How Do Astronauts Play Ping-Pong In Space? With Water, Of Course

A new spin on an old game.

So, it seems that NASA astronaut Scott Kelly has found time to put a brilliant spin on an old game during his year aboard the International Space Station.

In a video released Thursday by NASA, Kelly shows how he uses special water-repellent paddles to play ping-pong in the microgravity environment of the space station. The technique can be summed up in one word: awesome.

The paddles are coated with the hydrophobic material Teflon, which allows them to (slowly) bounce a jiggling ball of water back and forth.

"They repel water, kind of like a raincoat," Kelly says in the video.

It's part of a series produced by NASA that showcases astronauts doing cool experiments in space.

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The International Space Station

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