Lists of fictional astronauts | ||
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Early period | Project Mercury | Project Gemini |
Project Apollo | 1975–1989 | 1990–1999 |
2000–2009 | 2010–2029 | Moon |
Inner Solar System | Outer Solar System | Other |
Far future |
The following is a list of fictional astronauts on missions to deflect asteroids and comets which pose a threat to Earth, as well as performing other miscellaneous feats of space exploration not yet achieved.
Name(s) | Appeared in | Program / Mission / Spacecraft | Fictional date |
---|---|---|---|
Edward McCauley, Col. Stacy Croydon, Dr. (Scientist) Emory, Maj. Draper, Capt. (no first names given for last two) | Men into Space (a.k.a. Space Challenge) Asteroid (1959), TV | United States Air Force: Skyra mission | c. 1970–1980 |
Astronauts on mission to evaluate asteroid Skyra as possible location for space station, or, if necessary, to destroy it. [1] | |||
Jack Rankin (Commander) Vince Elliott (Station Commander) Lisa "Lizzie" Benson, Dr. (Physician) Martin, Capt. Hans Halvorsen, Dr. (Space consultant) Michaels (assistant to Halvorsen) Curtis, Lt. Dreger, Lt. Morris, Lt. Scott, Sgt. Unnamed personnel | The Green Slime (a.k.a. Battle beyond the Stars) (1968), film | U.N.S.C.: Space Station Gamma 3 Unnamed rocket Three support cruisers | Future |
Mission to destroy asteroid on collision course with Earth results in infestation of space station by tentacled creatures. [2] [3] [4] | |||
Unnamed CSM/LM: Thomas Alvar Nicols, Maj. Van Druten Riley (first names not given) Enterprise: Richard Bradford Ridge, Maj. (Commander) David Priestly (Co-Pilot) Marvin Leisen (Navigator) Jim O'Toole Archie Carfagno Orpheus: Thomas Alvar Nicols, Maj. (Co-Pilot) Richard Bradford Ridge, Maj. (Pilot) | The Hermes Fall (1978), novel | Apollo Unnamed CSM/LM Orpheus (CSM) Space Shuttle Enterprise | August 20–25, 1980 |
A NASA moonflight veteran and the commander of the first Space Shuttle mission are sent on a desperate mission to prevent the asteroid Hermes crashing into the Earth. [5] | |||
Floyd Hartwell Andrew Bukowski, Capt. (Air Force Astronaut Wing) Leonard Dmetriev (USSR) Unnamed Chinese astronaut | Impact! (1979), novel | Argonaut XX | Contemporary? |
International astronauts on a mission to prevent an asteroid impacting Earth. [6] | |||
Marlena Glenn, Lt. Spaceplane: Mark Blaze, Col. (Commander) Andrea Steele, Maj. | He-Man and the Masters of the Universe Visitors From Earth (1984), TV | Spaceplane | Future |
Astronauts on mission to destroy "magnetic meteor" accidentally travel through wormhole to Eternia. Lt. Glenn had previously disappeared and become Queen of Eternia. [7] | |||
NASA: Murasaki Terrence "the Trance" Turginson Woodside Atlantis: Boston "Boz" Low (Commander) Ken Borden (Copilot) Cora Miles (Mission Specialist) Ludger Brink, Prof. (EEC) (Mission Specialist) Maggie Robbins (Journalist) | The Dig (1995), video game/novel | Space Shuttle Atlantis | Near Future |
Mission to stabilize orbit of mysterious asteroid. Low is a five-time shuttle veteran who made emergency landing aboard Enterprise . Scientist Brink spent months aboard space station Mir II. [8] [lower-alpha 1] | |||
Dana Shaw, Dr. (Scientist) Ryan (Boss) (no first name given) Samantha "Nuke-'em" Rogers (Explosives specialist) Potter (Mechanic) (no first name given) Alpha crew: Cody Harrison (Driller) Ben Banton (Drill controller) Beta crew: Luke Harrison (Driller) Archer (Drill controller) (no first name given) | Within the Rock (1996), TV movie | Nexecon Corporation: Mining platform Jettison pod | 2019 |
Space miners on a mission to deflect Galileo's Child, a rogue moon on a collision course with Earth, discover a hostile alien creature. Cody and Luke Harrison are brothers. | |||
Atlantis crew: William Sharp, Col. (CMR) Jennifer Watts (PLT) Gruber (Nuclear Tech) Charles "Chick" Chapple Max Lennert "Rockhound" Harry S. Stamper Davis, Col. (CMR) Tucker (PLT) Halsey, Lt. (Nuclear Tech) Oscar Choi A. J. Frost Jayotis "Bear" Kurleenbear Freddy Noonan Lev Andropov | Armageddon (1998), film | Space Shuttle Atlantis X-71 Military Space Shuttles: Freedom Independence Mir (greatly expanded) | Contemporary |
Atlantis destroyed by meteoroids preceding asteroid on collision course with Earth. X-71s each with 3 crew and 4 person drilling teams refuel at Mir, rescue Andropov from its destruction. [10] [11] | |||
Spurgeon "Fish" Tanner, Capt. Oren Monash (Pilot) Andrea "Andy" Baker Gus Partenza, Dr. Mark Simon Michail Tulchinsky, Col. (cosmonaut) | Deep Impact (1998), film | Space Shuttle Atlantis Messiah | Near Future |
Astronauts on mission to destroy an oncoming comet. [12] [13] | |||
Gus Malone (CAPCOM) Unnamed astronauts | Nemesis (1998), novel | Space Shuttle | Contemporary |
