Into space and back

I have carefully looked after and preserved this precious single card since being given it many years ago by a fellow collector. The story behind it is an interesting one. In 1971, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) decided that they wanted to offer crew members on long duration space missions playing cards which would be safe in the 100% oxygen atmosphere of a spacecraft cabin. Playing cards, by nature, may be harmless, but not in space because, in a pure oxygen environment, flammable materials such as paper cards could intensify a fire. NASA therefore commissioned a pack (or packs) to be printed on fireproof paper.

The design on the back features the NASA symbol in the centre against the background of the familiar ‘Bicycle’ design. The face of this card is blank.

Above: a single playing card made by USPC Co., Cincinnati, USA, 1971.

Did this card actually make it into space? I don’t know. Was the experiment a success? I don’t know. Was more than one pack produced? I don’t know. Have card games been played on board the International Space Station? I don’t know.

Any additional information about this card/pack would be very welcome.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Some of the information contained in this article was sourced from a recent publication called “52 Years of Play” celebrating 52 years since the creation of Cartamundi (1970-2022).