Every astronaut packs a few personal mementos, but some objects taken to space are genuinely out of this world. From childhood toys to historic relics, space missions have carried a treasure trove of sentimental and surprising objects.
Here are ten remarkable items that traveled to space and returned home with unforgettable stories.
Luke Skywalker’s Lightsaber
In 2007, NASA honored Star Wars by flying Luke Skywalker’s original lightsaber prop aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The journey celebrated the franchise’s 30th anniversary, and the prop orbited Earth before being safely returned to its home at Skywalker Ranch. Science fiction, meet science fact.
For more practical spinoffs from space, check out Everyday Tech We Owe to Space Exploration.
A Piece of the Wright Brothers’ Plane
When Neil Armstrong, a fellow Ohio native, stepped onto the Moon in 1969, he carried a small swatch of fabric and a piece of wood from the Wright brothers’ 1903 Flyer. It was a symbolic nod to how far flight had come in just 66 years, from Kitty Hawk to the Sea of Tranquility.
A Baseball and a Bat
In 2002, astronaut and baseball fan Bill Shepherd took a baseball and a mini bat aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Floating in zero gravity, he hit slow-motion “home runs” that circled the cabin, proving that even in space, America’s pastime has no limits.
Buzz Lightyear Toy
In 2008, a 12-inch Buzz Lightyear action figure joined the crew of the Space Shuttle Discovery on a 15-month stay aboard the ISS. The Disney-Pixar character was used for educational programs about science and space exploration. When Buzz finally “returned to infinity and beyond,” he got a hero’s welcome at Disney World.
For a fun twist on discovery, see Famous Inventions That Happened by Accident.
A Lego Astronaut Crew
NASA partnered with LEGO in 2011 to send three small LEGO figurines, representing Jupiter, Juno, and Galileo, aboard the Juno spacecraft en route to Jupiter. Made of special aluminum to withstand extreme conditions, they now orbit the giant planet as permanent ambassadors in space.
A Frisbee from College
In 1989, astronaut Ellison Onizuka brought his daughter’s college Frisbee on the ill-fated Challenger mission. Miraculously, the Frisbee was recovered from the wreckage and later presented to her school, where it remains a moving symbol of exploration and remembrance.
A Buzz Aldrin Communion Kit
Few know that before stepping onto the Moon, Buzz Aldrin privately took communion using a small chalice and wafer he brought from his church in Texas. NASA kept the act quiet to avoid controversy, but it remains one of the most profound personal gestures ever made in space.
Don’t miss Everyday Gadgets That Were Sci-Fi First for more fiction-to-reality crossovers.
Music from Earth
Astronauts have long taken music with them to space. Still, the Apollo 14 crew made history by carrying a cassette of Also Sprach Zarathustra, the theme from Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey. Others brought Beatles tapes and even a harmonica, proving humans never travel far without a soundtrack.
A Golf Ball on the Moon
During the Apollo 14 mission, astronaut Alan Shepard famously smuggled a 6-iron head and golf balls to the Moon. He hit two shots on the lunar surface, one of which, he joked, went for “miles and miles.” It’s still up there today, a playful mark of human creativity.
See Strange Phenomena Scientists Still Can’t Explain for brain-bending mysteries.
A Tree Seed That Grew on Earth
On Apollo 14, astronaut Stuart Roosa carried hundreds of tree seeds into lunar orbit. After returning, they were planted across the U.S. and became known as “Moon Trees.” Today, many still stand as living monuments to exploration and Earth’s connection to the stars.
The Meaning of Mementos
These objects may seem small, but each represents something deeply human: curiosity, creativity, and connection. Whether it’s a child’s toy or a relic of flight, they remind us that wherever we go, even into space, we bring our stories with us.