Astronauts on mission to deflect an oncoming asteroid. [14] | |||
NASA: Claire Daughenbaugh, Capt. (USN) (Physician/Rukh carrier aircraft crew) Doug Waterhouse Envoy: Samson "Sam" Quinn, Gen. [lower-alpha 2] (USAF) (Commander) Charles Stuart Loomis, Cdre. (USN) (Second-in-command/Weapons officer) John Bernstein, Dr. (Physicist/Physician) Stephen Edmunson, Maj. (USAF) (Weapons officer) Martin Tillery, Cmdr. (USN) (Engineer/Physicist) Firebird: May Sherbourne Wyndham (Pilot/Rocket scientist) Mycroft Yellowhorse (a.k.a. William Connors; born Guillaume Olivier Connors) (JNAIT Council of Chiefs Director-at-large) Tobias Desmond "Toby" Glyer, Dr. (Engineer/Physician) Alice Johnson (Security consultant) | The Goliath Stone (2013), novel | NASA: Envoy (40-V air launch to orbit spaceplane) Joint Negotiating Alliance of Indian Tribes (JNAIT): Firebird (40-V air launch to orbit spaceplane) | June 2052 |
Crews racing to intercept asteroid being returned to Earth by nanites. [15] | |||
Asteris: James Wheeler, Capt. (USMC) Gordon, Dr. (Pentagon) (Physicist) Clayton, Sgt. (Reconnaissance) Cabrera, Cpl. (Demolitions) Southard, Lt. (Communications) Fitzpatrick (Pilot) Sanchez (US Army) (Pilot) Other SI-22s: Magowan, Gen. (Pilot) "Mac" McCanless, Col. (USAF) (Pilot) Unnamed pilots | Age of Tomorrow (2014), film | SI-22 Asteris (spaceplane) Unnamed SI-22s | Contemporary/Near Future |
Crew of mission to destroy asteroid is transported through wormhole to alien planet. [16] | |||
Foresight Americo: Xiaohán "Zoë" One-person spacecraft: Evan Chess (Mission Commander) Jamila Parks (US) (SP) Alistair Meath, Maj. (UK) (SP) Valentina Resnick Baker, Dr. (SP) David Powell (SP) | Catalyst Prime: The Event (2017), comic book | Foresight Corporation: Foresight Americo Lunar Platform (lunar-orbit space station) Five one-person spacecraft | 2017 |
Astronauts on suicide mission to destroy asteroid Icarus 2. [17] | |||
Benedict Drask, Col. | Don't Look Up (2021), film | NASA | Contemporary |
Military veteran sent to deflect comet heading for Earth. His presence is superfluous due to rocket-guiding computer systems, but he is chosen so there can be a "hero". [18] |
Name(s) | Appeared in | Program / Mission / Spacecraft | Fictional date |
---|---|---|---|
Sky Masters, Maj. | Sky Masters of the Space Force (1958–61), comic | Unknown | Near Future |
Astronaut in the United States Space Force (USSF). | |||
United States: Edward McCauley, Col. William Smith, Lt. Lester Forsythe, Capt. Donald Michaels, Capt. Warnecke, Maj. (Dr.) (Physician) William Thyssen, Dr. (Scientist) Barrett, Capt. Briggs, Maj. Gibbie Gibson, Maj. Bob Stark, Capt. Horton, Dr. (Physicist) Randolph, Dr. (Biologist) Murphy, Lt. (Space Station Astra Executive Officer) Hamilton, Dr. (Astronomer) Stoner, Col. Nick Alborg, Maj. Bill Alborg, Lt. Col. Art Frey, Lt. Jerry Rutledge, Lt. Franklin, Maj. Williams, Capt. Eden, Lt. (Navigator) Paul Ellis, Maj. (Dr.) (Physician) Muriel Catherine Gallagher, Dr. (Astronomer) Caleb Fisk, Dr. (Astronomer) Torrance Alexander, Dr. (Astronomer) Arnold Rawdin, Dr. (Scientist) Vern Driscoll, Lt. Col. Summers, Maj. (Spacecraft commander) Lewsham, Capt. Johnny Farrow, Capt. Swanson, Capt. Bowyers, Maj. Steven Hawkes, Maj. (Psychologist) Thomas Ward, Capt. (Dr.) (Physician) Canell, Maj. (Space Station Astra Executive Officer) Fred Jones, Cpl. Grinder, Sgt. Saunders, Amn. Luraski, Dr. (Geophysicist) Ron Benson, Capt. (Communications Officer) Hodges, Maj. Bob King "Tex" Nolan, Maj. Others UK: Tom Hetherford, Grp Cpt (Vega commander) Sopwith, Flt Lt (Vega co-pilot) Neil Bedford-Jones, Lt (MR co-pilot) | Men into Space (a.k.a. Space Challenge) (1959–60), TV | United States Air Force: Space Station Astra LX-318 0915 Reentry tests Tanker Able R-101 S-107 Eclipse M-13 L78-1 missions MR-28 X-1000 TR-1 British National Space Agency (UK): Project Vega MR (rescue mission) | c. 1970–1980 |
Future astronauts build and crew space station and fly near-Earth missions, including landings on asteroid L78-1. [19] [20] | |||
Lunar Base #1: Lansfield, Col. Cutler, Lt. Unnamed personnel Pegasus 3: Leonard, Capt. (Pilot) Webb, Lt. (Navigator) Pegasus 4: Frank Chapman, Capt. (Pilot) Ray Makonnen, Lt. (Navigator) Rescue ship: Beecher, Capt. White, Lt. | The Phantom Planet (1961), film | United States Air Force Space Exploration Wing: Lunar Base #1 Pegasus 3 (Flight 361) Pegasus 4 Rescue ship | 1980 (from March 16) |
Astronauts who investigate mysteriously appearing planet Rheton. [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] | |||
Dead astronauts: Merril (1998) Pokrovski (1999) Connolly Tkachev Maiakovski Brodisnek (no first names given) Roger Woodward Travis (no first/last name given) | "The Cage of Sand" (1962), short story | Unknown | 1998 1999 21st century |
