Firearms History — Space Age

Guns in Space
— The Real Story

Did astronauts and cosmonauts really carry guns in space? The surprising true history of firearms in space exploration — from Soviet survival pistols to the International Space Station.

Get My Free Gun Valuation →

The Surprising Truth

Yes, Cosmonauts Carried Guns in Space

Since 1965, Soviet cosmonauts — and later Russian cosmonauts — have routinely carried a specially designed firearm aboard Soyuz spacecraft. The TP-82 Cosmonaut Survival Pistol is a triple-barrel combination gun designed not for extraterrestrial defense but for surviving wilderness landings back on Earth. Here’s the complete story.

YEAR	EVENT
1965	Voskhod 2 mission — cosmonauts land 386 miles off target in Siberian wilderness, no survival weapon issued
1965	Soviet military decides all future crews will carry a survival weapon
1986	TP-82 Cosmonaut Survival Pistol enters service — triple barrel (two shotgun, one rifle)
1986–2007	TP-82 standard equipment on all Soyuz missions
2007	TP-82 ammunition supply exhausted — replaced with a standard semi-auto pistol (type classified)
2011	ISS crew confirmed to have access to a firearm per Russian protocols
Present	Firearms remain part of Russian cosmonaut survival kit for post-landing wilderness survival

The TP-82 Survival Pistol

The World’s Most Unusual Firearm

Three Barrels — Three PurposesThe TP-82 had two 12.5mm smoothbore barrels (firing signal flares or birdshot for food hunting) and one 5.45mm rifled barrel for predator defense. The stock detached to become a machete. One weapon, three survival purposes.

The Problem It SolvedThe 1965 Voskhod 2 incident demonstrated the problem — cosmonauts landed in deep Siberian wilderness and waited 2 days for rescue, completely unarmed against wolves, bears, and other predators. The TP-82 solved the wilderness survival problem.

Why Not a Standard Pistol?A standard military pistol doesn’t hunt food, signal rescuers, or serve as a machete. The TP-82’s combination of signal flares, bird shot, rifle round, and machete stock addressed all survival needs.

The Space Gun as Collector Piece

TP-82s are exceedingly rare in American civilian hands — they were manufactured in small quantities exclusively for the Soviet/Russian space program. Any authenticated TP-82 would be extraordinarily valuable as a collector piece. Standard survival combination guns inspired by the concept are available — gunprice.com/ can value any combination gun you own.

FAQs

Space Gun FAQs

Did American astronauts carry guns?

No — NASA has never issued firearms to astronauts. The philosophical difference reflects the programs: Soviet/Russian cosmonauts plan for wilderness survival in Russia’s vast territory; NASA astronauts relied on search and rescue infrastructure.

Is there currently a gun on the International Space Station?

The Russian contingent of ISS crew members have historically had access to firearms per Russian protocols. The specific current status is not publicly confirmed.

The Complete System