Wakeup Music of the Space Shuttle’s Final Mission

Use of music to awaken astronauts on space missions dates back at least to the Apollo Program, when astronauts returning from the moon were serenaded by their colleagues in mission control with lyrics from popular songs that seemed appropriate for the occasion.

Usually picked by flight controllers or by crew members’ friends and family members, most wakeup calls are musical, but sometimes include dialog from movies or TV shows. The playlist is eclectic, ranging from rock, country, classical, bluegrass and jazz, to children’s choruses and songs from the countries of international crewmembers. The recording is usually followed by a call from the CAPCOM in Mission Control, wishing the crew a good morning.

The common element of all these selections is that they promote a sense of camaraderie and esprit de corps among the astronauts and ground support personnel.