Seven dead astronauts orbiting Earth in their slowly reentering space capsules. Merril and Pokrovski failed to reach launching platforms in Earth orbit; Woodward died testing new launching platform. Travis was rookie astronaut for civilian company whose courage failed during launch countdown. [26] [27] [28] [29] | |||
United States: Scott, Capt. (no first name given) Unnamed astronaut Unnamed sergeant Eastern Space Patrol: Vaslov, Maj. (no first name given) | Colormation Screen Test (1962), short film | International Space Commission: Wheel 4 (Space station) Eastern Space Patrol: Red Star Patrol | Near Future |
US astronaut tells Congressional committee about recent events in space. [30] | |||
Prospero: Grunfeld Croker Ness Jackson Unnamed captain Caliban: 5 unnamed astronauts Snug: 5 unnamed astronauts Moth: 5 unnamed astronauts Starveling: 5 unnamed astronauts | "The Snowbank Orbit" (1962), short story | United States Space Force: Prospero (ex-Mercury One) Caliban Snug Moth Starveling | Future [lower-alpha 3] |
Mercury-bound astronauts ordered to slingshot around the Sun and head for Uranus and a risky aerobraking maneuver when the Solar System is invaded by aliens. [31] | |||
Euro-American rocket: George Larson (Captain) Mike Fawsett (Vice-captain) Tom Fiske (U.S. Army) Uli Reinbach Russo-Chinese rocket: Nuri Bakovsky (Red Army) (Captain) Ivan Kratov (Red Army) Alexander Pitoyan (Scientist) Tara Ilyana | Fifth Planet (1963), novel | Euro-American rocket Russo-Chinese rocket | c. 2087 (May) – 2089 |
Rival missions to Achilles, the fifth planet of Helios, a star passing through the Solar System. Ilyana is the first woman in space. [32] | |||
Unnamed astronaut | Labyrinth (1963), opera | Unknown | Unknown |
Astronaut aboard rocket somehow located inside mysterious Grand Hotel. [33] | |||
Clark Benedict, Maj. (Station Commander) Mike Doweling, Capt. Kenneth Gavin, Lt. Gordon Halper, Lt. (Physician) Rupert Lawrence Howard, Lt. | The Outer Limits Specimen: Unknown (1964), TV | United States Air Force/Department of Space Travel Project Adonis: Space station Shuttlecraft 1010 (Space Shuttle Flight 572-3XA) | Near Future (from January 8) |
Space station crew imperiled by deadly alien plants. [34] [35] | |||
Gary Jason, Col. | Jigsaw (1966), comic book series | Earth Space Force: Stargazer One | Contemporary/Near Future |
Astronaut injured in space is rescued by aliens and turned into the superhero Jigsaw. [36] | |||
Test Vehicle 1: Bob Wilson, Maj. Chip Morton, Lt. Cmdr. (Co-Pilot) Test Vehicle 2: Lee Crane, Capt. | Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea Journey With Fear (1967), TV | United States Space Exploration Agency (SEA): Test Vehicle 1 Test Vehicle 2 | 1981 |
Experimental underwater launch of orbital flight from Seaview by Polaris missile. Test Vehicle 1 is boarded by alien in flight; Test Vehicle 2, with Crane aboard, is snatched at speed of light to alien base on Venus. [37] | |||
Unnamed astronaut | Yonggary (1967), film | NSRC (Republic of Korea): Rocket #7X (one-man capsule) | Near Future |
Korean astronaut on reconnaissance flight to monitor mid-East nuclear test. [38] [39] [40] | |||
Valentina Prokrovna (Russia) Robert Hamilton (USA) | "The Dead Astronaut" (1968), short story | Unknown | Near Future |
Two of twelve dead astronauts left orbiting Earth in their respective spacecraft. Hamilton was carrying atomic weapon on military mission. [28] [41] [42] [43] | |||
Charles Dreighton [sp.?] Space station: Two unnamed astronauts Supply rocket: Unnamed astronaut | Joe 90 Most Special Astronaut (1968), TV | O.C.T: [lower-alpha 4] Space station Supply rocket/Space module | Early 21st century (February) |
After supply rocket launch failure, two astronauts are stranded with dwindling air supply on O.C.T. space station commissioned by World Intelligence Network (WIN). Joe 90 comes to the rescue. [44] | |||
P One: Morrison, Col. Drew, Maj. Hollis, Capt. (First names not given) P Two: McCullough, Lt. Col. Walters, Maj. Berryman, Capt. (First names not given) | All Judgement Fled (1969), novel | Prometheus Project P One P Two | Near Future |
Astronauts dispatched to make first contact with an alien spacecraft. [45] [46] | |||
Andros V: Unnamed American astronauts Zond 19: Unnamed Soviet cosmonauts | The Andromeda Strain (1969), novel | Andros Project Andros V Zond Project Zond 19 | Near Future |
Astronauts killed when the Andromeda organism destroys the heat shields of their spacecraft on re-entry. [47] | |||
Bunny Fred Hoffa Other unnamed astronauts and technicians | The Long Twilight (1969), novel | Unknown | Near Future (c. 1996) |
