ESA Astronaut Sophie Adenot Wears Star Trek Captain Pike's Badge on ISS for 60th Anniversary
ESA astronaut Sophie Adenot, currently serving as a flight engineer on the International Space Station during her Epsilon mission, wore a Delta insignia badge modeled on the one worn by actor Anson Mount as Captain Pike in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. She recorded a video tribute marking 60 years since Star Trek's debut, linking the franchise's themes of exploration and cooperation to real-world space science, and both ESA and Paramount shared the clip on Instagram.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
The gesture highlights how science fiction continues to shape public enthusiasm and cultural framing around real space exploration, reinforcing partnerships like ESA's with entertainment brands to boost visibility. It also underscores how astronauts use symbolic moments to connect scientific missions with broader public imagination about humanity's future beyond Earth.
- Sophie Adenot wore a Star Trek-inspired badge aboard the ISS during her Epsilon mission.
- The tribute marked Star Trek's 60th anniversary and was jointly promoted by ESA and Paramount.
- ESA framed the gesture as symbolic of shared themes between fiction and real space exploration efforts.
Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 Blu-ray — If Captain Pike's delta badge orbiting Earth got you nostalgic, this is the series that put Anson Mount's Pike back on the bridge. Owning it on disc means the Enterprise's voyages are always ready to rewatch, no streaming required, perfect for a 60th anniversary marathon.
See Star Trek: Strange New Worlds Season 1 Blu-ray on Amazon → Affiliate link — we may earn a commission on purchases, at no extra cost to you. Product picked by AI based on this article; it is not a tested recommendation.Source: arstechnica.com, 2026-09-08
Published there as: “The universal language of space is... Star Trek? Mais oui.”
Read the original report → The summary and analysis above are GoKawiil's own, written from reporting by the source above. Facts and quotes belong to the original publisher.