Polar outpaces Apple and Garmin on astronauts’ wrists

In space, the adoption of smartwatches has been cautious and inconsistent. When you scan the wristwear history of astronauts, one brand clearly leads the wearable tech category: Polar.

Polar watches have flown on missions 24 times so far. Apple watches? Just seven. Suunto has appeared twice. Garmin, despite its dominance in multisport and endurance markets, has only been worn once.

That puts things into perspective. Most watches worn in space haven’t been smartwatches at all.

Traditional watches still rule orbit

If you look at wristwear frequencies on space missions, smartwatches are outnumbered by simpler, more rugged timepieces. Leading the list is the Omega X-33, worn 380 times. It was designed specifically for astronauts and remains a staple.

Next comes the Casio G-Shock DW5600, known for toughness, with 209 missions. But that’s not the latest iteration of the DW5600 we reviewed earlier this year. The DW5600 line stretches decades back.

Then there’s the Omega Speedmaster, the legendary Moonwatch, used 155 times. The Citizen A829-6019 appears 101 times, followed by its sibling, the A829-6029, with 66 known flights.

These choices aren’t surprising. They’re all built for reliability under extremes—vacuum, radiation, vibration, thermal flux. The kind of conditions where the average a typical smartwatch might struggle.

What’s behind Polar’s dominance?

Polar’s success story is largely a result of its long history. As far back as 1991, astronauts on shuttle missions were strapping on the Polar Accurex II, a heart rate monitor long before the term “smartwatch” existed. Polar filled a specific niche: fitness tracking for microgravity experiments and long-duration missions.

Astronauts like Terence Henricks, Susan Helms, and Ronald Grabe relied on it repeatedly in the ’90s. Later missions switched to the E600 and eventually the V800. These devices were lightweight, reliable, and purpose-driven, focusing on heart rate data.

Apple and Garmin arrive late to the party

Apple Watch first appeared in 2020 aboard Dragon Crew 1. Shannon Walker and Soichi Noguchi wore them on the ISS. All four members of the all-civilian Inspiration 4 mission in 2021 also sported Apple Watches, including Jared Isaacman, who wore both Apple and Garmin.

That Inspiration 4 mission marks Garmin’s only confirmed trip to orbit. Isaacman wore a Fenix, a watch known more for battery life and performance metrics than health tracking.

The Apple Watch seems to be gaining acceptance in newer commercial missions, but it’s still a novelty. Its integration is limited, and it’s unclear whether astronauts rely on it for anything beyond personal use.

Suunto made it early, then disappeared

Suunto had its moment long before Apple entered the scene. Carl Walz wore a Suunto Vector in 2001. John Grunsfeld followed up in 2009 with an Observer SR during a Hubble servicing mission. Since then, silence.

That suggests Suunto’s rugged watches were briefly considered for specialized use, but never established a recurring role.

Here are the top ranged brands as far as watches worn by astronauts.

Function beats fashion in orbit

Many watches worn in space appear only once. Dozens of brands—from Seiko to Panerai to Bvlgari—have been spotted. Some may have been personal choices, gifts, or part of research payloads. But they rarely come back.

Essential reading: Top fitness trackers and health gadgets

What astronauts need is reliability, predictability, and compatibility. Smartwatches, for all their features, often complicate that equation. Most rely on constant recharging, Bluetooth syncing, and system integration. That’s not ideal when floating 400 kilometers above Earth with limited access to support.

As it stands today, the space-tested smartwatch list is short. Polar carved out a legacy through focus and simplicity. Everyone else is still on trial.

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