Astronauts aboard the United States Weather Satellite, who spot the abrupt beginnings of a hurricane-like storm. [48] | |||
Remus: Kindle (Captain) Unnamed stewardess Governor (Unnamed) (Passenger) Lavinia Pickerell (Passenger) 11 unnamed passengers Space station: Aceworthy, Prof. (Weather department) (No first name given) Terence (Animal experiments) (no last name given) Unnamed personnel | Miss Pickerell and the Weather Satellite (1971), novel | Tandem Space Shuttle (Booster ship [lower-alpha 5] /Remus [Orbital ship]) Space station | Near Future (Late Summer) |
Miss Pickerell travels to space station to investigate malfunctioning weather satellite. Sequel to Miss Pickerell Goes to Mars and Miss Pickerell on the Moon (q.v.). [49] | |||
William J. Lardner | "Light Verse" (1973), short story | Unknown | Future (21st century?) |
Widow of astronaut Lardner, who sacrificed himself to allow passenger ship to reach Space Station 5, unexpectedly commits murder. [50] [51] | |||
Beauregard Jackson | Land of the Lost Hurricane (1974), TV | Hypersonic glider | Near Future (c. 1990s) |
During reentry, Jackson passes through time window into pocket universe. | |||
William "Buck" Rogers, Capt. | Buck Rogers in the 25th Century (1979–81), TV | Ranger 3 | 1987 |
NASA astronaut whose voyage in a Space Shuttle-like "deep space probe" results in suspended animation. | |||
Newman Mathews Williams (no first names given) | The Aftermath (a.k.a. Zombie Aftermath) (1982), film | United States: Nautilus (spaceplane) | Near Future (20th century) |
Astronauts who return to Earth to discover it devastated by nuclear and biological warfare and infested with mutants. [52] [53] [54] | |||
Unnamed Mission Specialist/Commander Vollmer (Engineering/Communications/Weapons) (no first name given) | "Human Moments in World War III" (1983), short story | Colorado Command: Tomahawk II (Recon-Interceptor) | Near Future |
Astronauts in Earth orbit come under control of Colorado Command rather than Houston after outbreak of World War III. [55] [56] | |||
Tank Farm: Ralph Rutter, Dr. (Director) Don Ishido, Dr. (Communications/Operations Chief) Susan Sorbanes, Dr. (Business Manager) Emily Testa (Italy) Unnamed chief flight controller Unnamed personnel Pacifica: Robert Bahnz, Col. (DOD) Henry Woke, Dr. (NASA official) Unnamed astronauts | "Tank Farm Dynamo" (a.k.a. "Tank Farm") (1983), short story | Colombo-Carroll Foundation: Colombo Station (a.k.a. Tank Farm) NASA: Space Shuttle Pacifica | c. 1999 |
Orbital platform built from Space Shuttle external tanks and run by American-Italian consortium faces takeover bid by US government. [57] [58] | |||
Joanne Davis, Maj. [lower-alpha 6] (USAF) | DEMON-4 (1984), novel | NASA Space Station | Near Future [lower-alpha 7] |
NASA astronaut who survived the destruction of her space platform during WWIII, reassigned to help in the destruction of a rogue undersea fortress. [59] | |||
Evans (Captain) Floyd (Engineer) Grundy (Navigator) (no first names given) | Doctor Who Search for the Doctor (1986), gamebook | Enterprise 21 space freighter | August 2056 |
Three-man crew returning from satellite servicing mission disappears into Bermuda Triangle. [60] | |||
Frances Reese Jan DuToit Bill Noyes Mary Xu Valentina Romanova Mikhail Savchenko Chuck Wenzel Anna Cherneva Yuri Finnegan John Jackson Gerry Wolf Maria Blixen Bertorelli Perez Saha (First names not given for the last three characters) Hipparchus Base: Roger Bryant Jim Russell Hyashi Higuchi Ben Templeton Greg Able | Double Planet (1988), novel | Space Shuttles Ares I Ares II Discovery Sir Fred Hoyle Predpriyatie Tsiolkovski Moonbase Hipparchus Base | Near Future |
New Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) astronauts and scientists on a mission to investigate the possibility of mining the Comet Osaki-Mori for resources the ReUnited Nations (RN) needs to rebuild Earth. [61] | |||
Wayfarer 1 Theodore Ludendorff, Cmdr Five unnamed astronauts Wayfarer 2 Jake Ryder Speed Spencer Faye McFarland Boris Mechanov Ada Lin Irwin Rote Von Braun Ki Susato Unnamed astronauts | Reach (1989), novel | Wayfarer Program Wayfarer 1 Wayfarer 2 Space Station Von Braun | 2037 – 2040 |
When contact is lost with an expedition to a mysterious cluster of objects passing outside the orbit of Pluto a second expedition is sent to investigate. [62] | |||
Unnamed astronaut | "The Village...the Village...the Earth...the Earth and the Suicide of the Astronaut" (1995), short story | "Space corporation" | Unknown |
After traveling around the Solar System, astronaut is unable to find work back on Earth. [63] | |||
