Astronaut Rolls D20 in Zero Gravity, Proving D&D Possible in Space

Rabea Rogge demonstrates dice rolling techniques for roleplaying games in orbit.

Apr. 8, 2026 at 1:34am

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A stark, minimalist illustration depicting a gloved astronaut's hand holding a floating 20-sided die, rendered in dramatic black and white geometric shapes to conceptually represent the idea of roleplaying in space.An astronaut's dice roll in zero gravity sparks new possibilities for gaming beyond Earth's atmosphere.San Antonio Today

German astronaut Rabea Rogge, part of the recent SpaceX Fram2 mission, posted a video showing how she was able to successfully roll a twenty-sided die while in zero gravity. Rogge's experiment proves that playing tabletop roleplaying games like Dungeons & Dragons is indeed possible for astronauts in space, though the logistics of managing multiple dice may still pose a challenge.

Why it matters

Rogge's demonstration highlights the innovative ways astronauts are finding to pass the time and maintain morale during long-duration space missions. The ability to engage in familiar hobbies like roleplaying games could have positive psychological benefits for crews isolated in the confined environment of a spacecraft.

The details

In the video, Rogge flicks the D20 upward, giving it a spin, then catches it in her hand to check the result. She notes that the best approach is the simplest one - using just a single die rather than trying to roll multiple dice at once, which would be more difficult in zero gravity. Rogge was part of the SpaceX Fram2 mission, a privately funded polar orbit flight.

  • Rogge posted the video demonstrating dice rolling in space on April 8, 2026.
  • The Fram2 mission that Rogge participated in took place earlier in 2026.

The players

Rabea Rogge

The first German woman to travel to space, Rogge was part of the recent SpaceX Fram2 mission, a privately funded polar orbit flight.

Chun Wang

A cryptocurrency billionaire who funded the Fram2 mission that Rogge flew on.

Dr. Christopher Combs

The associate dean of research and mechanical engineering at the University of Texas at San Antonio, who commented on the significance of the Fram2 mission.

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What they’re saying

“We experimented a little. So rejoice, roleplaying in space is absolutely possible.”

— Rabea Rogge, Astronaut

“A private space flight around the poles was 'a notch above gimmick, but not exactly a groundbreaking milestone'.”

— Dr. Christopher Combs, Associate Dean of Research, Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at San Antonio

What’s next

NASA's upcoming Artemis 2 mission around the moon could provide additional opportunities for astronauts to experiment with recreational activities like roleplaying games in space.

The takeaway

Rogge's successful dice roll in zero gravity demonstrates the innovative ways astronauts are finding to maintain morale and engage in familiar hobbies during long-duration space missions, opening up new possibilities for how we think about gaming and recreation beyond Earth's atmosphere.