For the first time ever, 17 people were in Earth orbit at the same time
%2Favatars%2F6UKotck4r9pz.jpg&w=96&q=75)
%2F2023%2F05%2F31%2Fimage%2Fjpeg%2Fc5vvL4IQaFWyjnQGp8k4Xr5RSdWjIGZFeWmydlsU.jpg&w=3840&q=75)
We have a new record for the highest number of people orbiting Earth at any one time.
For a short time, the number of people in orbit totaled 17 off-world explorers from a total of five different countries.
The new record was set after the launch of China's three-person Shenzhou 16 mission on Monday, May 29 at 9:31 p.m. EDT. The previous record was 14 people in orbit, set when the private Inspiration 4 mission took to the skies in September 2021.
More people than ever before orbiting Earth
Since the first crew boarded the International Space Station (ISS) in 2000, there has been a constant presence of human beings in space with missions overlapping each other so the orbital station is never left uncrewed.
With an increase in private space missions and the recent completion of China's Tiangong space station, the number of people in space will only continue to rise.
The current record is made up of four different crews: The three-person Shenzhou 16 mission aboard China's Tiangong space station, the three-person Shenzhou 15 mission also aboard Tiangong, the seven-person Expedition 69 mission aboard the International Space Station (ISS), and the four-person private Ax-2 mission aboard the ISS.
Splashdown of Dragon confirmed – welcome back to Earth, @AstroPeggy, @JohnPShoffner, @AstroAli11, and @Astro_Rayyanah pic.twitter.com/2kXUO8FDlv
— SpaceX (@SpaceX) May 31, 2023
At the time of writing, 13 people are now in orbit as the Ax-2 mission has now performed a successful splashdown off the coast of Florida.
The all-time record for people in space
The record for the highest number of people in space, and not only in orbit, at any one time actually stands just a little higher.
This is due to the advent of short space tourism flights that don't reach orbit, operated by Virgin Galactic and Blue Origin. The all-time record was set when Virgin Galactic's Unity 25 crew flew to suborbital space on May 25, bringing the total number of people in space to 20 for roughly five minutes.
The record for the most people in orbit also coincides with the 600th person to enter Earth orbit. That milestone is held by Ax-2 mission specialist Rayyanah Barnawi, who is the first Saudi Arabian woman to go to space. It also includes the first woman to command a private space launch, Ax-2 mission commander Peggy Whitson, and the first civilian astronaut to fly to China's Tiangong space station, Gui Haichao.
SHOW COMMENT (1)
/2023/09/22/image/jpeg/jfD71unti9UQBdxNhRrhiSoIYAuInMauNxuY39R2.jpg "Warm climate led to arrival of early humans in Siberia and Europe")
/2023/08/08/image/jpeg/fHnqDi31I8aDjZWq07Bcdw8dwQN7rR8nDchS6e9t.jpg "Improved ICEs or all-in on EVs: which is better for the future?")
/2023/09/22/image/jpeg/rCYjZVSUexvOFVtEIEeFEkIYjAyZ0CpcqctMMlNZ.jpg "Candela C-8: world record in long-distance electric boating")
/2023/09/22/image/jpeg/mqrPcgf0rGul8oaOAayafsYlrYOgYcqFB2a1YQdA.jpg "YouTube set to launch a series of AI-powered tools")
/2023/08/07/image/jpeg/Ud2zDGb2iGOiBAo4pvLO543XFvNGkPlUEZCF7qSY.jpg "Why do matter and the universe exist at all? Scientists get closer to the answer")
/2023/07/21/image/jpeg/pwUEpl3SEm3I6iWC1XTLeopv0EMwhfrJ684imYyT.jpg "Are wines losing the battle against climate change?")
/2023/08/26/image/png/ny1gzL2fwjRLIco8gac58tlSGZKREl4XSp340YAB.png "12 science, tech, and engineering newsletters you need to check out")
/2023/09/22/image/jpeg/nsmar7gjdLlrBOi4PzKAxGav2HZeyKXWXa9TmEya.jpg "Honda releases its first-ever series production V8 engine")
/2023/09/22/image/png/XFtYdTc2b3TtGseTakit2zAk7zByRIYyUKGewjOl.png "Small robot that can reforest the whole planet")
/2023/08/31/image/jpeg/RCklqoUliiOZrZ9TKBHqXIlgLKpe8S7RGLk87bzO.jpg "Giorgio Rosa, the engineer who built his own island")