Meridian: William Clark, Capt. Helene Dufour, Dr. (France) (Medical Officer) Lara Nabakov, Cmdr. (Security Officer) Richard Gordon, Cmdr. (Engineer) Thomas Somerset, Dr. Shuttle: Louis Bidwell (Commander) Unnamed astronauts | The Outer Limits Bodies of Evidence (1997), TV | International Space Agency: UNAS Meridian (space station) Escape pod Space shuttle | June 20 – July 2037 |
Space station commander Clark is accused of murder after Gordon, Somerset and Nabakov die due to hallucinations. Space agency has also attempted to reach outer planets. | |||
Channing Blythe Knowlton | Eater (2000), novel | NASA | c. 2022 (February–July) |
Former NASA astronaut dying of cancer volunteers to confront sentient black hole. [64] | |||
Oliver Greenberg Mike Weissman Two unnamed astronauts | "Open Loops" (2000), short story | NASA: Ehricke | Near Future |
On mission to Ra-Shalom, Space Shuttle veteran Greenberg becomes the first human to visit an asteroid. Greenberg later spends one million years living on Ra-Shalom while the universe changes around him. [65] | |||
Unnamed astronauts | Brando: Carbon Copies (2002), music video | Unknown | Future |
Astronauts building space station to orbit distant planet which resembles Mars. [66] | |||
Antonio (Mexico) (no last name given) Unnamed astronaut | "Will You Be an Astronaut?" (2002), short story | Space Station Vigilancia | Unknown (Alternate History) |
In alternate history in which Apollo 11 never returned to Earth, Antonio defends Earth from telepathic entities called Asps. [67] [68] | |||
Christopher Goszen | The Memory Chamber (2006), short film | SpaceCo | 2019 |
Novelist-turned-astronaut confuses memories, dreams and reality while on mission to asteroid. [69] | |||
Two unnamed astronauts | An Inconvenient Penguin Death March (2007), short film | Unknown | Near Future |
Astronauts stranded in space as penguins take over world. [70] | |||
Carpathia: Richard Jacob Johansenn Susan Kirmatsu (Pilot) Robbie Hamilton (Co-pilot) Patricia Mattos (Chief archeologist) Heidi Vogt (archeologist) Unnamed astronauts and observers Deep Space Dart: Richard J. Johansenn Mac McFerson Greg Yovel Rachel Saunders (Forensic anthropologist) Helen Dail (Reporter) Unnamed astronauts | "Recovering Apollo 8" (2007), short story | Johansenn Interplanetary: Carpathia (Hawk-class) Deep Space Dart | 2007 (Alternate History) 2018 (Alternate History) 2020 (Alternate History) |
In alternate history in which Apollo 8 never returned to Earth, billionaire Johansenn makes it his life's mission to recover the lost spacecraft and its crew. Apollo 20 is mentioned as having crashed into the Moon (no details given). [71] [72] | |||
Javier Fonseca, Dr. (Astrogeologist) Endurance: Neil Giffords, Dr. (US) Yuri Semyonov, Dr. (Russia) Glen Hosey, Dr. (Ireland) (Astrogeologist) | Spacemen Three (2008), short film | Endurance (space shuttle) | Future |
Hosey replaces 11-spaceflight-veteran Fonseca on 24-month mission to gray planet that resembles Mars. [73] | |||
Samuel Sheppard (Captain) Jackson (Pilot) Blake Santos, Dr. (Physician) | The Space Between (2009), short film | Space Shuttle Lustria | Near Future |
NASA astronauts on nine-year mission using hibernation technology. [74] | |||
NASA: Robert Danforth (USN) Freedom: Holly (Traffic control) Unnamed personnel Tri-Star: Jake Dan Unnamed personnel | "Space Hero" (2010), short story | NASA: Space Shuttle Discovery Mars One Soyuz Freedom (space station) Tri-Star (space station) Orbital shuttle | Near Future |
NASA astronaut Danforth, who made emergency landing aboard Discovery after launch malfunction, visits commercial space stations, one of which is building spacecraft for first Mars mission. [75] [76] | |||
Halcyon: Arthur Robert (no last names given) | Capsule (2011), short film | NASA: Orion / Constellation Halcyon (lander) | Unknown |
Two astronauts in Halcyon have landed (possibly on Venus or Mars) and are running out of oxygen. The ending leaves ambiguous whether or not the story is a daydream. [77] | |||
Unnamed cosmonaut (US?) | The Cosmonaut (2011), short film | Unknown | Unknown |
Cosmonaut returns from space to find his girlfriend has grown old and died. [78] | |||
Windermere: David Brock Craig Swanson, Sqn Ldr (RAF) Joanna Slade Jules Verne: Philippe Lefevre, Commandant Svenni Nilson | Doctor Who The Feast of Axos (2011), audio play | Ironclad Industries: Windermere Eurozone Space Agency: Jules Verne (shuttle) Johann Kepler (shuttle) | c. 2020s [lower-alpha 8] |
Ironclad Industries attempts to solve Earth's energy problems by accessing energy from the alien parasite Axos. [79] | |||
Markus Samuel Ditto, Cmdr. | Imprint (2011), short film | GSI: Eco Mission (Space Shuttle) | Near Future |
Astronaut creates holographic replica of himself rather than his wife as companion for journey beyond Mars. [80] | |||
