12 Unusual Things That Have Been Sent to Space
Space exploration represents humanity’s greatest adventure, pushing the boundaries of what’s possible and expanding our understanding of the universe. While scientific equipment and essential supplies make up the majority of payload contents, astronauts and space agencies have also sent some surprisingly unusual items beyond Earth’s atmosphere.
Here is a list of 12 bizarre objects that have made the journey to space, showcasing the sometimes quirky side of our cosmic endeavors.
Luke Skywalker’s Lightsaber
The original lightsaber prop used by Mark Hamill in Return of the Jedi traveled to orbit aboard Space Shuttle Discovery in 2007. NASA agreed to fly the iconic sci-fi weapon to honor the 30th anniversary of the Star Wars franchise, connecting real-world space exploration with the fictional galaxy far, far away.
The lightsaber spent 13 days in space before returning to Earth and eventually to its owner, filmmaker George Lucas.
Pizza Hut Pizza
In 2001, Pizza Hut became the first company to deliver a pizza to space when they sent a specially modified salami pizza to the International Space Station. The pizza required several adaptations to survive the journey, including extra salt and spices to compensate for taste buds functioning differently in microgravity.
Russian cosmonaut Yuri Usachov reportedly gave the promotional stunt a thumbs up after eating the pizza, which cost the company around $1 million to deliver.
Lego Figurines
In 2011, NASA launched the Juno spacecraft toward Jupiter carrying three special aluminum Lego figurines representing the Roman god Jupiter, his wife Juno, and Galileo Galilei. These specially made, space-hardened Legos were included as part of an educational outreach program between NASA and the Lego Group.
The figurines continue their journey around Jupiter today, having traveled over 1.7 billion miles from Earth.
Tardigrades
These microscopic “water bears” became the first known animals to survive exposure to the vacuum of space in 2007. The European Space Agency deliberately sent thousands of these resilient creatures to orbit unprotected to test their survival capabilities.
Remarkably, many tardigrades survived the extreme temperatures, radiation, and airless environment, even producing viable offspring after returning to Earth. Their incredible durability makes them potential models for human protection in space exploration.
A Car
In perhaps the most flamboyant space delivery, Elon Musk’s SpaceX launched his personal cherry-red Tesla Roadster into orbit in 2018 as a test payload for the Falcon Heavy rocket. Complete with a spacesuit-wearing mannequin dubbed “Starman” in the driver’s seat, the car radio was set to play David Bowie’s Space Oddity on repeat.
The Tesla continues to orbit the sun, occasionally passing Mars, as perhaps the most unusual piece of space junk in the solar system.
Cremated Human Remains
Since 1997, private companies have offered “memorial spaceflights” that send small portions of cremated human remains into orbit, to the moon, or into deep space. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry was among the first to have his ashes flown to space in 1992.
The tradition continues today with companies charging between $2,500 and $12,500 to send a symbolic portion of a loved one’s remains on various space mission options, creating a truly cosmic final resting place.
Corned Beef Sandwich
In 1965, astronaut John Young smuggled a corned beef sandwich aboard Gemini 3, pulling it from his spacesuit pocket to share with crewmate Gus Grissom. This unauthorized lunch became a brief congressional controversy as crumbs floated around the cabin, potentially threatening spacecraft systems.
The sandwich incident led NASA to develop more carefully controlled space food programs and stricter rules about what astronauts could bring aboard.
Music Records
The Voyager spacecraft, launched in 1977 and now exploring interstellar space, carries golden records containing sounds and images of Earth for potential extraterrestrial finders. These time capsules include music from various cultures, natural sounds, greetings in 55 languages, and 115 images encoded on gold-plated copper discs designed to last billions of years.
The records represent humanity’s message in a bottle to the cosmos, selected by a committee headed by astronomer Carl Sagan.
Artwork
The Moon Museum is a tiny ceramic wafer secretly attached to the leg of the Apollo 12 lunar lander, containing miniaturized drawings by six prominent artists, including Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg. About the size of a postage stamp, this unauthorized art exhibition sits on the lunar surface at the Ocean of Storms landing site.
Warhol’s contribution appears to be his initials, though some suggest it resembles something more anatomical, drawn in his typically provocative style.
Dinosaur Fossils
In 1985, a small piece of fossilized dinosaur bone from a Maiasaura traveled aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger with astronaut Loren Acton. The bone fragment, about 1.5 inches long, made the journey as a symbol connecting ancient Earth life with humanity’s space exploration.
The University of Montana, which provided the fossil, celebrated this unusual first by putting the space-flown dinosaur relic on permanent display after its return to Earth.
Cheese
In a particularly British space milestone, a wheel of traditional Somerset cheddar was launched to mark the first flight of the UK Space Agency’s Skynet satellite in 2010. The cheese spent six months aboard the International Space Station before returning to Earth, becoming the first dairy product intentionally sent to space.
The publicity stunt, organized by the cheese maker, was actually part of a commercial promotion deemed successful despite the cheese needing refrigeration upon its return.
Christmas Dinner
In 2018, NASA packed a special holiday feast for the International Space Station astronauts, including smoked turkey, candied yams, cranberry sauce, and fruitcake. The festive meal arrived via SpaceX resupply mission just in time for Christmas, providing a taste of home during the holidays.
While space food has improved dramatically since the early days of tube-squeezed nutrition, these special occasion meals help maintain crew morale during long-duration missions far from family and traditional celebrations.
Cosmic Connections
These unusual space deliveries highlight the surprisingly human side of space exploration, where scientific seriousness meets our innate desire for comfort, commemoration, and occasional comedy.
As private space travel expands and costs decrease, we can expect even more unusual items to make the journey to orbit and beyond. These cosmic curiosities serve as reminders that even as we reach for the stars with our most advanced technology, we bring along the quirks, sentiments, and playfulness that make us human—extending our cultural fingerprint far beyond the boundaries of Earth.
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