Did you know? There is a geocache on the International Space Station placed in 2008. It has since been visited four times by other astronauts.

Geocaching is an outdoor recreational activity in which participants use a GPS receiver or a mobile device to hide and seek containers, called “geocaches” or “caches”, anywhere in the world. It’s a fun way for people to explore the outdoors and discover new places while challenging themselves to find hidden treasures.

But have you ever heard of geocaching in space? Believe it or not, there is a geocache on the International Space Station (ISS) that was placed back in 2008. Since then, it has been visited four times by other astronauts.

The geocache was placed by astronaut Richard Garriott during his 12-day mission to the ISS in October 2008. Garriott, an avid geocacher who had logged over 1,000 finds on Earth, wanted to bring the game to space and create a unique experience for fellow geocachers.

The cache container, which measures 4 inches by 4 inches, is made of a clear polycarbonate material and contains a logbook, a Geocoin, and a Travel Bug. Geocoins are custom-made coins that geocachers use to track their progress and commemorate their adventures, while Travel Bugs are small items that travel from cache to cache, allowing geocachers to track their movements.

Garriott’s geocache is not only a fun challenge for fellow geocachers but also a symbol of human ingenuity and innovation. It highlights the ability of humans to adapt to new environments and push the limits of what is possible.

Since its placement in 2008, the geocache has been visited four times by other astronauts. In 2012, astronaut Don Pettit wrote in the geocache logbook from the space station, saying: “I’m signing in on this historic site. I’m sure civilization will collapse if I don’t. Discovery and exploration is human nature. This is what makes us who and what we are.”

In 2014, astronaut Reid Wiseman tweeted a photo of the geocache from inside the space station, saying: “Found it! More crew members should get in on the fun up here.”

Though the geocache on the ISS is not accessible to the general public, it serves as a reminder of the boundless possibilities of human exploration and the importance of challenging ourselves to discover new things. Who knows, maybe one day there will be geocaches on other planets or in other galaxies, waiting to be found by adventurous geocachers.