Galenka Makarova (Pilot) Dimitri Ivanov (Data acquisition and transmission) Yakov Demin (Flight systems specialist) | Troika (2011), novella | Tereshkova Soyuz re-entry vehicle | 2039 |
Cosmonauts from revived Soviet Union investigate mysterious artifact in space. Tereshkova has VASIMIR drive. [81] | |||
Oscar Homeslice | The Ballad of Oscar Homeslice (2012), short film | Unknown | Contemporary |
Legendary astronaut inspires young man to realize he is a hippogriff. [82] | |||
Phoebe base (2020): Lyman Hsu (Station Chief) Tina "Tiny" Lundgren (Deputy Station Chief) Gabriel Campbell (Geologist) Thaddeus Stankiewicz (Engineer) Bryce Lewis Alan Childs Unnamed personnel Phoebe base (2023): Irv Weingart (Station Chief) Thaddeus Stankiewicz (Deputy Station Chief) Dino Agnelli (Electrical engineer) Jarred Finnegan (Base mechanic) Chuck (no last name given) 11 unnamed personnel PS-1 Independent Inspection Team: Marcus Judson (NASA contractor) Olivia Finch, Prof. (Quality assurance engineer) Savannah "Savvy" Morgan (USAF, civilian) (Computer security engineer) Reuben Swenson (Department of Energy) (Power systems engineer) | Energized (2012), novel | NASA: Phoebe base Powersat One (PS-1) | February 22, 2020 April 10 – November 4, 2023 |
When asteroid Phoebe approaches Earth, NASA captures it and places it in Earth orbit to investigate its resources. Stankiewicz is blackmailed into secret project, leading to his murdering Campbell during EVA on Phoebe to avoid discovery. Three years later, inspection team investigates newly constructed powersat. [83] | |||
Thom (Netherlands?) (no last name given) | Tears of Steel (2012), short film | Unknown | Future |
Thom's decision to become an astronaut causes his girlfriend Celia to create killer robots that take over the world. Remade in Chinese in 2013. [84] [85] | |||
Charlotte Hayden, Dr. (Senior Mission Commander) Jack Overholt, Col. (Military Commander) Gabriel Drum, Maj. (Military Executive Officer) Alberto Gomez, Lt. (Physician) Manesh Kalani, Dr. (Linguist/Computer Specialist) Donald "Pritch" Pritchard, Dr. (Chief Astronomer) Cary Rowan, Dr. (Geologist) Kyoko Takahashi, [lower-alpha 9] Dr. (Physician) John S. Willett, Sgt. (OSCAR Corps) (Chief Engineer) | Letter 44 (2013–2017), comic book series | Project Monolith (US): USS Clarke Bowman (shuttle) | c. 2009 |
Astronauts on secret mission to investigate alien artifact in asteroid belt. Drum, Gomez and Pritchard discover lush artificial environment on 730 Athanasia. [86] [87] | |||
Jack Corben, Capt. | Superman Family Adventures The Menace of Metallo! (2013), comic book | Unknown (United States) | Contemporary/Near Future |
Astronaut transformed into super-villain Metallo by encounter with kryptonite asteroids. [lower-alpha 10] [88] [89] | |||
Katie Sparks Blair Taylor Marcus Dawkins Seraphim: Harmon Kryger Seraphim: Molly Woods | Extant (2014–15), TV | International Space Exploration Agency (ISEA): Space Station Seraphim | Near Future (2030s/2040s) |
Woods returns from 13-month solo mission to find herself pregnant. Sparks, Taylor and Dawkins are deceased; Kryger was believed to have committed suicide after mysterious solar flare incident. [90] | |||
Walsh, Dr. (Commander) Tom Compton, Ph.D. (Pilot) Bartholomew Alan "Berg" Bergen, Ph.D. (Engineer) Ronald Gibbs, Ph.D. Jane Augusta Holloway, Ph.D. (Linguist) Ajaya Varma, M.D. (Flight Surgeon) | Fluency (2014), novel | NASA Alpha Mission: Providence | Future (21st century) |
Astronauts dock with alien spacecraft discovered by Mariner 4 in 1964 and monitored by NASA ever since. Gibbs is an ISS veteran. [91] | |||
Nebulon "Lon" Innes | "Airtight" (2015), short story | Bezospace: MK212 | Future (after 2035) |
Former lunar ferry pilot stakes claim to minor planet in order to sell it to corporation. MK212 spacecraft described as "second-generation Dragon capsule". [92] | |||
Dark Sky Station: Felix (Detective) Aouda (Flight Chief) Charlie (Maintenance) Unnamed personnel Orbital ascender: Unnamed pilot Unnamed flight engineer Phil Foggerty (Passenger) John Keyes (Passenger) | "Around The NEO in 80 Days" (2015), short story | Dark Sky Station (DSS) (Inflatable space habitat) 2 orbital ascenders (Space balloons) | Future |
Adventurer Foggerty and valet Keyes attempt to win bet by flying around near-Earth object. [93] | |||
Chinese spacecraft: Song-li "Song" Chunxi Private spacecraft: Sam Gunn | "Rare (Off) Earth Elements (A Sam Gunn Tale)" (2015), short story | People's Republic of China Private spacecraft (fusion propulsion) | Future |
Taikonaut travels to asteroid 94-12 to claim its resources for China, only to find Sam Gunn already there. [94] | |||
Unnamed astronaut | Re-Entry (2015), short film | NASA: Eon One | Future |
Female astronaut caught in fatal time loop after re-entry. | |||
