What was the first song played in space? Do you know?

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As humanity began exploring outer space in the 1950s and 1960s, there were a lot of history making “firsts” during this initial period of space exploration. Like the first human-made object to orbit Earth, Sputnik 1 on 4 October 1957, and the first Moon landing,  Apollo 11 on 20 July 1969. But do you know what was the first song played in space was?

The First Crewed Rendezvous In Space

In 1965, the crews of Gemini 6 and Gemini 7 made history. The crew of Gemini 6 navigated to within 30 cm of Astronauts Frank Borman and Jim Lovell aboard Gemini 7. This was the first time in history that two spacecrafts had ever rendezvoused with each other in orbit.

What was the first song played in space? It Was The Holiday Classic “Jingle Bells”

But the crew of Gemini 6 weren’t done making history yet. On December 16, 1965, NASA Astronauts Wally Schirra and Thomas Stafford sent this message back to Earth.

We have an object, looks like a satellite going from north to south, probably in a polar orbit. He’s in a very low trajectory…I see a command module and eight smaller modules in front. The pilot of the command module is wearing a red suit….

Schirra and Stafford then played the classic holiday song Jingle Bells using a harmonica and jingle bells. At that moment, they made history, yet again. Their casual attempt at performing the classic holiday song is now remembered as the first song played in space.

What was the first song played in space? Do you know? Hint: It's a holiday classic. Share on X