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Featured era: 2013
Chris Hadfield's Space Oddity
“This time, Major Tom gets his orders to land, and makes it home.”
- Featured era
- 2013
- Peak era
- 2013
- Company
- Chris Hadfield
- Category
- Viral Videos
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On Video
Chris Hadfield's "Space Oddity" aboard the ISS
Plays from YouTube when you press play. Views, length and date from YouTube, October 2026.
About This Video
- From:
- Rare Earth
- Added:
- May 12, 2013
- Length:
- 5:30
What Was It?
Canadian astronaut Chris Hadfield recorded this version of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" aboard the International Space Station. In March 2013 he had become the first Canadian to command the station, and he released the music video on May 12, 2013, after handing over command and shortly before returning to Earth.
On the ground, Joe Corcoran produced and mixed the backing track, and Emm Gryner wrote a piano arrangement. Hadfield changed the lyrics so that Major Tom receives his orders to land and does so safely, and the song mentions the Soyuz spacecraft he travelled in.
Bowie's social media team called it "possibly the most poignant version of the song ever created". The Economist even wrote about the legal side of performing a copyrighted song while in Earth orbit.
Things You Probably Forgot
- Major Tom landing safely for once
- The nod to the Soyuz spacecraft
- Bowie's team calling it the most poignant version
- The months when the video vanished over its licence
The Story
- 2013 Hadfield became the first Canadian to command the International Space Station in March.
- 2013 He released the "Space Oddity" video on May 12, shortly before returning to Earth.
- 2014 The one-year licence for the song expired on May 13 and the video was taken offline.
- 2014 The video returned to YouTube on November 2 under a two-year licence.
Its Legacy
The video went offline in 2014 when its licence ran out, then returned to YouTube later that year. It remains one of the best-loved meetings of spaceflight and pop music.
Memories
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