Kenna Belecky (Outer Space Technician) Nick (Outer Space Technician) (no last name given) | "Ten Days Up" (2015), short story | McCormick-Dewey International: McCormick-Dewey ground-to-orbit lifting conduit ("the EL") (Space elevator) | Future |
Solar flares hit space elevator train while "ostech" Belecky is performing EVA. Haley Wu is mentioned as having been the first human on Mars. [95] | |||
Tombaugh One/Tombaugh Station: James Dayton (Commander) Kate Beck (Executive Officer) Tadeo "Cookie" Atsuka, Dr. (Data Analytics and Imaging) Elise Kenyata, Dr. (Geo-planetologist/Medical Officer) Robinson Tucker (no first names given for last two) | "Tombaugh Station" (2015), short story | Corporate: Tombaugh One Tombaugh Two Tombaugh Three Tombaugh Station | Future |
Mysterious deaths on Pluto prior to completion of Venetia Burney Deep Space Cassegrain Telescope. [96] | |||
Tyrille Smith | "A Walkabout Amongst The Stars" (2015), short story | Venturer | 2035 |
When Voyager 1 mysteriously reactivates, Aboriginal Australian astronaut is sent on NASA/international mission to investigate. Venturer consists of seven nuclear electric propulsion modules. [97] | |||
Buck Hartford (Captain) | Umbra (2016), short film | NASA: Umbra | Future |
Son of famous pilot investigates mysterious anomaly. [98] | |||
Space Now: Malcolm Pennington (Founder) NASA: Dennis Locke [lower-alpha 11] (Program Director) Cronus candidates: Barney Peter Jensen (UK) (Space Now) Meredith Korman (call sign Braniac) (Theoretical physicist) Stephen Miller (EU) Eleven unnamed candidates First Cronus mission: Jason "Ace" McCoy (NASA) (Commander) Hemi "Thor" (NASA) (Second-in-command) Antonio Curzon (call sign Playboy) (Space Now) (Payload Specialist) Isabelle Wolsten (call sign Bombshell) (NASA) (Payload Specialist) Bomber Vicki Crum Hennessey (Theoretical physicist) Lourdes Mike Dean Winters (call sign Frosty) Second Cronus mission: Velosi (call sign Velocity) (NASA) (Commander) Nine other astronauts | Beyond the Limits (2017), novel | NASA/Space Now/International programs: Cronus program (Shuttle/Space station) | Near Future (April – June) |
Astronauts competing for slots on missions to build way station between Earth and Mars. Wolsten and Crum are ISS veterans. Billionaire Pennington attempted rendezvous with satellite aboard solar balloon, then set space diving world record on way down. [99] | |||
Jacob Lawson (Satellite designer) Ute Fassbinder (Space station commander) | Geostorm (2017), film | Space station | Near Future |
Engineer Lawson on climate-control satellite repair mission. [100] [101] [102] [103] | |||
Magellan: Roger Nelson, Capt. (USAF) (Commander) CNSA: Three unnamed taikonauts | Magellan (a.k.a. Messenger) (2017), film | NASA: X-57 (IC Magellan) CNSA: Unknown spacecraft | Future (21st century) |
NASA astronaut on mission to find alien transmitters on Titan, Triton and Eris. Landing on Titan near Punga Mare. X-57 lander is a VTOL spaceplane. [104] | |||
Planetary Resources and Exploration: Hiroshi Nevitt Barrick-Vale: Theresa (no last name given) | "To Lose the Stars" (2017), short story | Planetary Resources and Exploration Barrick-Vale Mining and Exploration Corporation | 2047 Late 21st century |
On solo survey expedition in the asteroid belt, Brazilian freelance surveyor Theresa discovers the dead body of legendary surveyor Nevitt. [105] | |||
Cloverfield Space Station: Kiel (NASA/US) (Commander) Ava Hamilton (ESA/UK) (Com officer) Schmidt (ESA/Germany) (Physicist) "Volky" Volkov (Russia) "Monk" Acosta (Brazilian Space Agency) (Physician) Tam (China) (Shepard engineer) Mundy (ESA/Italy) Alternate universe crew: Mina Jensen (Shepard engineer) | The Cloverfield Paradox (2018), film | Cloverfield Space Station: Helios mission | Future |
Astronauts using Shepard Accelerator in attempt to solve energy crisis find that Earth has disappeared after accelerator test. [106] | |||
Ferris 6: Amy Seaton (Captain) Unnamed communications tech Lander 1: Henson Durand (no first names given) Lander 2: Harold "Hal" Jordan Volkov (no first name given) | Green Lantern: Earth One Volume One (2018), graphic novel | Ferris Galactic: Ferris 6 Monarcha Energy Palladium Mining Expedition Lander 1 Lander 2 | Contemporary/Near Future (Earth One) |
Asteroid miners who discover Green Lantern power ring and battery in asteroid belt. Jordan is a former NASA astronaut who worked on the Arrowhead project, an orbital launching station used as a missile platform. [107] | |||
Stillness: Luckett "Lucky" Newman Cobalt Hill Inc "Cappies": Althea "Thea" (no last name given) Isabella Desrosiers Hiro (no last name given) Charlotte Pontchartrain Valer "Val" Simpson | "Shepherd Moon" (2018), short story | NASA: Stillness Cobalt Hill Inc Capsules: Atlas Hercules McQueen Spacey McSpaceface Summit | Future (October) |
