---
title: "SpaceX Sent NASA Astronauts Into Orbit Using Linux"
description: "SpaceX used open source operating system Linux during the historic Falcon 9 rocket launch manned by NASA astronauts."
date: "2020-06-04"
modified: "2020-06-17"
authors:
  - name: "Jon Christian"
    job_title: "Executive Editor"
    link: "https://futurism.com/authors/jonc.md"
url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-nasa-astronauts-linux"
categories:
  - "NASA"
  - "Space"
  - "SpaceX"
tags:
  - "linux"
  - "NASA"
  - "SpaceX"
  - "the digest"
---

# SpaceX Sent NASA Astronauts Into Orbit Using Linux

![According to ZDNet, SpaceX pulled off its historic Falcon 9 launch using a version of the open source operating system Linux.](<https://futurism.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/spacex-sent-atsronauts-orbit-using-linux.jpg>)
*\<em\>Image: SpaceX/Victor Tangermann\</em\>*

## Club Penguin

This past weekend, Elon Musk-led private space company SpaceX [made history](<https://futurism.com/spacex-launches-astronauts-into-space.md>) by launching a pair of NASA astronauts into orbit, an accomplishment that could [upset the balance](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-russia-forced-cosmonauts-spacex.md>) of the international space industry.

According to a [terrific breakdown](<https://www.zdnet.com/article/from-earth-to-orbit-with-linux-and-spacex/>) by *ZDNet*, the historic launch also contributed to a shift in power from proprietary software to open source — by running the Falcon 9 rocket on a version of the open source operating system Linux.

## Kernel Space Program

The unspecified version of Linux, according to *ZDNet*, runs on three dual-core x86 processors — a redundancy system that keeps the astronauts safe by making sure all three units agree before executing each command.

*ZDNet* also pointed to a [2013 Reddit post](<https://www.reddit.com/r/IAmA/comments/1853ap/we_are_spacex_software_engineers_we_launch/>) in which SpaceX employees confirmed that Dragon and Falcon 9 both on Linux.

## Linus Spacevalds

SpaceX isn't the first group to bring open source software into orbit.

The International Space Station itself, where the NASA astronauts launched by SpaceX are now residing, [reportedly switched](<https://www.extremetech.com/extreme/155392-international-space-station-switches-from-windows-to-linux-for-improved-reliability>) to Linux from Microsoft's proprietary Windows operating system in 2013.

**READ MORE:** [From Earth to orbit with Linux and SpaceX](<https://www.zdnet.com/article/from-earth-to-orbit-with-linux-and-spacex/>) \[*ZDNet*\]

**More on Linux:** *[Linux Creator: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter Are “A Disease”](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/linux-facebook-instagram-twitter-disease.md>)*

## Author
I'm responsible for editing, assigning, and scouting at Futurism, as well as occasionally writing for the site. That work involves keeping an eye on a wide range of narratives and issues, but over the past few years I've become increasingly interested in how AI is shaping the future of media, the web, and information itself. My day-to-day often involves collaborating on reporting and commentary projects bylined by my colleagues, but I try to find time to do my own reporting as well; stories I've broken for Futurism have been cited by publications including the New York Times, the Washington Post, the New Yorker, Wired, Ars Technica, New York Magazine, the Columbia Journalism Review, Bloomberg, and more. I grew up in Southern Vermont and attended Vanderbilt University. Prior to Futurism, I contributed to outlets including the Boston Globe, Vice, Wired, Slate, the Atlantic, the Outline, Ars Technica and more, and did stints in farming and food service. I currently live in Brooklyn, New York, and in my free time I enjoy pinball, word games, cycling, running, and music production.

### Author social links  
[Bluesky](<https://bsky.app/profile/jonchristian.net>)

## More

- [SpaceX Makes History: Launches NASA Astronauts Into Orbit](<https://futurism.com/spacex-launches-astronauts-into-space.md>)
- [Liftoff! SpaceX Launches NASA Astronauts Aboard Dragon Spacecraft](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-nasa-crew-dragon.md>)
- [Breaking: SpaceX Launches Astronauts From American Soil](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-launches-astronauts-from-american-soil.md>)
- [NASA Astronauts Test SpaceX Spacesuits for Crew Dragon Launch](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/astronauts-spacex-spacesuits-launch-day.md>)
- [NASA: Next SpaceX Astronaut Launch Will Be on Halloween](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-crew-1-spacex-launch-date.md>)
- [NASA and SpaceX Finally Choose Date for Historic Astronaut Launch](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/nasa-and-spacex-finally-chose-date-for-historic-astronaut-launch-after-several-delays.md>)
- [Astronaut: SpaceX Ride Not as “Smooth” as NASA Space Shuttle](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/astronaut-spacex-ride-not-smooth-space-shuttle.md>)
- [SpaceX Is Officially Sending Astronauts to Space Next Month](<https://futurism.com/the-byte/spacex-is-officially-sending-astronauts-to-space-next-month.md>)