Th?e authors examine the potential impact of play on astronauts adapting to the extreme conditions of space travel. Th?ey cite research showing that well-trained astronauts, though in general physically fi?t and emotionally stable, can suffer from--among other things--boredom and sensory deprivation in the con?fines of the microgravity capsules of space fl?ight. Astronauts on duty, the authors argue, are overscheduled, understimulated, isolated, and--importantly--play deprived. Introducing play into space fl?ight routines, they contend, keeps astronauts saner, boosts their morale, and provides leisure-time pleasure. Th?ey discuss the importance of play and its uses in Ackermann's Whole Child Development Guide, which, they argue, is also suitable for adult space travelers. And they provide guidelines for designing a playscape in microgravity that taps the unique, inherently playful qualities of weightlessness itself.