--- title: "There Are More People in Orbit Right Now Than at Any Other Point in Human History" description: "Crowded Orbit There are a total of 14 humans in space right now circling the Earth on board three different spacecraft. It’s a new (off) world record, breaking the previous record by one additional astronaut, according to Space.com. There are currently four space tourists traveling on board SpaceX’s Crew Dragon spacecraft. The International Space Station […]" date: "2021-09-16" modified: "2021-09-16" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/more-people-orbit-human-history" categories: - "Off-World" - "Space" tags: - "astronauts" - "NASA" - "SpaceX" - "the digest" --- # There Are More People in Orbit Right Now Than at Any Other Point in Human History ![There are a total of 14 humans in space right now circling the Earth on board three different spacecraft, a new historic record.]() *\Image: Futurism\* ## Crowded Orbit There are a total of 14 humans in space right now, circling the Earth on board three different spacecraft. It's a new (off) world record, breaking the previous record by one additional astronaut, [according to *Space.com*](). Let's tally them up. There are currently [four space tourists]() traveling on board SpaceX's Crew Dragon spacecraft. The International Space Station is hosting seven astronauts: three from NASA, two Russian cosmonauts, one from the Japanese space agency, and one from the European Space Agency. And then there's China's Tianhe, the core module of its much larger planned Tiangong space station, which is housing [three further astronauts](). It's a rare moment in spaceflight history, with human spaceflight becoming more accessible than ever before — though, needless to say, there are still billions more people on Earth than space, and it's likely to stay that way forever. ## Fleeting Moments The record won't be in place for very long. The three Chinese astronauts are scheduled to return to Earth [tomorrow](). And the all-civilian Inspiration4 crew will also make their return journey soon, splashing down in the Atlantic on Saturday. The previous record of 13 astronauts has been matched on several occasions, according to *Space.com*. Once was in 1995, when the Space Shuttle Endeavour hosted seven while Russia's Mir station hosted six. In 2009, the ISS hosted [13 astronauts]() all on its own, when seven newcomers joined the station after traveling there on board the Endeavour. The ISS also [got pretty packed]() this past April, after three spacecraft were docked to it at the same time, bringing the total to 11 astronauts. Some of the crew members had to [resort to sleeping in the two SpaceX Crew Dragon capsules]() that were docked to the outpost at the time. And with human spaceflight becoming more commonplace, we'll likely see this week's record broken sooner rather than later. **READ MORE:** [SpaceX's Inspiration4 launch boosts population of space to record-breaking 14 people]() \[*Space.com*\] **More on the launch:** *[The View From Inspiration4's Toilet Is Absolutely Incredible]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()