IF YOU’VE ever wondered whether music can actually be played in space, you’re not alone.
After all, space is a vacuum, meaning it has no air to carry sound vibrations.
So how could “Jingle Bells” ever be heard beyond Earth?
Is it true that this iconic Christmas song has a history that stretches far above our planet?
Verdict:
TRUE
According to Guinness World Records, “Jingle Bells” is officially recognised as the first song ever played in outer space.
The historic moment took place on Dec 16, 1965, during NASA’s Gemini 6A mission.
At the time, astronauts Walter M. “Wally” Schirra Jr. and Thomas P. Stafford were orbiting Earth after successfully completing the first-ever rendezvous between two spacecraft, a major milestone in space exploration.
While speaking with Mission Control, Schirra calmly reported spotting an unidentified flying object moving “probably in polar orbit.”
Instead of panic, laughter followed. Moments later, Mission Control heard the familiar tune of “Jingle Bells” played over the radio.
Schirra produced the melody using a small harmonica he had secretly packed, while Stafford shook a set of tiny sleigh bells to accompany him
Although sound cannot travel through the vacuum of space itself, the astronauts were inside a pressurised spacecraft filled with air. This allowed the harmonica and bells to produce sound normally.
The music was then picked up by the spacecraft’s radio system and transmitted electronically back to Earth.
Originally written in 1857 by James Lord Pierpont, “Jingle Bells” was already a holiday classic on Earth.
Thanks to this cheeky astronaut duet, the event also inspired a long-standing tradition of astronauts playing music aboard missions.
So, the next time you sing along to “Jingle Bells,” remember: it’s not just a Christmas classic; it’s also the first carol that quite literally is out of this world.
References:
1. https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/105444-first-song-played-in-space
2. https://airandspace.si.edu/stories/editorial/tom-staffords-jingle-bells-and-wally-schirras-harmonica
3. https://thedebrief.org/jingle-bells-was-the-first-song-ever-played-in-outer-space/