On her forty-first mission, "cappy" Thea flies capsule Summit to recover body of NASA astronaut Newman, her ex-boyfriend, killed in EVA accident on spaceflight in geosynchronous orbit. "Capsules" are small spacecraft used by private spaceflight industry. [108] | |||
Hathor 18: Serizawa, Cmdr. (Commander) Eva Roberts, Cmdr. (Pilot) Unnamed science officer Unnamed technical assistant Outpost 2024 DEC: Troy William Holloway (United States) (Prospector/Engineering Technician) Milton Harris, Lt. | Solis (2018), film | Orbis Mining Corporation: Hathor 18 Outpost 2024 DEC EEV Khapera 2 (escape pod) | Future (between November and January) |
Aten asteroid miner Holloway in escape pod on collision course with Sun. [109] | |||
Gang Lu (Captain) Unnamed astronauts | Restart (2019), short film | Spaceship Star Zoo | April 12, 2052 |
Spacecraft is pulled through wormhole that appears in nuclear waste yard at Lagrange point, traveling to April 12 in the year 10,200,003,275. Star Zoo receives a transmission from Jiu Quan Space Command Center. Adapted from short story "Lagrange Cemetery" by Wang Jinkang. [110] | |||
Melody Adams (NASA) Mission Commander/Astronomer (USA) Ye Zhigang (CNSA) Mission Pilot (China) Gabriella Mancarella (ESA) Engineer (Italy) Rick Worthington (CSA) Engineer (Canada) Dr. Selena Rogerton (NASA) Engineer/Mathematician (USA) Dr. Thomas Ehrmann (ESA) Chemist/Physician (Germany) | The Object (2024), novel | Pangea SpaceX Starship | 2024 |
A group of astronauts are sent to intercept and research a mysterious extraterrestrial object which turns out to be a biological spaceship that is trying to communicate with them. Adams is an ISS veteran. | |||
List of fictional astronauts (exploration of outer Solar System)
Michael Z. Williamson is an American military science fiction and military fiction author best known for his libertarian-themed Freehold series published by Baen Books. Between 2004 and 2016, Williamson published eight Freehold novels, exploring military and political themes as well as first contact with alien beings. This was followed by the Forged in Blood (2017) and Freehold: Resistance (2019) anthologies, consisting of short stories taking place in the Freehold universe, some by Williamson and some by other authors, including Larry Correia, Tony Daniel, Tom Kratman and Brad R. Torgersen.
Sarah A. Hoyt is a Portuguese-born American science fiction, fantasy, mystery, and historical fiction writer. She won the 2011 Prometheus Award for Best Libertarian SF Novel for her science fiction novel Darkship Thieves, and the 2018 Dragon Award for Best Alternate History Novel for Uncharted, which she co-authored with Kevin J. Anderson. She has written under the noms de plume Sarah D'Almeida, Elise Hyatt, Sarah Marques, Laurien Gardner, and Sarah Marques de Almeida Hoyt. She was the leader of the Sad Puppies campaign in the year that it ceased nominating candidates.
Tony Daniel is an American science fiction writer and was an editor at Baen Books and a senior editor at Regnery Publishing.
Eric James Stone is an American science fiction, fantasy, and horror author. He won the 2004 Writers of the Future contest, and has published in Analog Science Fiction and Fact, InterGalactic Medicine Show, and Jim Baen's Universe. His 2010 novelette, "That Leviathan, Whom Thou Hast Made," won the Nebula Award for Best Novelette and was a finalist for the Hugo Award.
Brad R. Torgersen is an American science fiction author whose short stories regularly appear in various anthologies and magazines, including Analog Science Fiction and Fact and Orson Scott Card's Intergalactic Medicine Show.
Bryan Thomas Schmidt is an American science fiction author and editor. He has edited twenty-two anthologies, and written a space opera trilogy, and an ongoing, near-future police procedural series set in Kansas City, Missouri, and a near future thriller novel being developed as a motion picture. He wrote a non-fiction book on how to write a novel. He was a finalist, with Jennifer Brozek, for the 2015 Hugo Award for Best Professional Editor for the anthology Shattered Shields. His anthology, Infinite Stars, was nominated for the 2018 Locus Award for Best Anthology.
Ryk E. Spoor is an American science fiction and fantasy author, who also writes research grant proposals for a technology firm. He published his first novel, Digital Knight, in 2003, and has gone on to publish over a dozen more novels, often in collaboration with author Eric Flint on their Boundary series. He is nicknamed "seawasp" or "Sea Wasp", an online handle he has been using since 1977 in venues such as LiveJournal, Dreamwidth and Usenet.