Shuffling in Zero-G: The Mechanics, Physics, and Logistics of Playing Cards in Space
by Alex J. Coyne © Gifts for Card Players, August 2026
Playing cards are one of the most easily accessible games on the planet. A playing card deck is just as easy to find at a small store in the middle of Africa as it might be to find in a store in New York…Card decks have universal appeal, and it’s why playing cards have been in almost every household regardless of how big or small (or rich or poor) the household may call themselves.
But what happens when we’re talking about playing cards off the planet?
Astronauts have a lot of time in space, and not all of their time can be spent making notes or trying to plant potatoes like in The Martian. Some of their time is spent playing cards, but this might already make you think of some questions.
Here’s more about playing cards in space, and just how astronauts shuffle in zero gravity.
Heading to Space
We’ve sent some pretty unusual things to space before just in case you’re wondering about this too.
The Voyager 1 and Voyager 2 craft contained 90 minutes of, well, Earth music as a time capsule for potential extraterrestrial life or future spacefarers who might intercept the craft.
You can see which sounds made the cut at this NASA page.
Neil Armstrong carried bits of the Wright plane into space as a tribute to another historical first flight. Oh, and Elysium Space can also have your remains sent into space if you’ve got the budget.
Rooibos seeds are also being sent to the International Space Station, says the South African National Space Agency.
What would you send into space if you could and why?
Playing Cards (and Other Sports) in Space
Astronauts might be in space to work, but they have access to some leisure activities in space too.
According to BBC’s Sky at Night Magazine and Works That Work, some of the games astronauts have played in space included chess, Scrabble, and what’s called Space Darts–played with hoops and ping pong balls to compensate for the lack of gravity.
The video games Tetris and Starcraft have also been played in space.
The Mechanics of an Orbital Deal
The standard paper deck found on Earth is unusable in microgravity; a light breeze from the station’s ventilation or a single loose turn would scatter 52 cards, potentially clogging air intakes or interfering with delicate controls.
As Space Coast Daily and other sources confirm, physical card games in space rely on specialized hardware:
Anchored Surfaces: Standard game nights often utilize custom cards featuring either magnetic backings or Velcro strips. These allow players to firmly secure cards to a matching specialized playing table, ensuring they do not drift away mid-hand.
Card Holders: Some crews have used custom-machined holders designed to grip a hand of cards tightly.
About that Shuffle
When they have these specialized physical decks, “shuffling” is not an automated mechanical interweaving. It is a slow, methodical redistribution.
To “shuffle” a magnetic or Velcro deck:
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Players must manually take the face-down cards and meticulously overlap or spread them out on the anchored playing mat.
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They may also spread all 52 cards face-down on the mat like a “messy” array and then gather them back up into a single stack, which is the only way to avoid them drifting.
The Digital Alternative
In the modern era, physical cards are no longer strictly necessary. Astronauts frequently use tablets to play digital versions of poker, blackjack, or other games without worrying about the logistics of floating components.
However is you plan to be in space, or anywhere exceptionally windy, and without a tablet, you can purchase a set of the famous KLING Magnetics cards. Or purchase a set of magnetic cards from Amazon.
Card games have also become somewhat of a pre-launch tradition.
Cards Before Launch
Card games have become a lucky ritual for astronauts before launch, traditionally played on launch day right after everyone suits up. This suit-up room card game carries deep symbolic weight to seal good luck before the crew heads out to the pad.
During the Space Shuttle era, astronaut tradition dictated playing a game called Possum Fargo, involving rapidly dealing five cards until the commander won a hand to guarantee a successful mission.
Recent spaceflights highlight a subtle twist on this custom. In modern pre-flight games, the crew plays against NASA’s Chief Astronaut until the Chief loses a round. By taking the loss, the Chief Astronaut symbolically absorbs any bad luck on Earth so the launching crew can depart on a high note.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqO9ixvfCRI
Why the Artemis crew play cards before launch collectSPACE.com says the game remains a beloved pre-flight staple.
How do you play Possum Fargo? Smithsonian Magazine says it involves rapidly dealing five cards, and historically the game continues until the required hand lands.
- The Rules: Five-card hands are dealt quickly with no betting and no extra cards drawn.
- The Goal: It is reverse poker; the lowest, worst possible hand wins the round.
- The Superstition: The game continues in the ready room until the mission commander is dealt the lowest/losing hand. Once the commander finally “loses” a round, the bad luck is considered left behind in the room, and the crew is cleared to walk out to the spacecraft
There are no fancy bids or complex rules: just a ritualistic card game to get people together just like card games have been doing for a long time. https://www.instagram.com/reel/DWpHKvcDHZG/
Get Your Space Decks Here
If you’re looking for appropriate card decks but can’t go to space yourself, we’ve got you covered right here with some space-themed merchandise.
Official NASA playing cards might be what you’re looking for. The Official Nasa Gear website also has other decks like the Apollo and Universe cards at this page.
These Cosmic Exploration cards are also available from Novaspace.com with each design featuring a specific space traveller.
What would you most want to launch into space? Which game would you like to play in zero gravity?
