Elon Musk reacts as Japanese astronaut plays solo baseball in space. Video

Tech billionaire Elon Musk has brought a unique moment of space entertainment into the spotlight by sharing a fascinating video of Japanese astronaut Koichi Wakata playing baseball while floating inside the International Space Station (ISS). The clip, originally posted by Wakata on X, captures him effortlessly pitching, hitting, and catching the ball—an impressive display of skill made possible by microgravity.

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‘You can play all positions’

As Major League Baseball (MLB) kicked off its season opener in Japan, Wakata shared his space-themed celebration. “It's baseball season - the @MLB season opener is kicking off in Japan. During Expedition 68, I played a solo game of baseball. In microgravity, you don't need a whole team, you can play all of the positions,” he captioned the post.

Check out the clip here:

Musk, evidently impressed by the astronaut’s out-of-this-world baseball skills, reshared the video, drawing even more attention to the clip. The footage was recorded inside the JAXA (Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency) module of the ISS and has since captivated social media users.

A storied space career

Wakata, a veteran astronaut, retired from JAXA in 2024 after a career spanning nearly two decades. Over the course of five missions, he logged more than 500 days in space, earning the distinction of being the first Japanese commander of the ISS during Expedition 39.

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Internet reacts

The video has racked up more than 94.8 million views, with users reacting in awe and amusement. One user marvelled, “Only in space can you be the pitcher, batter, and fielder at the same time!” Another wrote, “This is the coolest way to play baseball—no need to chase the ball!”

A third comment read, “Koichi Wakata proving once again that astronauts get to have the best experiences.” Another added, “Imagine if MLB held a game in space. Now that’s a future I’d love to see.”

One social media user humorously pointed out, “Zero gravity baseball? I’d still somehow strike out.” Another wrote, “This video makes me want to be an astronaut—space baseball sounds too fun to miss!”