-the-final-frontier-for-the-art-market/|url-status=live}}

Muslims in space struggle with fulfilling their religious obligations including kneeling and facing Mecca to pray in microgravity traveling at several kilometres per second. The issue first came up when Sultan bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, a Saudi prince, flew aboard STS-51-G and again when Anousheh Ansari flew as a tourist to the International Space Station.{{cite news|url=http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1010/p16s02-stss.html|title=How does an Islamic astronaut face Mecca in orbit?|last=Gartner|first=Bettina|date=October 10, 2007|publisher=Christian Science Monitor|access-date=2009-09-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090906152232/http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/1010/p16s02-stss.html|archive-date=September 6, 2009|url-status=live}} In preparation for Malaysian Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor's trip to the ISS in 2007, the National Fatwa Council created "Muslim Obligations in the International Space Station" outlining permissible modifications to rituals such as kneeling when praying (not required in space), facing Mecca (or just Earth){{cite web | title=Muslims in Outer Space | website=Religion and Public Life at Harvard Divinity School | date=2007-10-10 | url=https://rpl.hds.harvard.edu/religion-context/case-studies/technology/muslims-outer-space | access-date=2024-09-12}} when praying (left to the astronaut's best abilities at the start of prayer), and washing (a wet towel will suffice).{{cite news|url=https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna20894077|title=Astronaut to grapple with daily prayer ritual|date=September 20, 2007|publisher=NBC News|access-date=2009-09-03|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210154749/http://www.nbcnews.com/id/20894077/|archive-date=February 10, 2015|url-status=live}}

In February 2014, the General Authority of Islamic Affairs and Endowment (GAIAE) from Saudi Arabia issued a fatwa forbidding devout Muslims from participating as crew members in Mars One's proposed one-way mission to Mars.{{cite web|url=http://www.satuharapan.com/read-detail/read/ulama-arab-saudi-mengeluarkan-fatwa-melarang-muslim-ke-mars/|title=Ulama Arab Saudi Mengeluarkan Fatwa Melarang Muslim ke Mars|date=2013-11-03|website=Satu Harapan|access-date=2019-06-18|language=id|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190618010746/http://www.satuharapan.com/read-detail/read/ulama-arab-saudi-mengeluarkan-fatwa-melarang-muslim-ke-mars/|archive-date=2019-06-18|url-status=live}} Speaking for the clerical group, Farooq Hamada explained that, "Protecting life against all possible dangers and keeping it safe is an issue agreed upon by all religions and is clearly stipulated in verse 4/29 of the Holy Quran: Do not kill yourselves or one another. Indeed, Allah is to you ever Merciful."{{cite news|url=https://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02/22/muslim_clerics_issue_fatwa_banning_the_devout_from_mars_one_suicide_mission/|title=Muslim clerics issue fatwa banning the devout from Mars One 'suicide' mission|date=February 22, 2014|publisher=The A Register|access-date=2014-02-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222095137/http://www.theregister.co.uk/2014/02/22/muslim_clerics_issue_fatwa_banning_the_devout_from_mars_one_suicide_mission/|archive-date=February 22, 2014|url-status=live}}

File:First Dreidel in Space NASA Video edited 0.webm spinning the first dreidel in space and describing how he celebrated Hanukkah in space.]]

Time and date-related observances are important in Judaism, and there have been considerations on the observance of time by Jewish astronauts.{{cite news|title=How to practice religion could be a big question for some space tourists|author=Wattles, Jackie|date=December 7, 2021|url=https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/15/tech/spacex-inspiration-4-religion-in-space-scn/index.html|publisher=CNN|access-date=April 29, 2023|archive-date=February 8, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220208000441/https://www.cnn.com/2021/09/15/tech/spacex-inspiration-4-religion-in-space-scn/index.html|url-status=live}}

American astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman took multiple Jewish objects to space on his space flights from 1985 to 1996: a miniature Torah scroll, a yad, a Torah breastplate, mezuzot, menorahs, a dreidel, hand-woven tallit, and kiddush cups.{{cite news |last=Keva |first=Bette |title=Document in works about astronaut who brought Torah deep into space |publisher=Jewish Journal |url=https://jewishjournal.org/2019/06/26/document-in-works-about-astronaut-who-brought-torah-deep-into-space/ |date=26 June 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210409154517/https://jewishjournal.org/2019/06/26/document-in-works-about-astronaut-who-brought-torah-deep-into-space/ |archive-date=9 April 2021}}{{cite news |last=Fein |first=Judie |title=The Ultimate Jewish Traveler |access-date=9 April 2021 |publisher=Chabad.org |url=https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/675491/jewish/The-Ultimate-Jewish-Traveler.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210409160442/https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/675491/jewish/The-Ultimate-Jewish-Traveler.htm |archive-date=9 April 2021}}

In January 2003, a microfilm Torah, a handwritten copy of the Shabbat kiddush, and a miniature Torah scroll rescued from the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp were taken to space by Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. Ramon and the rest of the crew died when the shuttle disintegrated during reentry. In September 2006, Canadian astronaut Steve MacLean took another Torah from Bergen-Belsen aboard the Space Shuttle Atlantis to the International Space Station as a tribute to Ramon.{{cite news |last=Weiman |first=Racelle R. |title=Sacred flight |publisher=Jewish News of Greater Phoenix |url=https://www.jewishaz.com/localnews_features/sacred-flight/article_1cadcc92-e5dc-5bd6-b85b-e4f8a6d446f9.html |date=29 December 2006 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210409145112/https://www.jewishaz.com/localnews_features/sacred-flight/article_1cadcc92-e5dc-5bd6-b85b-e4f8a6d446f9.html |archive-date=9 April 2021}}

In December 2006, American astronaut Sunita Williams took a copy of the Bhagavad Gita aboard the International Space Station. In July 2012, she took an Om symbol and a copy of the Upanishads.{{cite news|title=Sunita Williams sends out Diwali greetings from space|publisher=TimeS NOW|date=14 November 2012|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9PF9qiOITw|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331134828/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W9PF9qiOITw|archive-date=31 March 2021}}

On 27 February 2021, PSLV-C51 carried a digital copy of the Bhagavad Gita into space on an SD card.{{Cite web|url = https://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/280221/brazils-amazonia-1-on-board-with-bhagavad-gita.html|title = Brazil's Amazonia-1 on board with Bhagavad Gita|date = 28 February 2021|access-date = 28 February 2021|archive-date = 28 February 2021|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210228091406/http://www.deccanchronicle.com/nation/current-affairs/280221/brazils-amazonia-1-on-board-with-bhagavad-gita.html|url-status = live}}

The first Buddhist to go into space was Ellison Onizuka flying to space aboard STS-51-C. Not only was he the first Buddhist but also the first Asian-American, person of Japanese descent and Hawaiian to go to space. He later died during the Challenger Disaster in 1986.{{Cite web |last=Neal |first=Valerie |date=May 24, 2024 |title=Ellison Shoji Onizuka: The First Asian American in Space |url=https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/ellison-onizuka-first-asian-american-space |access-date=February 7, 2025 |website=National Air and Space Museum}}

• Astronomy and religion
• Astrotheology
• Religion in Antarctica

{{Reflist}}

• [http://makkah.files.wordpress.com/2007/10/a_guideline_ibadah_at_iss.pdf Performing Ibadah at the International Space Station]'
• [http://www.nasa.gov/vision/space/livinginspace/Christmas_in_space.html Christmas in the Heavens (NASA, 2003)]
• [http://www.dlr.de/rb/en/desktopdefault.aspx/tabid-4769/5005_read-33122/ Christmas in Space (DLR, 2011)]

{{Inspace}}

Space

Category:Spaceflight

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