Faith in orbit: The history of religion and space exploration

Faith travels beyond Earth

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - When astronauts launch into space, they leave behind family, friends and earthly possessions to complete critical, time-sensitive missions. 

But religious traditions are one of the few things that can travel anywhere.

To blast a rocket into orbit, a person must have immense faith in science. However, for many space explorers, a deeper spiritual faith fuels their journey. 

History of religion and space exploration

Timeline:

Astronauts of diverse beliefs have proven that faith can be practiced as far from Earth as humans have ever ventured:

• 1968: Above the lunar surface, the Apollo 8 crew took turns reading the Book of Genesis on a historic Christmas Eve broadcast.
• 1971: While leaving footprints on the moon, astronaut James Irwin quoted a Biblical passage, saying, "I’ll look unto the hills from whence cometh my help. But of course, we get quite a bit from Houston, too."
• 1996: Jewish astronaut Jeffrey Hoffman unrolled a small scroll to become the first person to read the Torah in space.
• 2007: Malaysian Muslim astronaut Dr. Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor learns to pray toward Mecca in microgravity conditions.
• 2024: Astronaut Butch Wilmore streaming church services during an unplanned 9-month stay on the International Space Station.

Spirituality in space

Artemis II mission pilot Victor Glover, a practicing Christian, carried a Bible and openly broadcast reflections on creation and unity from deep space.

"I wanted to thank God in public, and I want to thank God again," Glover said after completing his mission.

For others, the experience awakens something entirely new. Artemis II Commander Reid Wiseman wasn't a deeply religious person before his journey, but he found himself overwhelmed upon returning.

"There's just no other avenue for me to explain anything we experienced," Wiseman said. "So I asked for the chaplain on the Navy ship to just come visit us for a minute, and when that man walked in — I had never met him before in my life — but I saw the cross on his collar, I broke down in tears. It's very hard to fully grasp what we just went through."

"Science and faith will coexist"

What they're saying:

Pastor Jody Wells, who leads Titusville's Path Apostolic Church, understands the intersection of space and faith better than most. 

Before being called to ministry, he spent 16 years at NASA in contract procurement, news media and legislative affairs.

"I do believe that science and faith can not only exist, coexist together, and work together, they have, and they will," Wells said. 

Wells noted that even in a highly fact-based environment like the launch pad, trust in a higher power is common. 

"Not only did I pray before those launches, but I met men and women who are part of the launch team... who had morning prayer times together," Wells said.

NASA’s complicated history with religion

Dig deeper:

While faith is a deeply personal cornerstone for many space explorers today, the relationship between official space agencies and religion has a complicated history.

The famous 1968 Apollo 8 Bible reading was incredibly moving for many viewers back on Earth, but it also sparked controversy. 

An atheist activist sued NASA over the broadcast, arguing that the religious display violated the First Amendment's Establishment Clause.

While the Supreme Court ultimately threw the case out, the legal friction led the space agency to become much more discreet regarding official religious displays. Today, NASA takes a neutral stance, and expressions of faith in the cosmos are largely driven by the personal choices of the astronauts themselves.