---
title: "Space Station Astronauts Threw Their Own Zero-G Olympic Games"
description: "The Olympic spirit has become so infectious, astronauts stationed on board the ISS were inspired to put on their own microgravity games."
date: "2021-07-29"
modified: "2021-07-29"
authors:
  - name: "Victor Tangermann"
    job_title: "Senior Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/space-station-olympic-games"
categories:
  - "Off-World"
  - "Space"
tags:
  - "international space station"
  - "iss"
  - "Olympics"
  - "the digest"
---

# Space Station Astronauts Threw Their Own Zero-G Olympic Games

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/space-station-astronauts-are-organizing-their-own-zero-g-olympic-games.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: NASA/Thomas Pesquet\</em\>*

## Space Olympics

The Olympic spirit has become so infectious that even astronauts stationed on board the International Space Station were inspired to put on their own microgravity games — a heartwarming example of international camaraderie.

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/219923499_375930387238266_5033765082433506379_n-1200x800.jpg>)

"Today the Olympics start in Tokyo, but we held the very first space Olympics last week," European Space Agency astronaut Thomas Pesquet wrote in [a caption](<https://www.flickr.com/photos/thom_astro/51331881171/in/photostream/>) of a photo album uploaded to Facebook over the weekend. The images were taken by Pesquet earlier this month and [uploaded to Flickr](<https://www.flickr.com/photos/thom_astro/51332093078/in/photostream/>).

"For crew cohesion and fun, we put together a friendly competition between the Soyuz team and the Dragon team!" he added.

https://www.instagram.com/p/CRqfW5WNu8w/

## Lack-of-Floor Routine

With long distance running, swimming, and skateboarding out of the question, astronauts had to resort to devising their own competitions. NASA Astronaut Mark Vande Hei "did a great job as the grand organizer, and the events ranged from synchronized floating or lack-of-floor routine to (very) long jumps and no-hand ball," Pesquet wrote.

To mark the occasion, the crew also put up a flag of every single country on the planet, a colorful and cheerful display covering up the entire "roof" of the orbital station.

![](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/220512423_375930410571597_1050749104039386528_n-1200x800.jpg>)

"Let the Earthly games begin," Pesquet wrote.

**READ MORE:** [Astronauts are celebrating their own Summer Olympics in space (satellites, too)](<https://www.space.com/astronauts-watching-tokyo-summer-olympics-from-space>) \[*Space.com*\]

**More on the ISS:** *[Russia’s Space Station Module Launch Was Filled With Drama](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/russias-space-station-module-launch-drama>)*

## 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](<https://bsky.app/profile/vtanger.bsky.social>)